"BRIEFING BULLETIN: Certification Types for Teachers and Teaching Assistants." February 23, 2005. Research and Educational Services. New York State United Teachers.

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Certification Types for Teachers and Teaching Assistants

February 2005

Number 05-05 February 2005
(Updates & Replaces 03-14)

Changes continue to occur in New York State certification for teachers and teaching assistants, and it is no longer as simple as having provisional or permanent certification. Currently, there are no less than twenty different types of certificates for teachers and six different types of certificates for teaching assistants. The following charts detail those certificates. It is important for members to know about their credential and the need to protect their career and livelihood by maintaining appropriate certification. Local leaders should be aware of the variety of certificate types and the purpose and validity of each certificate.

If you should have any questions about certification or these certificate types, please contact NYSUT Research and Educational Services.

Certificate Types for Teaching Titles

CERTIFICATE	PURPOSE	NOTES
Certificate of Qualification	Entry credential until 9/1/98	• Valid for five years • Exchanged for provisional certificate when employed or upon expiration
Provisional	Entry credential since 9/2/98	• Available until 2/1/04 • Valid for five years • May obtain time extension of up to two years • May be renewed once
Conditional Provisional	Entry credential for teachers certified in other states seeking to teach in NYS	• Available until 2/1/04 • Valid for two years • Leads to provisional certification
Initial	Replaces provisional certification	• Available beginning 2/2/04 • Valid for five years
Conditional Initial	Entry credential for teachers certified in other states seeking to teach in New York State	• Valid for two years • Not renewable • Leads to initial certification
Reissuance of Initial	Reactivates an expired initial certificate due to inability to secure employment	• Valid for three years • Not renewable
Permanent	Final credential in a title	• Available until 2/1/04 • Valid continuously
Professional	Replaces permanent certification	• Available beginning 2/2/04 • Valid continuously with fulfillment of professional development requirement
Supplementary	Allows certified teacher to provide instruction in a different area where there is a shortage of certified teachers	• Valid for three years • Not renewable
Temporary License	Employment of uncertified teacher	• Available until 2/1/03
Modified Temporary License	To meet teacher shortages in specific subject areas	• Available only during 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years
Limited	For individuals who previously worked under a temporary license but are not yet eligible for provisional certification	• Valid only from 9/1/03 to 8/31/04 • Not renewable
Renewed Provisional	Reactivates an expired provisional certificate	• Available until 2/1/04 • Valid for five years
Transitional A	Credential for individuals in specific career and technical subjects enrolled in an alternative certification program	• Valid for three years • Leads to initial certification
Transitional B	Credential for individuals enrolled in an alternative certification program	• Valid for three years • Leads to provisional or initial certification
Transitional C	Credential for career changers and others holding a graduate academic or graduate professional degree enrolled in an intensive program	• Valid for three years • Leads to professional certification
Transitional E	Credential for teachers of specific occupational subjects to address teacher shortages from 2/2/03 to 2/1/04 while temporary licenses are not available	• Available until 2/1/04 • Valid for three years • Not renewable
Internship	Issued to student in graduate teacher education program for employment in specified district through an internship	• Valid up to two years • Not renewable • Service area specific
Permit for Service in Areas where No Certificate Exists	For districts to employ an individual in a position for which no certificate currently exists (e.g.: NJROTC instructor, Native American studies, etc.)	• Valid for two years • May be extended for five year intervals • Issued only for service in district which requested this permit
Visiting Lecturer	For districts to employ an individual with unusual qualifications in a specific subject	• Valid for one year • Typically issued to teachers from other countries

Certificate Types for Teaching Assistants

CERTIFICATE	PURPOSE	NOTES
Temporary License	Entry credential for TA	• Available until 2/1/04 • Valid for one year • No more than two temporary licenses to same person
Continuing Certificate	Next credential after temporary license	• Continuously valid unless you have not been employed as a TA for five consecutive years
Level I	Entry credential for TA	• Available beginning 2/2/04 • Valid for one year • Can renew for one year if need additional time to meet experience requirement for Level II
Level II	Progressive credential after Level I	• Available beginning 2/2/04 • Valid for two years
Level III	Progressive credential after Level II	• Available beginning 2/2/04 • Continuously valid with fulfillment of professional development requirement
Pre-professional	Progressive credential after Level III	• Available beginning 2/2/04 • Valid for five years • May be renewed once • Progressive credential toward initial certification in teaching title

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