The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) stipulates that all professional, certified educators must pursue professional development, have individualized professional development plans throughout their careers, and complete at least six hours of course credits during each five year certification renewal cycle.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) experiences provide the opportunities for Maryland educators to earn credits necessary for renewal of certification. The Maryland State Department of Education approves and assigns credits to courses submitted by the local school systems. Each local school system has a Continuing Professional Development liaison who is responsible for coordinating the system's course submissions and course offerings. These courses are then offered to teachers and other professional educators through the local school systems.

The Continuing Professional Development Manual provides guidelines for professional development liaisons and other educators as they plan experiences to assist individuals in their professional growth. The Manual has two purposes: 1) to describe the local school system-based procedures for the approval of proposed professional development experiences for CPD credit; and 2) to identify options for earning such credit. The Continuing Professional Development Registry is a compendium of approved courses available to school systems. Each Registry lists courses approved over a twelve-month cycle.