All candidates for certification must have their fingerprints. It is not necessary to refingerprint a person who was taken to obtain certification or subsequent employment. Detailed information on fingerprints is available on the NYS State Education Department Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability (OSPRA) website at www.nysed.gov/educator-integrity. State certification is also required for teachers employed in public and state-supported schools, special school law districts, private schools accredited for the education of students with disabilities, and approved special preschool education programs. The New York State Teacher Certification Examination (NYSTCE) program is designed to ensure that certified teachers have the knowledge and skills to succeed in New York State public schools. Examinations for applications for initial certificates after May 1, 2014: Applicants for professional certification may credit teaching experience in public and private, part-time or full-time schools, per diem and long-term replacement tuition, and public or non-state education. For additional settings that can be used to meet this requirement, refer to the SED instructions under www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/exp/home.html. Experience as a teaching assistant does not meet this requirement. Permanently certified teachers must register every 5 years, but are not required to complete CTLE (Continuing Teacher & Leader Education) hours.
Professionally certified teachers must complete 100 hours of Continuing Education for Teachers and Leaders (CTLE) during each five-year enrollment cycle (5). For more information about the registration process and CTLE requirements, visit the NYSUT website at www.nysut.org/certification. A principal may hire a certified teacher to teach a subject not covered by the teacher`s licence or certificate for a maximum period of five lessons per week if no certified teacher is available. During the 2020-2021 school year, this maximum was increased to ten (10) lessons per week. This change will continue into the 2021-2022 school year. The regulations require the district to first search for a certified teacher, submit an application and obtain the Commissioner`s approval. Special education programs and services should not be taught haphazardly. All teachers employed in New York State public schools must have a valid certificate issued in accordance with sections 3001 and 3009 of the Education Act and Part 80 of the Commissioner of Education`s Regulations.
Section 3001 states that no one is allowed to teach in a public school without a teacher`s certificate, and Section 3009 makes it clear that unqualified teachers cannot be paid with district funds. Part 80 contains certification requirements for classroom instruction, administration/supervision and student staff (school) credentials. The State Department of Education`s Office of Educational Initiatives is responsible for certifying New York State teachers. Applicants who hold a certificate from another state and have been employed in another state for at least three (3) years or who have completed a comparable teacher education program in another state may be eligible for a NYS certificate through the intergovernmental application process. See Claimants from Other States (Interstate Reciprocity):P Remedies :OTI:NYSED For more information, see Professional Certificate – Master`s Requirement to www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/relatedmasters.html. Prior to February 2004, classroom teaching and administration and supervision qualifications were provisional (entry level) or permanent (definitive). In February 2004, provisional/permanent certificates were replaced by initial (entry level) and professional (final) certificates. For more information about certificate and license types, see www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/typesofcerts.html. Please note that the School Counsel Certificate titles will change to Initial/Professional in 2023. other Student Personnel Service certificates remain provisional and indefinitely.
The Supplementary Teaching Certificate currently allows certified teachers to obtain a supplementary teaching certificate in certain situations where there is a demonstrated need by pre-meeting some of the requirements of the supplementary certificate and then meeting the remaining requirements over a five-year period. See NYSUT Fact Sheet No. 17-10, Fact Sheet 17-10: Supplemental Teaching Certificate (nysut.org). The professional certification requirement is met when an individual: All applications for certification are submitted online through the TEACH online system, which can be found under www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/. CTLE activities aim to improve the teacher`s or leader`s pedagogical and/or leadership skills and aim to improve student achievement. Activities also promote the professionalization of teaching and education management. CTLE activities should focus on the content being taught and/or how to teach that content, as well as acquiring a language that meets the needs of English learners. What matters to the CTLE time requirement is a local determination and should be reflected as much as possible in the district`s vocational training plan. School districts or BOCES are required to offer CTLE hours so that teachers and staff can keep abreast of their profession, meet the learning needs of their students, and keep their certificates in good condition (Part 80.6 of the Commissioner`s Regulations). The Professional Development Plan (see Part 100.2(d) of the Commissioner`s By-law) requires each school district and the OCES to develop a professional learning plan that ensures that ” how it offers teachers it employs with a professional certificate and/or a Level III teaching assistant certificate the opportunity to complete 100 hours of in-service teacher and managerial training, as required every five (5) years in accordance with Part 80 of this title”. New York State teachers, administrators, and recruiting agencies must hold a New York State certificate to be employed in New York State public schools. Certificates are issued by the Office of Educational Initiatives and certify that an individual has met the requirements for diploma, coursework, assessment and experience.
Certificates are issued in a number of titles in three main categories: classroom instruction, administration/supervision, and student staff service (i.e. school counselor, psychologist, social worker). As of July 1, 2016, all permanently and professionally certified teachers working at a NYS or BOCES public school must register with the State Department of Education (SED) through the online TEACH system. Registration is a step in maintaining a certificate. Registration creates a five (5) year registration cycle. Enrollment cycles are automatically created in TEACH for professional certificates issued after July 1, 2016. 3. Assistants who do not have a valid certificate and who are not working towards certification.
The service may be provided in New York State public schools for up to 40 days in a designated school district during a school year. During the 2020-2021 school year, these individuals were allowed to replace for up to 180 days in certain circumstances due to COVID-19. This benefit will be maintained during the 2021-2022 school year. The state Ministry of Education has created security for certain exams and for certain periods. For up-to-date information on the safety net available for specific certification exams and when safety nets expire, see the www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/certexamsafetynets.html SEDs. The New York State Department of Education uses the online TEACH system, commonly known as TEACH, to address all issues related to certification in New York State. TEACH provides services for: There are several ways to obtain a first teaching certificate in New York State – see “Preparation Pathway” at www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/pathways.html. Initial certificates are valid for five (5) years and may, under certain circumstances, allow for an extension or reissue of the original certificate.
The State Ministry of Education no longer prints initial certificates; Individuals can confirm their certification status by verifying their individual TEACH accounts. Only the Office of Educational Initiatives (OTI) of the State Department of Education can decide on the certification status of each member. This document is published for informational purposes only. Applicants for professional certification must prove that they were supervised during the initial certification. “Mentoring experience” refers to the guidance and support that experienced and certified teachers/principals provide to new teachers and school administrators. The mentorship application must be reviewed by the Superintendent of the employing school district using the online TEACH system. Only the Office of Educational Initiatives of the State Ministry of Education (SED) can formally interpret certification regulations and decide on the certification status of each applicant.