Certification is for a period of one year and can be renewed annually. There is no annual renewal fee if a CAT continues to be an active AMS member. There is a $100 annual renewal fee for non-members. Renewals are billed by the AMS in conjunction with annual membership and subscription notices. If an individual fails to renew certification or fails to achieve an acceptable level of continuing professional development during the five-year period following certification or completion of the most recent continuing professional development period, the certification will be considered inactive. In addition, a CAT who has not been an active K-12 teacher for more than 5 years will be considered inactive.

Inactive Status

Inactive CATs cannot market/promote themselves as CATs. Those wishing to acknowledge their past active CAT status in resumes may do so, but they must list the years from initial certification to when they lapsed into inactive status.

Retired Status

Retired CATs may request that there status be changed to 'retired'. CATs with a retired status are no longer required to pay the certification renewal fee and do not need to complete the professional development requirement. Those wishing to acknowledge their past active CAT status in resumes may do so, but must list the years from initial certification to when their status changed to retired.

Reactivation

Reactivation of an inactive certification can be obtained under the following situations:

1. If the certification has become inactive due to failure to pay the renewal fee and has been inactive for less than five years, active status can be obtained by paying the renewal fee for the inactive year(s) and the current renewal. If it has been inactive for five years or more, the individual is required to submit a lesson plan for review by the Board Chair in accordance with the above stated criteria and pay the renewal fee.
2. If the certification has become inactive because insufficient continuing professional development activities had been completed in the required five-year continuing professional development period, and the certification has been inactive for less than three years, the certification can be reactivated upon completion of sufficient continuing professional development activities in the five-year period preceding the request for reactivation and with the payment of the renewal fee for the inactive year(s) and the current renewal. If it has been inactive for three years or more, the individual is required to complete the professional development requirement and submit a lesson plan for review by the Board Chair in accordance with the above stated criteria.
3. If the individual has become inactive due to a failure to hold a teaching position for more than five consecutive years, he/she must submit a lesson plan for review by the Board Chair in accordance with the above stated criteria, pay the renewal fee, and complete the professional development requirement by the end of the next five-year period to remain active.