Courts have held consistently that teaching certificates are not contracts. Thus, requirements to attain or maintain a certificate may be changed and applied to all teachers and prospective teachers. The certification process is administered by state certifying agencies in each state, and most of these agencies have been delegated significant authority with respect to the administration of these rules. Despite this broad delegation, however, the state agencies may not act arbitrarily, nor may these agencies deny or revoke certification on an arbitrary basis. Some state statutes provide that a certificate may be revoked for “just cause.” Other common statutory grounds include the following:
- Immoral conduct or indecent behavior
- Incompetency
- Violations of ethical standards
- Unprofessional conduct
- Misrepresentation or fraud
- Willful neglect of duty