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Ohio State Board of Education (SBOE)

Ohio CEU Requirements

Renew a five-year professional or associate license with 18 CEUs, 180 contact hours, or six semester hours, approved by your LPDC.

18 CEUs
Or 6 semester hours
5 Years
License term
LPDC
Approves everything
Governing body: Ohio State Board of Education Official SBOE site Portal: LPDC (Local Professional Development Committee)

Ohio CEU Requirements Overview

To renew or align a five-year professional or associate license in Ohio, you must earn the equivalent of six semester hours of coursework related to classroom teaching or your area of licensure.

Ohio treats those as interchangeable: six semester hours equal 18 CEUs, which equal 180 contact hours - or any combination of the three. Typically one CEU equals 10 contact hours, three CEUs equal one semester hour, and 30 contact hours equal one semester hour.

Two dates matter as much as the total. The coursework or professional development must be completed after the issue date of the credential you are renewing, and after the approval date of your Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). Work done before either date does not count, which is the most common way Ohio educators lose hours they thought they had.

Approved Activities

Semester hours of coursework

Six semester hours related to classroom teaching or your area of licensure. One semester hour equals 3 CEUs or 30 contact hours.

Continuing education units

18 CEUs, or a combination of CEUs and coursework that reaches the six-semester-hour equivalent. One CEU equals 10 contact hours.

Contact hours

180 contact hours of professional development, counted toward the same total.

Equivalent other activities (EOAs)

Activities related to classroom teaching or your area of licensure, where your LPDC approves them as equivalent.

Required Topic Areas

Your LPDC must approve everything

The Local Professional Development Committee of your employing school, district or agency must approve all CEUs and contact hours. This is not a formality: the Ohio State Board of Education's own conversion chart states it as a condition of use.

Get the IPDP approved BEFORE you start

Professional development must be completed after the approval date of your Individual Professional Development Plan, and after the issue date of the credential being renewed. Hours earned before either date do not count toward this renewal.

Renewal Process

1

Get your IPDP approved

Submit an Individual Professional Development Plan to your LPDC and get it approved before you begin any professional development for this cycle.

2

Earn the equivalent of six semester hours

18 CEUs, 180 contact hours, six semester hours of coursework, or a combination - all related to classroom teaching or your area of licensure.

3

Have the LPDC review and approve

Your LPDC reviews the coursework and activities to determine whether the state's licensure requirements have been met.

4

Apply to renew

Submit your renewal application through the Ohio educator licensure system once your LPDC has signed off.

Ohio Quick Summary

Coursework option 6 semester hours
CEU option 18 CEUs
Contact hours 180 contact hours
1 CEU equals 10 contact hours
License term 5 years
Approver LPDC
Start a conversation

Ohio CEU FAQs

How many CEUs do Ohio teachers need to renew a license?

Eighteen CEUs, which Ohio treats as equal to 180 contact hours or six semester hours of coursework. You may use any combination of the three.

How many contact hours is one CEU in Ohio?

One CEU equals 10 contact hours. Three CEUs equal one semester hour, and 30 contact hours equal one semester hour.

What is an LPDC and why does it matter?

The Local Professional Development Committee of your employing school, district or agency reviews the coursework and professional development you complete and determines whether Ohio's licensure requirements have been met. It must approve all CEUs and contact hours.

Does professional development count if I did it before my IPDP was approved?

No. Coursework or professional development must be completed after the issue date of the credential you are renewing and after the approval date of your Individual Professional Development Plan.

Does EX in Education track Ohio CEU requirements?

Yes. Select Ohio and the system tracks progress toward the 18-CEU equivalent, records the contact-hour conversions, and keeps the evidence your LPDC needs in one place.

PD Requirements for Other States

Not in Ohio? Find requirements for your state.

Part of EX in Education

One piece of the educator experience.

CEU tracking is one part of how districts support educators. In EX in Education, it connects to the bigger picture: walkthroughs, coaching, evaluations, goals, PD, recognition, surveys, and retention. Bring your own process, or start from a template, then run it across every school so every educator moves from hired to thriving.