The NYS Education Department is offering the Emergency COVID-19 Certificate for candidates who meet all of the requirements for the teaching certificate that they are applying for except for required exams. This certificate is valid for two years and will allow recipients to work in New York State schools and districts while taking and passing the required exams for the certificate or extension that they are seeking.
The Emergency COVID-19 certificate is available for candidates who are seeking one of the following certificates that require exam(s): Initial or Professional certificate in the classroom teaching service*, Initial or Professional certificate in the educational leadership service (School Building Leader, School District Leader, School District Business Leader), Initial Reissuance, Teaching Assistant certificate, School Administrator and Supervisor (SAS) Provisional Renewal, Supplementary certificate, Transitional A certificate through the Option B pathway, Transitional B certificate, Transitional C certificate, or Transitional D certificate. The Emergency COVID-19 extension is also available for candidates who are seeking certain extensions.
The following table summarizes what the NYS requirements for the Initial Certificate were before COVID-19 and what the current requirements are for the Emergency COVID-19 Certificate as they relate to the Initial Certificate.
Please be sure to thoroughly read the NYS Education Department’s website to find out if you are an eligible candidate for the Emergency COVID-19 Certificate.
|
|
Requirements for the Initial Certificate |
Current Requirements for the Emergency COVID-19 Certificate** |
|
Exams |
✓ Educating All Students (EAS) ✓Content Specialty Test (s) (CST) ✓EdTPA or EdTPA Safety Net |
✕ Educating All Students (EAS) ✕ Content Specialty Test (s) (CST) ✕ EdTPA
|
|
Workshops |
✓ Child Abuse Identification ✓ School Violence Intervention & Prevention ✓ Dignity For All Students Act |
✓ Child Abuse Identification ✓ School Violence Intervention & Prevention ✓ Dignity For All Students Act
|
|
Education |
✓ Bachelor’s degree or higher with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (either completed an approved teacher education program in NYS, a different state, or can show the required number of liberal arts and pedagogical courses) ✓ Institutional recommendation (if completed a NYS approved program |
✓ Bachelor’s degree or higher with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (either completed an approved teacher education program in NYS, a different state, or can show the required number of liberal arts and pedagogical courses) ✓ Institutional recommendation (if completed a NYS approved program |
|
Experience |
✓ The clinical experience that is required for the certificate type that you are pursuing (e.g., student teaching, mentored in-service experience for Transitional B and C certificates, etc.)
|
✓ The clinical experience that is required for the certificate type that you are pursuing (e.g., student teaching, mentored in-service experience for Transitional B and C certificates, etc.)
|
|
Fingerprint Clearance |
Required |
Required |
|
Application Fee |
$50 for most pathways or $100 if applying via Individual Evaluation |
No fee but candidates must apply and pay for the Initial Certificate at the same time |
|
Deadline |
None |
Must apply by September 1, 2022 |
|
Period of validity |
5 years |
2 years |
Although exams are not required for the Emergency COVID-19 Certificate, please plan to take and pass any required exams before your certificate expires.
*Certain CTE certificates are excluded.
**Information is current as of September 20, 2021