Louisiana Teacher Certification Renewal and CLU Requirements

The 150 CLU Requirement

Louisiana requires educators holding Level 2 or Level 3 certificates to complete 150 Continuing Learning Units during each five-year renewal cycle. One CLU equals one clock hour of active participation in an approved professional development activity. That's 30 CLUs per year if you spread it evenly, though the state doesn't mandate annual minimums — just the five-year total.

Level 1 certificates work differently. They're valid for three years, can't be traditionally renewed (only extended twice by your employer), and don't have a CLU requirement. The CLU clock starts once you advance to Level 2.

What Counts Toward CLUs

LDOE accepts professional development from multiple sources:

• District-sponsored PD sessions — workshops, in-service days, and department trainings organized by your school system
• LDOE-approved professional development providers — external workshops and conferences listed on the state's approved provider registry
• University coursework — graduate-level courses from regionally accredited institutions convert at 15 CLUs per semester credit hour

That graduate credit conversion is the most efficient path for educators already planning to pursue advanced degrees or salary lane changes. Ten semester hours of graduate coursework satisfies the entire five-year CLU requirement. And if you submit those transcripts to your district's HR department, the same credits can trigger a salary lane change — one action, two benefits.

The Evaluation Rating Component

CLUs alone aren't enough. Renewal also requires documentation of at least three effective evaluation ratings during the five-year period. Under the state's evaluation systems (Compass or LEADS), "effective" means a score of 2.5 or higher on the four-point scale:

• Level 1 (Ineffective): below 1.5
• Level 2 (Needs Improvement): 1.5–2.4
• Level 3 (Effective Proficient): 2.5–3.4
• Level 4 (Highly Effective): 3.5 and above

Your employing school system conducts annual evaluations and uploads the ratings to the state database. If your system hasn't uploaded your evaluations, your renewal application will stall — and the LEC portal won't tell you what's missing until you check with your district HR office.

How the Renewal Process Works

Renewals are submitted through the Louisiana Educator Certification (LEC) portal. The process:

1. Verify your CLU documentation is on file. Your district tracks CLUs locally and submits totals as part of the renewal application. If you completed PD outside your district, make sure certificates of completion are in your personnel file.
2. Confirm your evaluation ratings are uploaded. Three effective ratings across the five-year period are required. Contact your HR department if you're unsure.
3. Complete fingerprinting if your background check has expired. Louisiana requires an active criminal background check (CBC) for all certification actions, including renewals. If yours is older than five years, you'll need a new IdentoGO appointment using service code 27N5HQ ($55.75).
4. Submit the renewal application in the LEC portal and pay the $50 processing fee.
5. Don't let the portal time out. The LEC system purges any application not fully submitted within 45 days.

Common Renewal Mistakes

Waiting until the last month of your certificate. Processing takes 20-30 business days. Start early; some districts won't let you continue in a classroom without an active credential if the certificate expires during processing.

Assuming your district tracked everything. CLU records managed at the district level sometimes have gaps, especially if you attended external PD or transferred between parishes. Pull your records and verify totals before your renewal year.

Forgetting the background check renewal. This catches experienced teachers off guard. Your initial fingerprinting from a decade ago doesn't count. If your CBC is more than five years old, the LEC portal blocks your application until a new one clears.

The Louisiana Teacher Certification Guide includes a CLU tracking worksheet and renewal timeline so you can verify your documentation is complete before starting the portal application — avoiding the 45-day clock with missing paperwork.

See more Louisiana guides →