Arizona Educator Deficiency Removal

School Counselor Certification

by School Counselor Certification Staff

Updated: September 3rd, 2024

Educator Certification: Deficiency Removal

Educator certifications in Arizona require correctable deficiencies to be corrected by the due date identified on the certificate(s). If not corrected, the certificate will be placed on a non-disciplinary suspension until the deficiency is corrected.

Certificate holders can apply to remove the deficiency online at AzEDCert Portal or by completing the Application to Remove a Deficiency and mailing it to the address on the form along with a $20 (check or money order). If the requirements have been met, an updated certificate will be mailed to the applicant.

To correct the AZ/U.S. Constitution deficiency, certificate holders have two options: passing the “Constitutions of the United States and Arizona” exam or taking the appropriate course(s) through an accredited institution. Those holding a Subject Matter Expert or a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Certificate may choose one of the following options:

Taking and passing the NES or AEPA Assessment of Professional Knowledge: Secondary exam, submitting an official score report documenting that they passed a substantially similar Professional Knowledge Secondary examination from another state or agency, holding a valid, comparable certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or having three years of full-time teaching experience in any state, including Arizona, in grades 6-12.

Semester hours for CTE and School Counselor Certificates must be taken through an accredited institution or completed an approved professional development. CTE Certificate holders can take up to fifteen semester hours of courses in professional knowledge in career and technical education, while counselor Certificate holders can complete appropriate semester hours.

If a deficiency is found in Phonics, Reading Intervention, and/or Ethics, the following certificates will be accepted:

Standard Professional Early Childhood and Standard Professional Elementary Certificates, Standard Professional Middle Grade, Secondary, and all Special Education Teaching Certificates, and Subject Matter Expert Certificates issued after 9/24/2022.