Certification of teaching staff for suitability for the position held

The legislative framework

Article 49 of Federal Law No. 273-FZ of December 29, 2012 states that assessing the professional qualities of a teacher is a mandatory event. The certification commission awaits each employee once every five years to determine suitability for the position held. In comparison, receiving a category is a teacher’s right, not an obligation. In this case, he undergoes the appropriate assessment voluntarily.

The certification procedure for suitability for a position is regulated by Orders of the Ministry of Education:

• for teachers - Order No. 276 of 04/07/2014;
• for university teachers - Order No. 293 of March 30, 2015.

In a preschool institution, certification for suitability for the position of a teacher is carried out according to the same principle as for a school teacher.

New teacher certification system in 2022 - what is already known?

The principles of the development system for teaching staff are reflected in Government Order No. 3273-r dated December 31, 2019. The new model of the certification procedure was tested in schools in 19 regions of Russia. According to the latest data, the model is planned to be launched from September 1, 2021.

Event goals

During the analysis of the teacher’s activities:

• identify the level of his qualifications;
• evaluate the quality of the employee’s work and its effectiveness;
• measure its potential and determine development prospects;
• confirm that it meets the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard;
• for higher education workers, personal contribution to teaching the discipline is determined.

Another issue that is addressed by certification of suitability for a teacher’s position is the determination of fair remuneration. Although it is implemented to a greater extent when assigning a qualification category.

On the postponement of teacher certification in 2021

In 2022, due to the coronavirus, teaching staff were allowed not to undergo mandatory testing. Two orders of the Ministry of Education came into force:

• No. 193 - on the extension of the qualification category (QC), the validity period of which expired from April 1 to September 1, 2022, until December 31, 2020;
• No. 713 - on the extension of the CC for another year - until December 31, 2021.

If teaching staff have not been certified in 2022, then there is no need to worry - there is still time. The salary level for such specialists remains the same, in accordance with the QC.

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Passage order

Documents for compliance with the position of a teacher can be divided into two groups. The first serves to organize the procedure itself (the documentation is prepared by the administration):

• administrative act (order) on convening the certification commission;
• schedule of the event, which employees are introduced to under their signature 30 days in advance;
• certification sheet;
• employee representation made by the employer;
• act of familiarization with the performance.

Sample order

Attestation sheet template

The second group consists of documents that the employee himself attaches to form a convincing presentation (the so-called teacher’s portfolio):

• identification;
• documents on professional education;
• information about previous assessments;
• everything that can confirm his pedagogical achievements.

The latter include methodological developments, award materials, and teaching aids created personally or in collaboration.

No special preparation is required for certification of suitability for the position held. The teacher has a month to deliver the missing documents. Nothing more is required of him - this is not an exam, but only the study of documents.

The law also establishes deadlines for certification of suitability for the position held. So, if an employee is unable to attend a commission meeting in person, it will be postponed for at least 30 days. But if there is no valid reason for absence, the event will be held without the person being certified.

The results obtained by open voting of the commission members are recorded in the minutes. The secretary prepares extracts from it within two days. The certified person has three more days to familiarize himself with this document.

Who may not pass the certification?

Part 22 of Order No. 276 exempts a number of persons from the procedure:

• have worked in one place for less than two years;
• having a qualification category;
• pregnant women and women on maternity leave;
• absent due to illness for more than four months.

All others do not have the right to refuse certification. This will be a violation of labor discipline and will entail consequences in the form of disciplinary action under Article 192 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation.

Sample order for certification

Sample presentation

Sample extract from the protocol

New categories

Now, in addition to the first and highest, a teacher will be able to receive the following qualification categories:

1. Senior teacher (methodologist) - is involved in the implementation of innovative educational technologies, conducts examinations of competitive works of excellence, supervises projects, and organizes seminars. To obtain a category, you must work in an institution for 5 years.
2. Leading teacher (mentor) - builds a plan for career growth of teachers, helps colleagues in matters of professional excellence. For this qualification category you need to work in an educational institution for 10 years.

If you receive 2 qualification categories at once, the salary increase will go to both at once.