Complete guide to New Jersey's annual professional development requirements and Professional Development Plan (PDP) documentation.
New Jersey requires teachers to complete a minimum of 20 hours of professional development each school year. This annual requirement replaced the previous 100 hours over 5 years model in 2013 under AchieveNJ reforms.
20
Hours Minimum
Per
School Year
PDP
Required
The 20-hour requirement is prorated based on your employment status:
Every New Jersey teacher must have an Individual Professional Development Plan (PDP) that documents their learning activities. Your PDP must include:
Aligned with school/district improvement priorities and your personal growth areas.
Documented through certificates, attendance sheets, time logs, and transcripts.
Records of all PD activities including type, date, duration, and provider.
In-service days, staff meetings with PD content, and district-sponsored training.
Graduate or undergraduate courses related to your teaching assignment.
PLCs, peer collaboration, and structured collegial learning activities.
Virtual professional development from approved providers.
Required trainings like Right-to-Know, Suicide Prevention, HIB, and other mandated sessions do count toward your 20 hours.
Prior to 2013, New Jersey required 100 hours of professional development over a 5-year cycle. Under AchieveNJ reforms, this changed to the current 20 hours per year model, which ensures more consistent annual professional learning.
Each school district has a Local Professional Development Committee (LPDC) that oversees teacher professional development. The LPDC:
Keep thorough records of all PD activities:
New Jersey teachers must complete a minimum of 20 hours of professional development each school year. This is an annual requirement, not a multi-year cycle. Hours are prorated for part-time employees based on their FTE status.
A Professional Development Plan (PDP) is an individualized document that outlines your professional learning goals and activities. Yes, all NJ teachers must have an approved PDP. Your PDP should align with school/district improvement goals and document at least 20 hours of annual professional development.
Yes! Required trainings such as Right-to-Know, Suicide Prevention, Harassment/Intimidation/Bullying (HIB), and other mandated sessions count toward your 20-hour annual requirement. Be sure to document these activities in your PDP.
Your PD requirement is prorated based on your employment status. For example, a teacher who works 50% of the day/week only needs 10 hours of PD (50% of 20). If you're out for an entire year, you have no PD requirement for that year.
Yes! When you select New Jersey as your state, our system automatically configures the 20-hour annual requirement and tracks your progress throughout the school year. You can generate PDP documentation and get alerts if you're falling behind on your hours.
Not in New Jersey? Find requirements for your state.
Stop struggling with PDP documentation. Classroom Walkthroughs tracks your annual progress, stores certificates, and helps you stay compliant with NJ requirements.