Earn the continuing education contact hours you need to renew your South Dakota teaching certificate, on your own schedule. iTeachAI Academy offers standards-aligned professional development for K-12 educators, anchored to South Dakota frameworks, each course three continuing education contact hours (CECH), with a Certificate of Completion that documents toward your renewal.
South Dakota professional teaching certificates are valid for five years, and the most common renewal path requires six education-related renewal credits. iTeachAI Academy was founded by Dr. Janette Camacho, a 30-year K-12 educator, and every South Dakota course is anchored to specific South Dakota standards and the Administrative Rules of South Dakota governing renewal, not generic national content. Courses are self-paced, work on any device, and are designed to fit the South Dakota CECH and district in-service pathways.
Browse South Dakota Recertification Courses →
6
Renewal credits South Dakota requires every 5 years
15
CECH equal one renewal credit
3
Contact hours (CECH) per course
100%
Online and self-paced
South Dakota Certificate Renewal Requirements
To renew a professional teaching certificate, the South Dakota Board of Education Standards, through the Department of Education Office of Educator Certification, requires education-related credits completed during each five-year validity period under the Administrative Rules of South Dakota (ARSD) chapter 24:28:17:
- Six education-related renewal credits for a professional teaching certificate, every five years (ARSD 24:28:17:13, Option 1), with a minimum of three transcripted credits or specialized learning experience hours, and the remaining three from continuing education contact hours (CECH) or transcripted credits.
- 15 CECH equal one renewal credit (ARSD 24:28:17:05). The most common combination is 45 CECH plus 3 transcripted credits.
- Advanced teaching certificate holders may complete six education-related credits in any combination of transcripted credits, specialized learning experience hours, or CECH (ARSD 24:28:17:14). Master's degree or higher holders have the same flexibility.
- Renewal is submitted through the SD Educator Portal on mySD.gov. A valid certificate is renewed between January 1 and June 30 of the year of expiration, and is valid through June 30 of that year.
- Separately, South Dakota Codified Law 13-42-71 requires educators to complete at least one hour of approved youth suicide awareness and prevention training every five years. Effective July 1, 2024 (House Bill 1020), this requirement is verified through district accreditation rather than at certificate renewal.
Every iTeachAI Academy course provides three documented continuing education contact hours and a verifiable Certificate of Completion you can document toward your CECH total. The South Dakota Department of Education does not pre-approve trainings for continuing education purposes, so confirm with your district and the Office of Educator Certification how external CECH is documented.
South Dakota Standards and Frameworks Anchored
Each course cites and references specific South Dakota frameworks and rules by name, not generic national standards.
South Dakota Content Standards
The K-12 academic standards adopted by the South Dakota Board of Education Standards that anchor every course in the catalog.
ARSD 24:28:17 Renewal Rules
The Administrative Rules of South Dakota governing teaching certificate renewal, renewal credits, and CECH conversion.
South Dakota Code of Professional Ethics for Teachers
ARSD chapter 24:08:03, the ethics standard every renewing educator affirms adherence to.
South Dakota Framework for Teaching
The state-adopted teacher effectiveness framework that anchors our instructional practice courses.
Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings
South Dakota's standards for teaching the history, culture, and contributions of the Oceti Sakowin (Sioux) peoples.
Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention (SDCL 13-42-71)
The South Dakota statutory training requirement informing our educator wellbeing and student safety courses.
How South Dakota Districts Approve iTeachAI for In-Service Hours
The South Dakota Department of Education does not pre-approve individual trainings for continuing education, so continuing education contact hours are documented by the educator and accepted at the district and certification-office level. iTeachAI Academy is not a state-approved provider in South Dakota; our courses are standards-aligned, district-acceptable professional development that educators and districts may apply toward renewal at their discretion. The district route is simple:
- A district designee reviews one or more courses through a no-cost reviewer account.
- The district documents the courses it accepts on its in-service or professional development record.
- Teachers complete courses, receive a Certificate of Completion with contact hours, and submit it toward their CECH total through the SD Educator Portal.
Always verify acceptance with your district and the South Dakota Office of Educator Certification before relying on external CECH for renewal.
What Makes South Dakota Coursework Different at iTeachAI
- Educator-built, not vendor-built. Authored by a 30-year K-12 educator with a doctorate.
- South Dakota frameworks by name. South Dakota Content Standards, ARSD 24:28:17 renewal rules, the South Dakota Code of Professional Ethics, the South Dakota Framework for Teaching, and the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings. No generic content.
- Multi-modal. Each course includes a study guide, slide deck, and a built-in AI study guide trained on that course.
- Renewal-ready documentation. A verifiable Certificate of Completion with contact hours, built for your CECH total and your district in-service record.
- Reasonable in cost and time. Accessible for individual teachers and districts, with no procurement RFP required.
- Three-contact-hour design. Self-paced, on any device, with 15 CECH equal to one South Dakota renewal credit.
For South Dakota School District Leadership
If you direct curriculum, professional learning, or federal programs at a South Dakota district, I would be glad to send a no-cost reviewer account so a designee can audit any course end to end before approval.
I will also share a sample certificate, the course catalog with descriptions, and a fifteen-minute call at your convenience.
Reply by email: info@iteachai.co or call (561) 450-8377.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is iTeachAI Academy continuing education for already-licensed teachers, or initial teacher preparation?
- It is continuing education for educators who are already licensed in South Dakota and renewing their certificate. iTeachAI Academy provides clock hours toward your renewal. We do not prepare candidates for a first-time teaching credential and our courses do not lead to initial licensure.
- How do I renew my South Dakota teaching certificate?
- Professional teaching certificates are valid for five years. Under ARSD 24:28:17:13, the most common path is six education-related renewal credits: a minimum of three transcripted credits or specialized learning experience hours, plus three more from continuing education contact hours (CECH) or transcripted credits. Because 15 CECH equal one renewal credit, the most common combination is 45 CECH plus 3 transcripted credits. You apply through the SD Educator Portal on mySD.gov between January 1 and June 30 of your expiration year. iTeachAI courses provide documented contact hours and a Certificate of Completion you can apply toward your CECH total at your district's and the certification office's discretion.
- Do iTeachAI courses count toward my South Dakota renewal credits?
- Each course provides three documented CECH with a Certificate of Completion. South Dakota counts CECH at 15 per renewal credit, and the SD Department of Education does not pre-approve trainings for continuing education, so acceptance is determined by the educator, the district, and the Office of Educator Certification when the application is reviewed. iTeachAI is not a state-approved provider in South Dakota. Confirm with your district and the certification office how external CECH is documented.
- How many contact hours does each course provide?
- Three continuing education contact hours (CECH) per course, suitable for your district in-service record and your renewal credit total. Fifteen CECH equal one renewal credit under ARSD 24:28:17:05.
- What does it cost in time and money?
- iTeachAI keeps cost and time reasonable. Each course runs about three clock hours, is self-paced, and stays accessible for individual teachers, with district site licenses available. Email info@iteachai.co for current options.
- Do you provide a certificate of completion?
- Yes. Every completed course awards a verifiable Certificate of Completion with contact hours, suitable for documentation toward South Dakota educator certificate renewal at your district's and the certification office's discretion.
- How do I get a reviewer account for my district?
- Email info@iteachai.co with your district name and role. A no-cost reviewer account is provisioned within one business day.