The basics of how to become a teacher in New York begin with earning the qualifications set by the New York Office of Teaching Initiatives (OTI). Becoming an educator requires a bachelor degree as well as a New York teacher certification and a fingerprint clearance, along with other program, workshop and exam testing requirements.
Applicants with a teacher certification from another state must hand in their certificates for review to determine their eligibility. Program-specific requirements can be searched on the state website.
For those who are switching careers or degrees to become teachers, there are alternative teacher preparation (ATP) programs to choose from, also overseen by the OTI.
Before earning a teaching license, candidates must pass exams such as the edTPA and the Educating All Students (EAS) tests, as well as others depending on the candidate's program.
Completion of certificate-specific workshops and tests will also be required, and individualized requirements can be found on the OTI website.
New York State teacher certification requirements have various levels or tiers, which begin with hands-on placements for those still in university and/or college, as well as certificates for entry-level teachers. These lead to professional certificates requiring a doctorate degree. The Initial Certificate, valid for 5 years, is best suited for entry-level teachers with little experience.
Out of state applicants with credentials in the field would apply for the Conditional Initial Certificate for a classroom teacher, which is valid for one year and costs $100 to apply for. There are also certificated such as the Transitional B (undergraduate) & Transitional C (graduate) programs, which are for applicants who are changing careers or who have degrees that they would like to teach in. The list of registered programs is available on the NYSED website and includes dozens of subjects in different grade tiers. All of the individual program requirements are available for reference on the OTI website. There are 14 different certificates to choose from, which can hyper-focus what field of study would set each candidate on the best path for them to becoming a teacher in New York.
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In order to earn a New York teacher certification, candidates can choose from various in-state Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs), 17 of which are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP). A CAEP-accredited teacher preparation program is one that has passed all of the requirements set by the council, which promises a successful and thorough education. Graduating from an accredited school tells employers that the candidate's credentials have been built in a highly regarded institution for educator preparation.
There are 7 standards that all CAEP-accredited schools adhere to, and those are sorted into numbered categories which focus on Content & Pedagogical Knowledge, Clinical Partnerships and Practice, Candidate Recruitment, Progression and Support, Program Impact, Quality Assurance System and Continuous Improvement, Fiscal and Administrative Capacity, & Record of Compliance with the Higher Education Act
Traditional teacher certification programs in New York require that the candidate first completes their bachelor's degree before being recommended for a teacher preparation program. The Initial Certificate then requires the candidate to pass the EAS, edTPA and CAS standardized tests as well as attend workshops for School Violence Prevention and Child Abuse Identification. From there, candidates are asked to provide a fingerprint clearance before being set to apply for certification through the TEACH portal.
Some accredited programs include those at the American Museum of Natural History, Bard College, College of Staten Island (CUNY), New York Institution of Technology, Queens College and others. CAEP-accredited schools are required to pass a peer review on certain standards, such as showing evidence of competent and attentive graduates.
Some out-of-state teacher certifications are also accepted, but they must be handed in for review to determine their eligibility in New York.
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Create AccountIn order to earn a New York teacher certification, the minimum educational requirement is a bachelor's degree. The degree can be in teaching preparation or in a field that you wish to teach.
The Office of Teaching Initiatives requires prospective teachers to complete workshops and training in areas such as bullying, discrimination, and violence prevention. The mandatory workshops are Child Abuse Identification and Reporting, Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), School Violence Prevention And Intervention. Coursework or Training in the Needs of Children with Autism may also be required for some fields. Prospective teachers are also required to complete at least a full semester (14 weeks) of classroom time to obtain their certification, which comprises of at least 20 school days each, as well as at least 100 clock hours of field observation prior to student teaching. However, the bare minimum hours requirements are often exceeded by applicants in competitive programs.
After completing the coursework required for the degree, you must pass mandatory state exams, which are overseen by the New York State Teaching Certification Exams (NYSTCE) program. Every prospective teacher will have to complete at least one of the program's basic skills and competency tests. The most widely required is the edTPA, which has a modified version for every subject taught. However, the skills testing will vary based on field and individual program requirements, and examination other than the edTPA will also be required. Some of the other testing includes the EAS and CST tests, as well as the BEA for bilingual applicants.
There are a list of 8 New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE), but applicants don't need to take all of them. The exams you take will depend on which level of teaching certification you have and the specific requirements of the field. The most broadly taken tests are the edTPA, the Educating All Students (NYSTCE EAS), and Content Specialty Test (CST NYSTCE).
The edTPA is a performance assessment in a specific field of teaching, which spans 28 subjects. The testing focuses on demonstrating the applicant's classroom skills, lesson plans, and overall practical application of the theory they learned during their bachelor's degree. It does this by having the applicant submit a portfolio of classroom content, which focuses on lesson planning, teaching methods, and assessment, all which will accommodate and reflect on the specific needs of the class. An unedited video submission of the applicant student teaching in the classroom setting is also required.
It costs $300 to take the edTPA, and you must submit your portfolio at least 21 days before receiving your score. The testing schedule varies based on your program, but applications and scores are given and received twice a month. You can register to take the test online or via telephone.
The NYSTCE EAS is a computer-based test that lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes. It consists of 40 selected response and 3 constructed response questions, which are is meant to assess a prospective educator's ability to teach all students, regardless of disabilities or diversity. The test costs $80, and requires NYSTCE scores of 520 and above to pass. Appointments can be made year-round, nationwide.
Content Specialty Tests (CST NYSTCE) are subject-specific tests that an applicant will take based on what field they intend to teach, such as English, French, Math, Physical Education, etc.. Depending on what your program requires, you could need to take a specialty test in areas such as Bilingual Education Assessments. The test fee is $122, with a passing score of 520 required. You can book your NYSTCE exam dates Monday through Saturday year-round.
A background check and fingerprint scan is a requirement for obtaining a New York Teaching Certification and for teaching in public schools in New York. The full fee is $101.75, and appointments can be scheduled by telephone at 877-472-6915 or online. Applicants are required to bring personal identification documentation to the enrollment.
Other requirements include a supporting identity document such as your Social Security number, which has your date of birth and name. You will also need to have the original transcripts from your degree program, as well as any other information that the department may request.
There are different tiers to New York teacher certification, and the Initial certification is valid for 5 years. It is an entry-level classroom certificate for new teachers. Within the five years, you can advance to a Professional Certificate, but must complete a master's degree. Some entry-level certifications are conditional and will only last one year before determining how to move forward.
Applying for a certificate must be done through the online TEACH portal, where all documentation will be submitted. Confirmation of U.S. citizenship and identity will be required. You will also be asked what subject, grade level, and type of certification you are applying for.
New York state teacher certification requirements are that you must upload your university transcript, teacher preparation program, all relevant testing scores, a complete application for initial teaching certification, your background check, and any other required workshops or training that were required. From there, you will sign the digital application form and pay the fee, which spans from $25 to $100, depending on the certificate.
For those who are looking to change careers and enter the teaching field, there are alternative programs where you can transfer your credits to get your New York teacher certification. You can use your already completed degree to become an educator in your field, while completing all additional teacher preparation testing, including training and workshop duties.
New York State teacher certification requirements include the completion of an undergraduate, and in some cases, graduate degree, depending on the certification.
There are two types of transitional teaching certifications, called Transitional B and Transitional C. These programs allow those with an undergraduate (Transitional B) or a graduate (Transitional C) degree to participate in accelerated learning about teaching basics while also being offered paid employment in the field. Their classroom placement will be accompanied by relevant coursework and mentorship from the institution of learning that they are enrolled in.
Transitional B & C programs can be found in colleges and universities across New York State. Completion of the NYSTCE EAS and CST NYSTCE are required, and most applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 for the B program, which is valid for up to 3 years.
If you have already completed a teaching certification in another state and are interested in how to become a teacher in New York, you must apply online using the TEACH portal. From there, you apply for fingerprinting and then hand in your transcripts and credentials for review.
Every single out-of-state applicant must hand in their credentials for individualized inspection, as there is no pre-approved program that is transferrable. However, upon assessment of elements such as NYSTCE scores, workshops and training completed, and other factors, the OTI makes individual assessments of whose teaching certification or experience would be accepted in New York.
Out-of-state teachers or certification holders who are interested in how to get a teaching certificate in NY are asked to contact the official NYSED OTI phone number at (518) 474-3901 or check the website for further details.
A New York teachers salary begins at $57,845 with no teaching experience and a bachelor's degree. Those teachers who have a master's and up to 8 years experience earn $87,510. However, you don't have to have lots of teaching experience to earn above the complete entry-level position. Teachers with a master's degree but no prior experience can earn a starting salary of $65,026. A teacher's salary is subject to annual growth, which will largely depend on how much experience and qualifications they've amassed.
Teachers who work over 20 hours a week are also entitled to health insurance as well as dental, vision, drug prescription, and retirement plan insurance. Due to the competitive salaries, openings for these jobs are generally competitive, but there are opportunities in certain fields that may be understaffed, or in subjects which have the highest demand.
In total, 135,000 people work in New York City's public school system, which has about 1.1 million students. To broaden the spectrum, all of New York State has about 212,296 teachers, and 2,512,973 students spread across 4,411 public schools. That means that there are around 11-12 students per teacher.
According to New York State's long-term employment projections, post secondary teacher positions are expected to grow by 26.2% by 2028, with 5,910 average annual job openings. The prospects of getting a job after teacher preparations look quite favorable.
Nadim Tabsch is an adjunct English professor with over 15 years of experience. He has deep expertise in Literacy and Social Sciences and has been an educator at the elementary, middle school, high school, and collegiate level. Nadim graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education from Barry University and a Master's degree in Literacy from the University of New England.
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In order to complete a bachelor's degree in education, four years is required, as well as an additional semester of student teaching, as well as the time it takes study and pass all of the exams. It takes the Office of Teaching Initiatives an average processing time of at least 16 weeks for the average application, so consider around 5 years of school if you want to become a teacher.
A new York teacher's starting salary is $57,845, and some earn up to $87,510. A teacher's salary is subject to annual increase. Entry level teachers with a graduate degree earn a starting salary of $65,026
The New York state certification exams that you need are the edTPA, CAS and CST exams, with possible others depending on your program.
