Dear SRA Community,

This message is to advise you of the changes to the Opening Consultant Certification that was announced earlier today in the April Communiqué.

1. Due to the closure of the office as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will NOT be accepting new and renewing applications for Certified Consultants until July 1, 2020.
2. All Certified Consultants whose certification has expired between January 1 and June 30 will have their Certification automatically extended to June 30th. However, in order to maintain your certification, we ask that you send in your certification fee ($10 for each month) to make you current to June 30th. For example, if your certification expired in February 2020, in order to stay current, you will need to send in $50 to make you current to June.
3. Starting July 1st, all applications for new and renewing Certified Consultants will be using the new Certification process, which will be published in the August 2020 edition of Communiqué.
4. All long-term teacher recertifications will also begin on July 1st. A long-term teacher is defined as a teacher who has successfully renewed their certification five times (initial certification plus four renewals). The renewal process for long-term teachers will not be changing.
5. All first-time applications and first four renewals for teachers will begin on September 1, 2020. The new Certification process will be released in the August 2020 edition of Communiqué.
6. All Certified Teachers who are not considered long-term teachers whose certification has expired or will expire prior to August 2020, will also be automatically extended to August 31st, but just as #2 above, you will need to send your prorated certification fee up to August 2020, to the office in order to stay current.

Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience or confusion this may be causing you. Rolling out a new certification plan is a complicated process, which has only been made more complex with the current COVID-19 crisis. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact either RaShell Kingsbury, Bertha Calvin, or Bill Gee. Thank you for your continued support as we move forward into uncharted territory.