Requirements and the Application
Process
Initial
Issued to teacher candidates who
are completing an undergraduate or graduate degree and do not already have a teaching
certification.
Valid for 5 years
May be reissued if certain
conditions are met
Can be extended for up to 2 years
due to military or Peace Corps
service, serious illness or maternity leave.
Professional
Issued to teacher candidates
who have graduate degree and hold initial teacher certification
Renewable on a 5 year cycle
Requires continual professional
If you are:
finishing an undergraduate degree in an approved teacher preparation program
not already certified
You will apply for the Initial Teacher Certification
If you are:
finishing a graduate degree in an approved teacher preparation program
are not already certified OR Master’s program is in different certification area than your Bachelors (i.e. Literacy or Special Education)
You will apply for the Initial Teacher Certification
If you have:
a graduate degree
are already certified (and Bachelor’s Degree is in same area as Master’s)
Bachelor’s degree in an
approved Childhood
Education academic program
Completion of Cognates:
PSY 100
PSY 322
MAT 106 and 206
Foreign Language
Science course with a lab
Computer literacy
course/competency exam
Fingerprinting clearance
Completion of all professional
education courses (Blocks I - III)
100 hours of field experience
Successful completion of
Student Teaching placements
NYS Teacher Certification
Exams: LAST, ATS-W, and CST*
*New exams take effect for those graduating after December 2013
SSHS 1020: Safe Schools,
Healthy Students OR approved series of all 6 required
Bachelor’s degree in an approved Adolescence or TESOL Education academic program Completion of Cognates: PSY 100 PSY 323 Foreign Language
Computer literacy course/ competency exam
Fingerprinting clearance
Completion of all professional
education courses (Blocks I - III)
100 hours of field experience
Successful completion of
Student Teaching placements
NYS Teacher Certification
Exams: LAST, ATS-W, and CST*
*New exams take effect for those graduating after December 2013
SSHS 1020: Safe Schools,
Healthy Students OR approved series of all 6 required workshops
Completion of a Master’s Program from an
accredited college or university in an approved
teacher preparation program OR closely
related area
Three years of paid teaching experience
Substitute teaching: 180 days= one year of
experience
Any Master’s degree program leading to a NYS
teacher, pupil personnel service or
administrative certification
Any Master’s degree in the same content area
of the Initial Teaching Certificate or in a closely
related subject area.
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certific
ate/relatedmasters.html
If the Master’s degree is not one of the above,
you must complete 12 graduate credits in the
content or related area of the initial certificate
Validity maintained through completion of
professional development:
- 175 hours required for all professional
certificate holders
- Five year renewable cycle
- Pro-rated requirements for those not teaching
in public schools
- Follow districts’ professional development
plans
- Reporting requirement for schools and
individuals
Curriculum and Instruction
Special Education: Childhood 1-6
Literacy Education: Grades Birth-6
Literacy Education: Grades 5-12
Others: Content Area Master’s; Counseling
Passing of all exams is required
for teacher certification
Liberal Arts and Science Test
(LAST)
Content Specialty Tests (CST
)
Assessment of Teaching Skills-
Candidates graduating in May 2014 or after should wait for new
tests to be available before beginning testing.
For teachers, these new examinations are planned to include both
a portfolio-based performance assessment and the following written assessments:
a more rigorous content specialty test in the candidate’s field of preparation
a Writing Skills test
an Educating All Students test
The new tests are scheduled to be implemented in 2012.
However, they will not be required of all graduates until May 2014.
Applying for certification
before 4/30/2014
Applying for certification
on or after 5/1/2014
• Assessment of Teaching Skills— Written (ATS–W)
• Liberal Arts And Science Test (LAST)
• Content Specialty Test (CST)
• Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA)
• Educating All Students Test (EAS) • Academic Literacy Skills Test
(ALST)
Live Scan is a new digital fingerprinting method that is much
quicker to process and more efficient than the paper procedure.
It is being offered at various locations including SUNY
Oswego’s University Police.
Steps to Apply:
Complete the online fingerprinting application through
your TEACH account, including the payment.
There is a NYSED fee for processing your fingerprints and
running a criminal history record check
There will be a separate processing fee payable to University
Police. Please check the appropriate websites for current fees.
Once you have completed the online application you can make an
appointment to have your fingerprints scanned at a location offering the service, such as University Police.
If you were fingerprinted after July 1, 2001 for employment
or volunteer work done in a public school and your results
were processed by NYSED, then you do not need be
fingerprinted again.
If you were fingerprinted for another type of employment,
such as a daycare worker, a security guard, a police officer,
etc., you must be fingerprinted again.
Fingerprinting is by appointment only. Try to
make your appointment at least 2-3 days in advance.
You must have your online application
including payment completed prior to your appointment date.
Bring a photo ID and have your social security
number available to access your TEACH account
There is a service charge (payable by cash or
check) that must be paid at the time of appointment
NYS University Police
Pathfinder Hall Phone: 315-312-5555
Fax: 315-312-2155 [email protected]
Individual Evaluation –
*not available for Childhood
Education, will also be going away for all other titles
Approved Teacher
Preparation Program
(College Endorsed)
The TEACH Account is an online system for educators
created by The New York State Education Department.
Sign-up for a TEACH Account online; there is no fee to
start this account.
TEACH Features Include:
Apply for fingerprinting clearance and for teaching
certification in NY.
Check status of submitted applications
Organize professional credentials
Step One: Authorization Form
You will receive an Authorization Form AFTER
graduation along with your diploma. The form
must be returned to SUNY Oswego in order for the
college to recommend you.
This form allows SUNY Oswego to legally recommend you
and release information about you to the New York State
Education Department (NYSED) for teacher certification
You cannot be recommended for certification until
AFTER your graduation has been processed by the
Registrar’s Office (you receive your diploma) and
Registrar’s has received your Authorization Form.
Step Two: Apply using TEACH Account Online
Apply and pay for the Teaching Certification Application
online through your TEACH Account. Use the Student
Application Information Sheet and other information
available online. All the information needed to apply for
certification is online, including program codes.
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach
We recommend applying at graduation time, after you
have received your diploma. SUNY Oswego cannot
recommend you prior to graduation!
Certification Fees: When applying through “Approved
Teacher Preparation Program” application fees are assessed
for EACH certification title area. (Currently $50 each, May
2012)
Step Three:
As soon as all certification requirements have been
met, the New York State Department of Education
(NYSED) will issue the certificate. You may view
your status throughout the entire process via your
TEACH account, including your control (license)
number.
*Paper copies are no longer issued for Initial Teaching
certificates; you can request a paper copy for an additional
fee after your certification has been approved.
Any additional certificates you apply for, either via the
Individual or Certificate Progression pathway, will be
assessed an additional fee for each title. (Currently
$100 each title, May 2012)
Apply under “Pathway: Individual Transcript
Evaluation for Additional Certificate” if you want to
be certified in an area outside your degree (e.g. grade
extensions in grades B-2 or 5-6)
Certificate Progression Pathway is used when you
apply for the Professional Certification if your
Master’s Degree is in different subject area than
Bachelor’s (ex. You earn a degree in the related
Literacy Education or Special Education rather than
Childhood, Adolescence or TESOL Education)
Provides an Early Childhood grade extension for Childhood
Education Certificate Holders to teach early grades or a
Middle Childhood Extension for Adolescence Education
Certificate Holders to teach content area in grades 5 and 6
Additional Requirements are determined by the
New York State Department of Education.
[ex. Some extension areas may require 6 credit hours or more
of specific coursework and/or additional certification exams]
See: Individual & Certificate Progression Pathways online
at NYS Department of Education Certification webpage.
Requirements
Completed By:
**including
application &
payment
Effective Date:
August 31
stSeptember 1
stJanuary 31
stFebruary 1
st
NYS Education Department Website
www.highered.nysed.gov
www.nysed.gov
TEACH
www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach
