Instructions for Application to the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS)

In order to sign-up for TIMS and be registered in the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s system prior to completing your program at Westminster College, you must have a PDE ID and login.

Create a PDE ID and Login

1. Open the PDE website by typing in the URL www.pde.state.pa.us
2. Click on the word Register (directly under the words Log In)
   The Registration process will create a Professional Personal Identification number for you (PPID).
3. Completely fill out the Registration page with your demographic information then click “Register” at the bottom. Note: your password must contain one capital letter, one number, and at least one character and be 8 characters or more long. Write down your preferred log in and password as well as your security question and answer to keep in a safe place you will remember.
   
   Wait at least 24 hours before returning to the PDE website. Check your email to see that you have received a registration confirmation from PDE which contains your username and password.
4. Return to www.pde.state.pa.us and click Log In. At the Welcome to the Enterprise Portal page, enter your confirmed Log In and password to enter the site.
   Establish/Retrieve your PPID and fill out all of the requested information on the page when it appears.
5. Click on the Teachers icon on the main PDE home page. In the center of the page, click on the TIMS icon.
6. Once at the TIMS homepage, click on the Access TIMS tab located on the far right of the upper menu tabs bar.
7. Click on the linked word “here” at the bottom of the page.
   You should now be at your TIMS Homepage. Many items can be viewed, changed, or entered once you reach this page and its subsequent links.

Even if you are already certified in PDE you need to...

Create a New Credential Application in order to have your name in the certification system and to ultimately submit your certification application to PDE electronically. Note: other documentation required for certification will be paper documents and a coversheet compiled and mailed (by you) directly to PDE once you have completed your program and are eligible for graduation and/or certification.

1. At the TIMS homepage, on the left hand side, find and click on the link to “New Credential Application"
2. Select Credential Type and Subject by entering the information or using the drop down boxes to search.
3. Under the Background Questions section, answer all of the questions truthfully. No is typically the answer to all 7 questions. If not, please speak to your program administrator before continuing with your application process.
4. In the Affidavit section, click the box to check mark and affirm each statement.

STEP 1: Demographic Information

Fill in all demographic information. The PPID box should be already populated (WRITE DOWN YOUR PPID). Do not fill in PA Secure ID at this time. Enter your Last name, first name, MI, Social Security number, gender, DOB, residence and mailing addresses, primary and secondary Email addresses, telephone contacts, and citizenship status.

Click YES for the statement, “If granted a credential....”

STEP 2: Educational Information (you will click to Add New Record)

Answer all questions and requested information items on this page. Identify Westminster College (#404-37-95-04) 319 South Market Street, New Wilmington, PA 16172 as your preparation institution, and identify your credential type. Be certain that you mark Education Preparation Program attended and identify Westminster College as your institution.

The degree to be conferred is Masters. Select “All Other” not vocational instructional for institutional type. The program level is “graduate” (in most cases). (If it won’t accept graduate. or it is not listed as an option... select Undergraduate. This has been an issue in previous students’ experience – and this is the workaround that PDE directed to use in light of this program flaw.)

Enter the date you are expected to earn your degree.

Enter GPA, knowing that you will change it to reflect your final GPA when you complete the program, and enter the official contact person at the institution who oversees your program: Alison DuBois.

Enter any other dates requested: date entered and expected completion date.

Under the Educator Preparation Program section, identity the Major Subject Area and the Educator Prep Program using the pull down menus or codes. This section is fussy and may take a bit of searching for each discipline.

Complete Authorization Questions by checking ”Yes” for both statements.

STEP 3: Certification Information

Click to Add Record and fill in the requested information.

STEP 4: Work Experience Information

Fill in all requested information.

STEP 5: Institutional Affiliation and Application Requirements and Proof Documents

Make sure to properly identify your Educational Preparation Institution (Westminster College) in this section. You should be able to view Westminster College as your EPP.

Once your TIMS application has been started (but not completed) your College officials are able to view your application in TIMS and affirm that you are indeed a student in good standing and enrolled in the educator preparation program.

Read the pages and gather the necessary documents to be submitted in original paper form along with the coversheet that should only be submitted and printed once you have completed the program and are ready to graduate and send in your certification documentation.

When you are ready to graduate, you will attest that you are 18 or older, you have completed your Program in the area of requested certification, are of Good Moral Character, have completed the required Praxis exams, will be recommended by the Institution of Higher Education (Westminster College) for certification have completed the Health Certificate, are a U.S. Citizen, and have arranged for payment via credit card (enter data), or will submit a Money Order to be mailed in with other documents.

An application summary page can be viewed which will list your personal information, subject areas, education, certification information, work experience, proof documents needed (copy of your Social Security Card, money order if not paid by credit card, signed and dated health certificate, etc.), show background questions, fees and payment(s) due.

Finally, check the boxes indicating that you agree to Abide by the Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators and that all statements, attestations, and data provided are accurate and true.

Note: In-state program graduates do not need to send in transcripts. Westminster College official certification officers will verify that you have completed the program and met the course/GPA requirements when they affirm and then recommend you for certification.

All final documents must be sent to PDE along with the previously downloaded and completed health certificate, evidence of passing Praxis Score Reports, and the remaining coversheet documents that can only be printed for purposes of mailing when the TIMS application has been completed and electronically submitted to PDE. When you have completed the program and are ready to graduate, you will then complete and electronically submit the TIMS application to PDE. After that you will send in the additional paper documentation as described previously to PDE for final processing of your teaching credentials. Use a large white mailing envelope to use when you send documentation items to Harrisburg – a supply of them will be on the table in the Education Dept. office.

Note: Candidates will no longer receive a paper credential (teaching certificate). You will view your credential(s) using the TIMS website. All credentials are printable from the website and can be viewed by the college and potential employers when you are an active member in the system.

The TIMS website has Applicant User Guides to guide you through the process and a link to your to access FAQs.

For help with TIMS, click the following link: http://www.education.pa.gov/teachers%20-%20administrators/certifications/pages/default.aspx#tab-1

You can also call 1-717-728-3224 or 1-717-787-3356 to speak with certification staff.

Or you may contact: Alison L. DuBois, Ph.D., (724) 946-6039 or duboisal@westminster.edu