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Certification Requirements

Certification Resources and FAQ

New York State teachers, administrators, and pupil personnel service providers are required to hold a New York State certificate in order to be employed in the state’s public schools. The certificates are issued by the Office of Teaching Initiatives and certify that an individual has completed the required degree, coursework, fieldwork experiences, and certification exam requirements.

All undergraduate and graduate teacher preparation programs in the School of Education lead to teacher certification in NY State. This page and others in the certification section will provide you with information and resources regarding the teacher certification process, including the requirements to be recommended for certification, the required examinations, and suggested resources to aid in your preparation for the exams. Candidates who seek to become certified teachers in NYS must create a TEACH account with New York State Education Department (NYSED). DO NOT create multiple TEACH accounts as this will cause confusion and delays.

Resources

FAQ

Undergraduate and Graduate Students

  • Near the end of your program.

  • Yes, but remember that we cannot recommend you until you have graduated and submitted all required materials. Until that time your application status will be “Not Ready for Review”.

  • The application is submitted online via the state’s TEACH system.

  • The overwhelming majority of Education graduates will be applying for initial certificates but, in some cases, graduates of Alternative certification programs may already qualify for their Professional certificates.

  • An Initial Certificate is good for five years, whereas the Professional Certificate is non-expiring.

  • You can visit the certification pathway to find the easy step-by-step process.

  • No. If you meet the requirements you may bypass the Initial and go right to the Professional.

    • Required Workshop Certificates
      • Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
      • School Violence Prevention and Intervention
      • The New York State Dignity for All Students Act (DASA-Training in Harassment, Bullying, Cyberbullying and Discrimination in Schools: Prevention & Intervention).
    • Required Certification Exams

  • Program code is a unique numeric identifier specific to the recommending university. It also indicates your program, certification area, and campus. View the School of Education program codes.

  • No, codes are program-specific.

FAQ

Alternative Certification Trans B Students

  • Transitional B Certificate—First-level temporary teaching certificate issued to permit the employment of an individual who is enrolled in an alternative teacher certification program. Transitional B, also called the Trans B, is tied to the school placement. Issued in classroom teaching titles. This certificate is maintained electronically in the TEACH system; no actual paper certificate is generated. The Trans B is valid for up to three (3) years while the individual is matriculated in an alternative program that leads to the Initial Certificate. Trans B certificates expire when a college recommendation for Initial certification is entered. Initial college recommendations are issued once the student graduates from the program, and the date of Trans B expiration will be your graduation date.

    • NYS test scores.
    • Three mandated workshops: school violence prevention, child abuse detection, and The New York State Dignity for All Students Act (DASA-Training in Harassment, Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Discrimination in Schools: Prevention & Intervention).
    • After you obtain a teaching position, you will also need to complete and submit Placement and Teaching Schedule forms. These are required in order to assign you a Clinical Field Supervisor and to evaluate and determine your certification area.

    Placement and teaching schedule must be received and approved before we can recommend you. You cannot be certified without the institutional recommendation.

  • Your test scores are automatically reported to TEACH. It is your responsibility to make sure the test scores appear in TEACH.

    These will be sent to you as PDF file attachments a month after you take the test. We highly recommend that you print a hard copy and save it, as the state only keeps them on file for at least three years.

  • The deadline to get on the Trans B certificate will be shared with you at orientation.

  • Recommendations are entered after you attend orientation.

  • The application is submitted online via the New York state’s TEACH system.

  • Childhood and Special Education (DUAL)

    Program Code - 26193 - (Apply for Childhood Education 1-6 and SWD Grades 1-6 Trans B)

    Adolescent Education

    Program Code - 24503- (Apply for Content Area 7-12 Trans B)

    MST Adolescent and Special Education (DUAL)

    Program Code - 35812 - (Apply for SWD 7-12 Generalist All Grades Trans B)

    MST Special Education Generalist

    Program Code - 36376 - (Apply for SWD Generalist All Grades Trans B)

  • TEACH account technical/login issues
    Email: teachhelp@nysed.gov

    All certification issues
    Email: TCERT@nysed.gov