Teacher Certification Office
Powdermaker Hall – 135
718-997-5547
Initial and Professional Certifications
How they Function During
Your Career as a Teacher
How to keep certifications active
and prevent them from lapsing
First Initial Certification
• Candidates/Students seeking their First Initial
Certification must be recommended for Certification
through their Institution – Teacher Certification
Office
• There are two systems that must have their
requirements met in order for the Initial Certification
to be issued
o The Institution – Queens College, CUNY
o The New York State Department of Education
Components Required by:
 Queens College, CUNY
• Complete Teacher
Preparation Program
• Includes student teaching
• Take 5 seminars:
o
Child Abuse Prevention and
Intervention seminar
(www.childabuseworkshop.com)
o
School Violence Prevention
and Intervention seminar
(www.violenceworkshop.com)
o
o
o
DASA: Harassment, Bullying,
and Discrimination seminar
School Safety seminar
Alcohol and Substance Abuse
seminar
Sign up for the seminars in the Professional &
Continuing Studies Department – 718-997-5700
 NYS Department of Ed
• Fingerprints must be on file
with the State
• Take and pass 4 Tests:
o Educating All Students (EAS)
o Academic Literacy Skills Test (ALST)
o Content Specialty Test in the area of
your specialization (CST)
o Education Teacher Performance
Assessment Exam (edTPA –
connected with your student
teaching)
If a candidate applies for and meets all the requirements for an initial certificate
on or before June 30, 2015 (including completing and submitting the edTPA),
and the candidates does not receive a satisfactory score on the edTPA, the
candidate may meet the requirements for an Initial Certificate, by taking and
passing the ATS-W (Assessment of Teaching Skill – Written on the Secondary or
Elementary level).
- Must take the edTPA first and if he/she fails it can take the ATS-W.
- Will not have to retake the edTPA for Initial Certification.
- After June 30, 2015 candidates must take, pass and submit the edTPA
Use the website to sign up for NYSTCE tests:
www.nystce.nesinc.com
The Candidate/Student must apply for
every certification sought.
1. If the Candidate has completed a
College Teacher Preparation Program
the Institution’s Teacher Certification
Office will recommend the person for
certification.
2. If the candidate is applying for a
separate certification he/she applies
through the individual method in the
TEACH system of the NYS Dept. of Ed
The Sequential aspects of
the First Initial Certification
from application &
Institutional
recommendation
Ways of extending Initial
Certification
Time Extension – Initial
Certificate Reissuance
•
•
When you have satisfied both the College’s (& the College
has recommended you for certification) and the State’s
requirements for certification you will be issued your First
Initial Certification within a couple of days to a week from
the day the College recommends you. (The Initial
Certificate is not automatically mailed to you – you must
request it on-line using the TEACH system).
You have 5 years within which you must get a Master’s
Degree in a functional relevant field (which leads to
teaching), and teach 3 years full-time or the equivalent of
540 days of substitute teaching (or a combination of both).
o
o
o
o
It must be substitute teaching because you are responsible for the
class – it cannot be a Teacher’s Assistant or Paraprofessional
Keep a record of the days you have taught in whatever schools you
substitute teach – ask for a statement about every 1/2 year. You
will have to send proof of substitute teaching to the State when
you apply for Professional Certification.
If you have been unable to teach 3 years full-time or the 540 days
of substitute teaching you are able to obtain a 2 year time
extension – apply on the TEACH site about 3 to 4 months before
your certification expires.
After the 2 year extension, if you have still not been able to teach 3
years full-time or the 540 days of substitute teaching you are able
to apply for an Initial Certificate Reissuance. However, in order to
get these extra 5 years you must have your Master’s Degree.
complete 75 hours of Professional Development and re-take the
CST in your content area.
4
Professional Certification:
You have taught 3 years or its equivalent and have your Master’s Degree
•
You are eligible to apply for Professional Certification. You may have accomplished teaching three
years and obtained your Master’s Degree in less than the 5 years allowed, you can still apply for
the Professional Certification at this time.
•
Professional Certification is not Permanent
•
It is a renewable certification every 5 years along with taking 175 hours of Professional
Development. When you have Professional Certification go the New York State Education Website
– www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert and in the search box query 175 hours of Professional
Development – how to keep a paper record for 7 years and what can be used as Professional
Development will be delineated.
•
You must keep a paper record of the Professional Development for 7 years in case you are audited.
When you query this information you will find out what is required to keep the paper trail as well
as what can be used for Professional Development.
•
When you apply for Professional Certification you must mail up certain documentation to the New
York State Department of Education, Office of Teaching Initiatives, 39 Washington Ave, Albany, NY
12234:
o
o
o
Send up a copy of your mentored teaching form (from the first year you taught in the school setting) or a
letter if you were not mentored the first year of your teaching with an explanation as to why
Send up proof that you have taught 3 years full-time (i.e. full-time and part-time experience)
If you are applying through the Individual Pathway make sure you send up original copies of your
transcripts and the original seminars – Child Abuse, School Violence, and DASA: or the Bullying seminar
AFTER THE FIVE YEARS OF THR FIRST PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION, YOU RENEW IT FOR ANOTHER 5 YEARS AND ANOTHER
175 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS OCCURS THROUHOUT YOUR CAREER