Pathways to Certification: Which is Right for Me?
The Office of Teaching cannot tell you definitively what pathway to certification to choose. You must select the pathway that best suits your situation and one that you can provide the documentation to support.
These are only general descriptions. For information on requirements specific to the subject you want to teach, view the web page.
Pathway: Approved Teacher Preparation ProgramÌý´Ç°ùÌýCompletion of a Comparable Educator Program in another U.S. State
Most candidates who fit this profile are High School graduates who wish to pursue a career in teaching. Your best option is to complete a traditional teacher preparation program, at a college or university in 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State or in another state. Upon graduation from a NYS program, the institution of higher education recommends candidates for Certification. Upon graduation from a program in another state, candidates apply directly to the State Education Department under the Completion of a Comparable Educator Program in another U.S. State pathway.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain Certifcation by:
- Earning a bachelor's degree from an approved teacher preparation program at a NYS higher education institution or one in a state with a reciprocity agreement with NYS
- Passing the appropriate 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Certification Exams.
Links to More Information
Pathway: Approved Teacher Preparation Program
Most candidates who fit this profile possess a bachelor's degree and enroll in a graduate program at a college or university in 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State leading to a first teaching certificate, usually an internship in a K-12 school. Upon graduation from a NYS program, the institution recommends candidates for Certification.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain Certification by:
- Earning a graduate degree from an approved teacher education program at a NYS higher preparation institution.
- Passing the appropriate 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Exams.
Links to More Information
Pathway:ÌýIndividual Evaluation
Most candidates who fit this profile pursue college study at their own page in order to fulfill the requirements for a teaching certificate or were educated outside the United States. They then apply directly to the State Education Department.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain Certification by:
- Earning a bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 2.5
- Satisfying semester hour requirements and meeting specific liberal arts and sciences general core, content core, and pedagogical core competencies for the certificate title you seek
- Passing the appropriate 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Exams
- Applying for a Certificate to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Office of Teaching Initiatives
Notice of Individual Evaluation Deadline
Links to More Information
Pathway: Approved Teacher Preparation Program (Alternative Certification "Transitional B" Program)
Most candidates who fit this profile have subject matter expertise (baccalaureate degree with an academic major such as mathematics or chemistry for example). They enroll in one of the Alternative Teacher Certification (ATC) Programs offered by college-school partnerships in various locations throughout the State, in order to complete teacher education study. Upon completion of the alternative program, they are recommended for Certification by the college or university.
If you fit this profile, you may qualify for enrollment in an ATC program by:
- Possessing a bachelor's degree (minimum 3.0 GPA), with a major in the subject, or 18 semester hours in the subject you plan to teach with 12 semester hours in a related subject
- Passing the appropriate 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Exams
- Applying to a college or university with a registered ATC program
Links to More Information
- Certification from Start to Finish
- Alternative Teacher Preparation Programs (Office of College and University Evaluation's web site)
Pathway: National Board Certification
Candidates who fit this profile possess a certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain Certification in the same or equivalent 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State title by:
- Applying for a Certificate to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Office of Teaching Initiatives for a certificate in a title comparable to your National Board certificate.
Links to More Information
Pathway: Completion of a Comparable Educator Program in another U.S. State
Complete a comparable approved teacher preparation program, in the subject of the application, at a college in another U.S. State or Territory that would lead to an institutional recommendation for certification in the state the college is located.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain Certification if you satisfy the requirements found at: Applicants from Other States
Links to More Information
Pathway: Individual Evaluation for Additional Certificate
Candidates who fit this profile are teachers who already possess a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State classroom teaching certificate and are interested in becoming certified in an additional classroom teaching subject.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain an additional certificate by:
- Possessing a valid 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State classroom teaching certificate
- Satisfying the 30 semester hour content core requirements (some certificates require additional pedagogy as well) for the certificate title you seek
- Applying for a Certificate to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Office of Teaching Initiatives
- Passing the appropriate 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Content Specialty Test(s) (CST)
If your first certificate was issued as the result of completion of an approved program or a professional license we will not have an official transcript of your college coursework on file. Please submit official transcripts of all completed coursework from all colleges you have attended.
Pathway: Individual Evaluation (for Supplementary Certificate)
Candidates who fit this profile are teachers who already possess a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State classroom teaching certificate and are interested in teaching another subject while completing requirements to become certified in the new classroom teaching subject.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain a supplementary certificate by:
- Possessing a valid 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State classroom teaching certificate
- Satisfying the 12 semester hour content core requirements for the certificate title you seek
- Obtaining a recommendation from the employing school district
- Passing the appropriate 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Content Specialty Test(s) (CST)
Pathway: NYS Professional License
Candidates who fit this profile are professional speech language pathologists licensed in 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State who are interested in becoming teachers of speech and language disabilities.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain Certification by:
- Holding a NYS speech language pathology license
- Applying for a Certificate to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Office of Teaching Initiatives
Pathway: IHE Professor Experience
Candidates who fit this profile are college professors who have a bachelor's or higher degree in the content area and wish to teach in a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø public school.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain Certification by:
- Possessing a bachelor's or higher degree in the content area of your application.
- Two years of satisfactory teaching experience at the college level.
- Passing the appropriate NYS Teacher Certification Exam(s)
Links to More Information
Teachers who already posses a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State classroom teaching certificate and are interested in becoming certified in an additional classroom teaching subject.
If you fit this profile, you may obtain an additional certificate by:
- Possessing a valid 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State classroom teaching certificate
- Satisfying the 18-semester hour content core requirements (some certificates require additional pedagogy as well) for the certificate title you seek
- Applying for a Certificate to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Office of Teaching Initiatives
- Passing the appropriate 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State Content Specialty Test(s) (CST)
Note: If your first certificate was issued as the result of completion of an approved program or a Professional license we will not have an official transcript of your college coursework on file. Please request official transcripts of all completed coursework from all colleges you have attended.