Education

The basic pathway for initial certification for becoming a NY teacher:

 

1. Complete the required certification exams: 

• EAS (Educating All Students) 

• CST (Content Speciality Test)

• EdTPA (Teacher Portfolio Assessment; this is completed during the student teaching portion of you education program)

2. Take the following workshops:

• Dignity for All Students workshop(DASA)

• Identification of child abuse workshop

• School violence prevention workshop  

3. Have fingerprint clearance by the state of NY. 

4. Complete a NYS registered education program (an education degree from an approved college)

5. Have an institutional recommendation for education (from your education program)

(Be aware that the total cost for certification can be over 1,000)

 

Within education, there are different areas of specialty: 

• Early childhood education: birth-grade 2. 

• Childhood education: grades 1-6. 

• Subject specialty educators (math, English, science, etc) for either middle school, grades 5-9, or secondary school, grades 7-12. 

You can also subspecialize as an educator for students with disabilities. 

 

An education degree from a college will be specified in the area of study that you chose and the instructors will guide you through your certification process. 

 

In order to obtain your professional certificate, you will need in addition:

1. 3 years of paid, full-time teaching. 

2. Mentored experience 

3. US citizenship

 

There are additional “pathways” that one can become a teacher (if one holds a different bachelors etc) and more information can be found on highered.nysed.gov