NYC Teaching Fellows and NYC Teaching Collaborative are alternative teacher preparation pathways into becoming a NY State certified teacher. In addition, the New York City Public Schools recognizes that the most common pathway into becoming a certified teacher is by completing a master’s or bachelor’s degree that is recognized for NY State certification.
Both the NYCTF and NYCTC training programs are “package-deals.” What this means is that:
- A Bachelor's Degree is Necessary: The programs are designed for candidates who possess a bachelor's degree or higher and have completed very little or no university-based teaching coursework.
- Assigned Subject Areas: Participants in the programs are assigned to a subject area based on whether they have completed the bachelor’s degree coursework required for that subject, per New York State regulations. The subjects offered each year are based on the hiring needs of the NYCPS: typically these are Special Education, Mathematics, Science, Bilingual Education, and Spanish. For the most up-to-date list, please visit the NYC Teaching Fellows' website and the NYC Teaching Collaborative's website.
- Subject Areas Not Offered: The programs cannot accommodate or assign an applicant to individual subjects (ex. History, English, Art, Early-Childhood Education, etc.) where there is not a current large-scale hiring need.
- Assigned Master's Degree University: You will be assigned a university by the program based on the subject area to which you are assigned. You will not be able to choose your university as the program often only has 1-2 universities for each subject area.
- Coursework Requirements: You cannot tailor or omit any of the coursework required by your assigned university for your assigned subject area. You must fulfill all requirements regardless of whether you have completed similar coursework in the past.
- Tuition Responsibility: You will be required to pay for a portion of your university coursework ($12,000 for most enrolled participants, $10,500 for those who elect to join our Bronx Cohort). You will not be able to pay a lower price based on having any pre-existing coursework or transfer credits.
- Program Completion: Most participants take between 2-3 years to complete the university coursework required by the program. The program's university partners will offer coursework outside of working hours, so that you can teach while completing your coursework. However, this means that you will need to attend coursework during the evenings, during the summer, and/or on weekends (depending on the university).
If you fall into one of the following categories, the NYC Teaching Fellows and NYC Teaching Collaborative encourage you to think carefully about what the programs offer and whether they are the right fit for you:
- Completed 50% or more of the coursework and requirements needed to obtain teaching certification in New York State*
- Started an alternative certification program outside of the NYC Department of Education and earned university credits in education
Depending on how much coursework you have and what you wish to teach, you may find that these programs are in fact not the right pathway for you in terms of time, cost, and/or desired subject area.
If you fall into one of the categories below, you are currently not eligible to participate in the NYC Teaching Fellows or the NYC Teaching Collaborative:
- Currently hold teaching certification in New York or any other U.S. state (including Puerto Rico)
- Previously held teaching certification in New York or any other U.S. state (including Puerto Rico) that is now expired
If you are not eligible to participate in the NYC Teaching Fellows or the NYC Teaching Collaborative but would like additional information about teaching pathways that may be more suitable for you, we encourage you to explore other pathways and opportunities on our website.
*If you have completed 50% or more of an approved graduate teacher education program in NYS, you may be eligible for an Internship Certificate. Contact your university to find out if you are eligible for the internship certificate.