Frequently Asked Questions
The Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board (SPTRB) is an independent organization charged with the responsibility of regulating the teaching profession in Saskatchewan. The SPTRB will now be the provincial system of record for teaching credentials. The SPTRB, as do all other self-regulated professions, requires annual registration. The annual registration process requires registrants who wish to practice the profession to provide up to date contact information to the SPTRB and to answer a series of disclosure statements. Most professional regulatory bodies also charge an annual registration fee during the registration process. This fee serves as the primary source of revenue for the regulatory body. The provincial government has committed to funding the SPTRB for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years.
According to the The Registered Teachers Act:
28(2) No person other than a registered teacher shall: (a) hold himself or herself out to be a registered teacher; or (b) accept employment in a position for which a teacher’s certificate is required. 29(1) No employer shall employ or retain a person in a position for which a teacher’s certificate is required unless that person is a registered teacher. (2) No employer shall fail to ensure that a person whom the employer has employed or retained in a position for which a teacher’s certificate is required maintains, throughout the period of employment in that position, his or her status as a registered teacher. 50 Every person who contravenes a provision of section 28 or 29 is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of: (a) for a first offence, not more than $2,000; (b) for a second offence, not more than $4,000; and (c) for each subsequent offence, not more than $6,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both.
Yes, anyone who is working in a position that requires a teaching certificate for employment must register annually with the SPTRB. Information required for registration includes: current employer(s), position, and the current school-year dates.
• Completed grade 12 or equivalent; • Completed 4 years of post-secondary education and hold a bachelor's degree; • Completed a teacher education program comprised of at least 48 semester hours of teacher education that includes an extended practicum; • Hold a teaching certificate from the jurisdiction where teacher education was completed (if applicable). For more details on academic requirements, please see Schedule F of the SPTRB Regulatory Bylaws. If you hold a teaching certificate from another Canadian jurisdiction, you will qualify for a Saskatchewan Teacher's Certificate. In some instances the certificate may be issued as a Provisional Certificate. See below for more information about Provisional Certificates.
The most common teaching certificate issued is the Professional "A" Saskatchewan Teacher's Certificate. This certificate is the one that is earned by the graduates of the Saskatchewan Bachelor of Education programs. Holders of Professional "A" certificates are permitted to teach all subjects to students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. Information about our other certificates can be found here.
Under the Labour Mobility Chapter (Chapter 7) of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most teachers who hold a permanent teaching certificate from another Canadian jurisdiction will, upon application, receive a permanent Saskatchewan Teacher's Certificate. The exception is when an applicant holds a certificate upon which there is scope of practice restriction or limitation. Since Saskatchewan does not have an equivalent certificate to offer these applicants, they are granted a Provisional certificate and are required to complete sufficient coursework to ensure they meet Saskatchewan Teacher Certification Requirements.
Teacher education coursework is undergraduate level coursework similar to that which is taught in the Saskatchewan Bachelor of Education programs through a Faculty of Education. For example: a mathematics course taught through the College of Arts and Science is not considered teacher education coursework, but a Teaching Mathematics Methodology class taught by the Faculty of Education is a teacher education course. In most instances,graduate level coursework is not considered to be equivalent to the undergraduate teacher education required for initial teacher certification. University courses offered through the Ontario College of Teachers' Additional Qualification Program are considered teacher education courses and are equivalent to 6 credit hours of study.
An approved program or course is granted by a recognized degree-granting institution. Only coursework completed at a recognized post-secondary institution is acceptable for certification purposes. In Canada to be recognized, universities must be a member of Universities Canada or have coursework recognized by provincial legislation, such as the Saskatchewan Higher Education Quality Assurance Board. In the United States, universities must be accredited by one of the nationally recognized accrediting agencies: MSA (Middle States Commission on Higher Education), NWCCU (The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities), HLC (Higher Learning Commission), NEASC-CIHE (New England Association of Schools and Colleges - Commission on Institutions of Higher Education), SACS-COC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - Commission on Colleges), ACS-WASC (Accrediting Commission for Schools - Western Association of Schools and Colleges). Visit the U.S. Department of Education website to determine whether an American school is accredited by one of the accrediting agencies mentioned above: Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs in the US Coursework completed at an institution that is not recognized as a degree-granting institution and accepted for transfer credit at a recognized degree-granting institution is recognized for certification purposes. If transfer courses appear on the transcript from a recognized institution, the courses are recognized for certification purposes. WES assessment results are used to determine institutions outside of North America as recognized degree-granting institutions.
World Education Services (WES) is a member of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC). The SPTRB requires international credentials to be evaluated by WES. The WES course-by-course evaluation provides the SPTRB with the following information: • a verification of authenticity, • a general statement of Canadian equivalency, • a translation of course names into English, • a semester hour conversion for the length of each course, • a copy of the transcripts submitted to WES by applicant, • an email notice upon receipt of a request for an evaluation, and • an email version of the completed evaluation. NOTE: The WES evaluation is a tool the SPTRB uses when determining an applicant's suitability to hold a Saskatchewan Teacher's Certificate. WES does not assess whether or not an applicant meets Saskatchewan's Teacher Certification Requirements. The assessment of whether or not an applicant meets Saskatchewan Teacher's Certification Requirements is conducted by the SPTRB.
The WES assessment provides a course-by-course evaluation that includes a semester credit hour equivalency calculation. In Saskatchewan, a teacher's salary classification is determined by the total number of semester hours of post-secondary education the teacher has completed as well as a combination of the degrees and certificates they hold. The information provided in the WES evaluation will help to assist employers when determining the appropriate salary classification for teachers who have completed post-secondary study outside of Canada.
No, a master's degree is not recognized as an AQC. Please click here for more information on AQC applications or contact the SPTRB office by phone or email.
The Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) will review all written complaints regarding professional misconduct or professional incompetence. If the PCC deems the complaint appropriate for further investigation (i.e. they have appropriate jurisdiction and the complaint isn't frivolous or vexatious), the PCC will investigate the complaint. Once investigated, the PCC will determine next steps which may include: (a) Taking no further action because, in its opinion, no further action is warranted on the facts of the case; (b) Recommending a consent resolution process; or (c) Determining a formal complaint and recommending that the Discipline Committee hear the formal complaint as set out by the PCC. Note: The teacher will be notified in writing that there has been a complaint made against him/her.
No, all inquiries about accreditation should be directed to the Ministry of Education, Student and Educator Services Unit at student.records@gov.sk.ca.
No, the Ministry of Education is currently responsible for verifying salary classification as determined by employers.