Educational Psychology
Pedagogy-focused; NCCRS-recommended
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →IdahoTeachers
College credit for Idaho teaching license renewal: what counts
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
Idaho teaching license renewal needs at least 6 semester credits, or equivalent professional development, within the certificate's 5-year validity period, under IDAPA 08.02.02.060. At least 3 must be postsecondary credit shown on a transcript from an accredited college or university. Up to 3 can be LEA-approved in-service hours, at 15 hours per credit. Graduate or undergraduate credit both count.
The rule
IDAPA 08.02.02.060 requires all certificated personnel to complete at least 6 semester credit hours or equivalent professional development within the 5-year validity period of the certificate, with at least 3 semester credits taken for postsecondary credit, transcripted and completed through a college or university accredited by an entity recognised by the State Board of Education; graduate or undergraduate credit may be used, and 15 contact hours of LEA-approved in-service equal 1 credit.
The rule asks for 6 semester credits in 5 years; at least 3 transcripted postsecondary credits. The legal source is IDAPA 08.02.02.060.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 6 semester credits or equivalent PD in the 5-year validity period | [1] |
| College credit | At least 3 postsecondary semester credits on a transcript from an accredited college | [1] |
| In-service | Up to 3 credits, LEA-approved; 15 contact hours = 1 credit | [2] |
| Relevance | Content or endorsement, pedagogy or leadership, or LEA-designated need | [1] |
| Timing | Earned during the validity period; no carry-over; apply 1 Jan to 31 Aug of expiry year | [1] |
| Fee | $75 non-refundable, plus $3.25 online | [2] |
Who decides
Idaho State Department of Education, Educator Certification (rules set by the Idaho State Board of Education) decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Graduate or undergraduate semester credit on a transcript, completed through a college or university accredited by an entity recognised by the State Board
- Credit tied to your content area or endorsement, to pedagogy or leadership, or to a need your LEA designates
- Up to 3 credits of LEA-approved in-service, at 15 contact hours per credit
- Quarter credits, converted at 3 quarter credits to 2 semester credits
What does not count
- Credits earned before the current validity period
- Credits carried over from the last renewal
- More than 3 credits of in-service
- Course certificates that are not on a college transcript
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Idaho State Department of Education, Educator Certification (rules set by the Idaho State Board of Education).
Psychology of Diversity
Supports work with diverse classrooms; NCCRS-recommended
Self-paced online Psychology of Diversity course (Psychology 112). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Abnormal Psychology
Relevant to special education and counselling support; NCCRS-recommended
Self-paced online Abnormal Psychology course (Psychology 180). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Research Methods in Psychology
Useful for data-informed teaching; NCCRS-recommended
Self-paced online Research Methods in Psychology course (Psychology 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Classroom technology and AI literacy; check that it ties to your plan
Self-paced online Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course (Computer Science 373). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Check your validity datesCredits must be earned during the current 5-year validity period, and they cannot carry over. Note the start and end dates on your certificate.
- Tie each course to your planThe rule requires credits to relate to your individualised professional learning plan or practice: content, endorsement, pedagogy, leadership, or an LEA-named need. Ask your district which it will sign off.
- Ask SDE or the college in writingCredit must be transcripted and completed through an accredited college or university. Ask the Educator Certification office in writing whether credit that a college reviews and places on its own transcript meets that.
- Take the courseSelf-paced online courses fit around the school year. Finish inside the validity period.
- Send the transcript and applyYour credit reaches a college via a college transcript. Send that transcript with the renewal application between 1 January and 31 August of the expiry year.
TESU, UoPeople and Newlane are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; ask Idaho Educator Certification in writing whether their transcripts meet its accreditation rule before you rely on them.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning monthly plan | $99 a month | Monthly access to undergraduate courses | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine membership | $99 a month plus a course fee | Membership plus a one-time fee per course | 15 Nov 2026 |
The renewal itself costs $75 (non-refundable) plus $3.25 if you apply online. Graduate professional development courses for teachers are priced per credit by each provider; check their own pages.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. Our courses help only if an accredited college places them on its own transcript and Idaho counts that credit.
- We cannot approve in-service hours; only your LEA can.
- We cannot speak for the Idaho State Department of Education or extend your deadline; the Department grants no extensions.
- We cannot decide whether a course fits your professional learning plan; your district does.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask the Idaho State Department of Education's Educator Certification office in writing whether the transcript you plan to send meets the renewal rule, and ask your district in writing that the course fits your plan, before you enrol.
Idaho teaching license renewal requirements in plain words
Idaho calls it an Educator Credential, and teachers usually call it a license or certificate. Every 5 years you renew it with 6 semester credits of professional development earned during that 5-year period. Half can come from in-service training your district approves. The other half, at least 3 credits, must be postsecondary credit on a college transcript.
The college must be accredited by an entity the State Board of Education recognises. Graduate and undergraduate credit both count, which is less strict than many states that ask for graduate or upper-division credit only.
- 6 semester credits in the 5-year validity period
- At least 3 on a transcript from an accredited college
- Up to 3 from LEA-approved in-service at 15 hours per credit
- No carry-over to the next period
Which courses fit the relevance rule
The rule says renewal credits must relate to your individualised professional learning plan or professional practice. It gives three ways to meet that: credits tied to your content area or another endorsement, credits on pedagogical best practice or teacher leadership, or credits tied to a need your district has named. A course in educational psychology or classroom diversity usually fits the pedagogy strand; a subject course fits the content strand. Ask your district which strand it expects.
Deadlines and fees
Apply from 1 January of the year your certificate expires, and no later than 31 August. Applications sent before 1 January are returned, and the Department does not grant extensions. A certificate that lapses needs a reinstatement application. The fee is $75, not refundable, plus $3.25 if you apply online. Transcripts and in-service forms can be emailed as PDFs to the Department's transcripts address.
Where our courses can help
UPI Study courses are ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended and self-paced, which suits teachers renewing during a school year. Idaho's rule asks for credit that is transcripted and completed through an accredited college or university. Our credit reaches a college via a college transcript, and the college decides whether to count it. UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited, so ask the Educator Certification office in writing whether that transcript meets the rule before you enrol.
Questions people ask
How many credits do I need to renew an Idaho teaching certificate?
Six semester credits, or equivalent professional development, within the 5-year validity period of the certificate. At least 3 must be postsecondary credit on a transcript from an accredited college; up to 3 can be LEA-approved in-service at 15 contact hours per credit.
Does Idaho take undergraduate credit for renewal?
Yes. IDAPA 08.02.02.060 says graduate or undergraduate credit will be accepted for renewal, as long as it is transcripted and completed through a college or university accredited by an entity the State Board recognises, and relates to your plan or practice.
When can I apply to renew?
From 1 January of the year your certificate expires until 31 August of that year. Applications sent earlier are returned, and the Department does not grant extensions; a lapsed certificate needs reinstatement.
How much does Idaho certificate renewal cost?
The application fee is $75 and is not refundable. If you apply online there is also a $3.25 convenience fee. Course costs are separate and depend on the provider you choose.
Can I use credits from my last renewal period?
No. The rule says credits must be taken during the validity period of the certificate being renewed and may not be carried over from one renewal period to the next.
Do online courses count for Idaho renewal?
They can, if the credit is on a transcript from an accredited college or university and relates to your plan or practice. Our courses reach a college via a college transcript; ask the Department in writing whether that transcript meets the rule before you enrol.
Read next
- Idaho teaching license renewal: hours, credits and conversionsFor Idaho teaching certificate renewal, hours and credits work like this: you need 6 semester credits in the 5-year validity period. Up to 3 can be...
- Renewing an Idaho teaching license when you are not in a classroomTo renew an Idaho teaching license when you are not teaching in a classroom, you still need 6 semester credits in the 5-year validity period under...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Educational Psychology and Psychology of Diversity are on PRO. Confirm with Idaho Educator Certification first.
Sources
- IDAPA 08.02.02 Rules Governing Uniformity, section 060: Application Procedures / Professional Development (official)6 semester credits or equivalent PD within the 5-year validity period; graduate or undergraduate credit; transcripted and completed through a college or university accredited by an entity recognised by the State Board; at least 3 semester credits postsecondary on transcript; credits tied to content area or endorsement, pedagogy or leadership, or an LEA-designated need, and taken during the validity period; in-service must be LEA-approved, 15 contact hours = 1 credit; no carry-over. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Idaho State Department of Education: Renewal of an Idaho certificate (official)Up to 3 of the 6 credits from Idaho district, charter or private school in-service with a signed form; 15 hours = 1 credit; 3 quarter credits = 2 semester credits; $75 non-refundable fee plus $3.25 online fee; apply from 1 January to 31 August of the expiry year; no extensions. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning monthly plan, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- StraighterLine: PricingPrice for StraighterLine membership, checked on 15 Nov 2026.