There are multiple testing sites located throughout the city. Various exams are given at these testing sites (teachers, nurses, etc.) I just went onto NYSTCE and I registered for the exams. I ended up taking my five exams at two different locations, because I prioritized the day and time of the exam over the location. The hardest part for me was figuring out which exams I needed to take. But once I did that, registering for them and taking them was extremely straightforward and similar to what I did in Georgia before I started teaching. Get to your appointment on time and they will check you in, lock your items away, and get you started. You are generally in a room with several others, seated in an office chair and taking the exam on the computer. Others are coming in and out so you are given headphones as an option to try and limit noise. The test is timed and you are monitored to ensure you do not cheat.
I just want to say that I am not qualified to give advice about certification in New York, or any state. Anything said in this video or posted by me in the comments is my opinion, and should not be taken as fact or professional guidance whatsoever. I speak only based on my experience.
Wow thanks for this video. I also started this process several months ago and I’m still confused about certification. I have 17 years teaching special education here in Florida but with only a bachelor’s. I also didn’t know which was my pathway either. But based on your video it seems it would be initial also but I would only have to complete the workshops and not have to take the exams. Also since I’m certified to teach in all core subject areas for middle school I believe I should get my certificate in generalist grades 7-12. But yeah this entire process has been exhausting.
It is totally confusing. It sounds like you are not going to have any issues with the experience component of your application, as long as at least three of those years are taught with a professional certificate. If you are middle school, then yes, I believe 7-12 is correct because teachers are allowed to teach one grade level above or below. There is also the "all grades" certificate, which is the one that I ended up getting, but that is because my degree was not grade specific and I did the comparable teacher prep program pathway, which looks at your undergrad degree.
I'm 2 semesters away from my mat in special education and a substitute teacher in NYC. It is extremely hard to stay in a classroom without that honorary certification. Super proud of you!
Thank you for sharing your experience with this. Wow, i just can't believe they're making it so much difficult for you. By now I hope you have received your teaching license in NY. I started the application today and got overwhelmed and i thought maybe youtube have some videos that can walked me through the process. I came across your video and listened to you till the end. I have a master degree in elementary education and a professional teaching license in Kansas with 4 years of experience. I also have an ESOL endorsement to my license. I am still unsure which license i should be applying and making sure i am selecting the right one. So stressful. Any suggestions is welcomed.
Hi!I am glad you found my rambling and have a story you can relate to through this process. It is definitely overwhelming but certainly worth it by the end. I am not totally familiar with the certification options available for non special ed certification in New York, but based on my experience…you would apply for an INITIAL certificate for whatever grade level you are presently certified to teach in. Because you have the professional license and the minimum experience…the endorsement of a certificate pathway would be your best choice. It’s the most ideal choice because it means you don’t have to take certification exams. If you run into the same issues I did, then the comparable teacher prep program pathway would probably be your plan B. Another option would be to start an application for the endorsement of a certificate pathway and then to create a separate application for comparable teacher prep program pathway not too long after so that if the first is denied, you already have the second one in the system. Definitely review requirements for the two different pathways and post additional questions to Reddit in the NYCTeachers subcategory for extra advice.
I actually took the workshops through the NYC DOE teacher application portal. So when you apply to teach in NYC, there is a place where you can take the required workshops as part of your application and then they send automatically to Teach (certification website). I did not have to send any of them in myself. I did have to send my teaching certificate in myself and I did that by emailing it to tcert@nysed.gov.
The only form that I had to have completed by my former school district was the verification of 3 years of experience form. I had my school district send me a copy (to my email) and then send a copy in to tcert@nysed.gov as well.
