Becoming A Permanent New York State Certified Teacher

1. Becoming A Permanent New York State Certified Teacher Brought to you in only 11 easy steps (with some monetary requirements)

2. Application for Certificate The Application for Certificate ($100 each) is to be used by those who wish to apply for a New York State provisional or permanent certificate through the evaluation of school transcripts (U.S. or Non-U.S.) or based upon reciprocity.

3. Step 1: Your Baccalaureate Degree You will need 18 semester hours in education courses, 36 semester hours in one of the following five degree-bearing subject areas: • English • Language (other than English) • Mathematics • Social Studies • Science or

4. Step 1: Your Baccalaureate Degree (continued) 18 semester hours in one of the other four degree-bearing subject areas: • Biology • Chemistry • Physics • Earth Science

5. Step 2: Professional Education Credits • Must have 18 semester hours in accredited Education courses

6. Step 3: Student Teaching Must be either college-supervised or one-year full-time, satisfactory paid teaching experience in the area of certification* *To have such experience considered in lieu of student teaching,form OT-11, signed by your superintendent.

7. Step 4: NYS Teacher Certification Examinations • LAST: Liberal Arts and Science Test • ATS-W: Assessment of Teaching Skills Written • CST: Content Specialty Test • ATS-P: Assessment of Teaching Skills Performance You must achieve passing scores (220) on the first three NYS Teacher Certification Examinations below and a (P) on the ATS-P:

8. Cost per NYS Teacher Certification Examination: LAST, ATS-W, and CST costs $70 each ATS-P costs $145

9. Step 5: Child Abuse Identification Workshop Two hours of coursework are required and available through: • the college; or • typical program (which may cost as much as $75); or • if in NYC the UFT offers this workshop free of charge

10. Step 6: School Violence Prevention & Intervention Workshop* *Two hours of coursework are required. (If you are enrolled in a NYC teacher education program, this requirement will be part of your program and will appear on your transcript.) For a list of workshop providers online, go to the NYS Education Department's Office of Professions or call the Office of the Professions at (518) 474-3544. In New York City, the UFT offers this workshop free of charge.

11. Step 7: Fingerprinting* *Fingerprint clearance is required for certification. Fingerprint packets are available from your district, charter school, Boards Of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), or college. If you have already been fingerprinted by the City Board of Education, you still must obtain State clearance for certification. Submit form OSPRA 104 to the NYCBOE authorizing them to forward the results of the criminal history check to State Education Department to obtain clearance.

12. Step 8: Master’s Degree • Applicants applying directly for permanent certification must have a Master’s degree in Education or related field

13. Step 9: Approved Teaching Experience • Applicant must have two (2) years teaching experience when applying for permanent certification

14. Step 10: Citizenship Requirement Individuals with INS Permanent Residence status qualify for a permanent teacher certificate.  To verify your permanent residence status, submit ONE of the following with your application: • A photocopy of your permanent resident card ("Green Card") or; • A photocopy of your passport stamped with "Processed for 1-551 Temporary Evidence of Lawful Admission for Permanent Residence" or; • A certified and sealed copy of a letter from the INS verifying permanent residence.

15. Step 11: Good Moral Character Requirement Applicants for certification are asked to provide information about past convictions, misconduct, etc., on the application for a certificate. The State Education Department is authorized to investigate complaints submitted by anyone who has information that a person holding a teaching certificate or who is an applicant for certificate has been convicted of a crime or has committed an act which raises a reasonable question as to the individual's moral character. 

16. FYI - Interstate Agreement of Qualification of Educational Personnel (Reciprocity) • Reciprocity – an equivalent certificate/license from another state • New York has interstate contracts with more than 30 other states and jurisdictions

17. AlabamaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaKentucky LouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMississippiMontanaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNorth CarolinaOhio Oklahoma Oregon NYS Reciprocal Agreements with Other States PennsylvaniaPuerto RicoRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest Virginia

18. College tuition Application(s) LAST ATS-W CST ATS-P Child Abuse Workshop School Violence and Prevention Workshop Fingerprinting Master’s Degree Variable $100.00 $70.00 $70.00 $70.00 $145.00 $75.00 $75.00 $99.00 variable Overall Cost of Permanent Teacher Certification:

19. $704.00 + College Tuition and Masters Degree at a competitive program (not including transportation, study materials, food, electricity used to study during late hours and loss of personal and family time)

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