New York State Teacher/School Counselor Certification |
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Certification Process at Lehman College for Teachers
Current Types of Certification
Provisional Certification
Initial Certification
Permanent Certification
Professional Certification
Bilingual Extension Certificate
Examinations Required for Certification
Certification Process for School Counselors
How to File Electronically for Certification - NYS TEACH System
About the New York State Teacher/School Counselor Certification
The three departments that comprise the Division of Education are Early Childhood/Childhood Education, Middle/High School Education, and Specialized Services in Education. Teacher preparation at Lehman College on the undergraduate level is based on a firm foundation of the liberal arts and sciences. Undergraduate students who earn a bachelor's degree have the option of becoming teachers in early childhood, childhood education (elementary education), or middle and high school education (Art, English, Foreign Languages, Health, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) and earn New York State Certification in one of these areas. Undergraduates must major in the appropriate liberal arts and science program along with completing the proper education sequence. Additional requirements include fingerprint clearance and completion of two, 2-hour workshops on Child Abuse Detection and School Violence Intervention and Prevention.
The completion of a undergraduate certification sequence or a graduate education program at Lehman College enables students to complete the educational requirements for Initial and/or Professional Certification. Students have the option of enrolling in programs that train them to be teachers and/or school specialists in the following areas:
Early Childhood Education
Childhood Education
Middle/High School Education (Art, English, Foreign Languages, Health, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Studies, and Speech Pathology)
Bilingual Extension in Secondary Education
Special Education-Early Childhood Special Education, Childhood Special Education, or Adolescent Special Education
TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
Literacy - Early Childhood Literacy, Childhood Literacy, or Adolescent Literacy
Counselor Education (Graduate Level Only)
All students enrolled in a Lehman College education program leading to teacher certification must complete 12 weeks of full-time student teaching, internship, or practicum experience. Students must submit a completed application for student teaching or internship with Elvani Pennil (elvani.pennil@lehman.cuny.edu), Professional Development Network Coordinator in the Division of Education, the semester prior to the semester in which the clinical work will be done. Student Teaching and Internship applications are available by clicking on the Field work and Internship Opportunities button in the department in which your teaching/counseling program is housed. Student Teaching and Internship applications require the approval and signature of your program advisor before being submitted, thereby ensuring that you have met all the necessary prerequisites.
Note: Beginning February 1, 2004, New York State Education Department will no longer issue Provisional and/or Permanent certifications to first-time applicants. The State will instead issue Initial and/or Professional certifications. To be eligible for the new certifications, students must complete an approved teacher/counselor education program at an accredited institution. Further information on the new teacher certification requirements can be obtained from the New York State Education Department web site, http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/. However, if you have already earned a Provisional Certificate or a Transitional B Certificate prior to 2/2/04, then upon completion of program requirements for a Master¹s Degree, you will be issued a Permanent Certificate as opposed to a Professional Certificate. If you have any questions regarding which certificate you will be seeking upon completing a graduate program, please check with our Certification Officer, Ruth Jordan, in Carman Hall B-33.
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Certification Process at Lehman College for Teachers
Undergraduate students who successfully complete the education sequence and earn a Bachelor's degree in an appropriate liberal arts and science program are eligible to receive an institutional recommendation for certification related to that program. Matriculated graduate students who successfully complete an education program and earn a Master's degree at Lehman College, are also eligible to receive an institutional recommendation for certification. In addition, passing scores on NYSTCE tests, Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W), Content Specialty Test (CST), and in some cases, Language Proficiency Assessment (LPA) are required for certification. National Teachers Examination (NTE) scores are no longer accepted for NYS certification. (Note: Counselor Education is the only area where the LAST and the ATSW are not required.)
Click on Title II Data to view Lehman College's pass rates on the LAST and ATS-W for students who complete education programs.
Students are strongly encouraged to speak with their departmental advisor in the beginning of their program to discuss their intention to complete a program leading to state certification. Towards the completion of their program, students must meet with their advisor and the Divisional Certification Officer Ruth Jordan in order to begin the process of formally applying for certification. For certification requirements by certificate title, visit the NYS Education Department website at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/. All applications for certification must be completed electronically – no paper applications are accepted any longer by NY State.
Information on requirements for specific certificates may be obtained from the Division of Education, Carman Hall, Room B-33. Please ask for Ms. Ruth Jordan, the certification officer, if you have questions regarding certification.
Once a certification file has been created and you have met all the requirements for certification including completing one of our approved programs, contact Ms. Jordan so that the College’s recommendation for your certification can be put on the file electronically. Ms. Jordan has regular hours to see students each week. They are posted on the Carman Hall B-33 Office door. Ms. Jordan can also be reached by telephone at 718-960-8401 or by e-mail: ruth.jordan@lehman.cuny.edu.
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Current Types of Certification
Within the State of New York, the teaching profession requires teachers to obtain Initial and/or Professional certification. Previously issued certificates by New York State were titled Provisional and Permanent. These certifications will not be issued after February 1, 2004. If you have earned a Provisional Certificate or a Transitional B Certificate prior to 2/1/04, then you will be permitted to meet requirements for the Permanent Certificate.
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Provisional Certification
(not issued after 2/1/04)
Provisional Certification is a preliminary certificate required of those planning to work in the New York State education system that is currently valid for five (5) years from date of issuance. Students who complete the undergraduate education sequence along with their student teaching experience at Lehman College will have completed the educational requirements for Provisional Certification. In general, the following are the requirements for the Provisional Certificate:
1. Completion of an approved Education sequence and earning a Bachelor's degree in the liberal arts and sciences at Lehman College
2. Completion of approved student teaching (180-300 hours)
3. Achieving passing scores on the LAST, ATS-W, and in some cases, CST and LPA Exams
4. Completion of the Child Abuse Detection Workshop
5. Completion of the School Violence Intervention and Prevention Workshop
6. Submission of fingerprints to NYSED
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Initial Certification
Initial Certification is a preliminary certificate required of those planning to work in the New York State education system that is currently valid for three (3) years from date of issuance. Students who complete the undergraduate education sequence along with their field work and student teaching experiences at Lehman College will meet the requirements for Initial Certification. In general, the following are the requirements for the Initial Certificate:
1. Completion of an approved Education sequence and earning a Bachelor's degree in the liberal arts and sciences at Lehman College
2. One year College study in a language other than English
3. Completion of 6 credits in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies at the 100 level or higher
4. Completion of required fieldwork and student teaching experiences
5. Achieving passing scores on the LAST, ATS-W, CST and the Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) for a Bilingual Certificate or an Extension to a Certificate
6. Completion of the Child Abuse Detection Workshop
7. Completion of the School Violence Intervention and Prevention Workshop
8. Submission of fingerprints to NYSED
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Permanent Certification
(not issued to first time applicants after 2/1/04 unless applicant already holds a Provisional Certificate or Transitional B Certificate issued prior to 2/1/04)
Permanent Certification is awarded to teaching/school professionals who complete the highest requirements for their area of specialty. Students who earn a Master's degree in a program in Education at Lehman College are eligible to receive an institutional recommendation for permanent certification related to that program. In general, the following are the requirements for the Permanent Certificate:
1. Earn or complete all the requirements for a Provisional Certificate
2. Two years full-time paid teaching experience
3. Earn a Master's degree in a functionally related field, and
4. Achieving passing scores on the Content Specialty Test (CST), the Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W) and the Assessment of Teaching Skills-Performance (ATS-P) exams.
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Professional Certification
Professional Certification is awarded to teaching/school professionals who complete the highest requirements for their area of specialty. Students who earn a Master's degree in a program in Education at Lehman College are eligible to receive an institutional recommendation for professional certification related to that program. In general, the following are the requirements for the Professional Certificate:
1. Earn or complete all the requirements for an Initial Certificate
2. Three years full-time paid teaching experience, and
3. Earn a Master's degree in a functionally related field.
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Bilingual Extension Certificate
The Bilingual Extension is an extension of the provisional or permanent certificate, which enables one to teach/counsel students from a bilingual background. Coursework for this extension is offered within the undergraduate programs in early childhood/childhood education, and graduate programs in Early Childhood and Childhood Education (ECCE) and Middle/High School Education (MHSE). The requirements for either the provisional/permanent or initial/professional certificates must be fulfilled before a bilingual extension can be issued. In addition, the Language Proficiency Assessment (LPA) and the Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) exams are required.
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Examinations Required for Certification
New York State requires several tests for different levels of certification. The New York State Education Department, Office of Teaching, located in Albany, administers these tests. The exams currently required for initial certification are:
Liberal Arts and Science Test (LAST)
Content Specialty Test (CST) (in academic subjects, elementary education or annotation)
Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W)
The Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) (required for teaching English to speakers of other languages and bilingual education extension)
Candidates taking the LAST will be asked to demonstrate conceptual and analytical abilities, critical thinking and communication skills, and multicultural awareness on a four-hour written test (multiple-choice and essay) covering historical and social consciousness, scientific and mathematical processes, artistic expression, and the humanities.
The ATS-W will ask the candidate to demonstrate:
knowledge of the learner
knowledge of instructional planning and assessment
knowledge of instructional delivery
understanding of the professional environment.
Both essay and multiple-choice items will be used. The CST will assess depth of knowledge in the content area.
Further information on teacher/pupil personnel certification can be obtained from the New York State Education Department web site at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/.
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Certification Process for School Counselors
Students applying for Provisional Certification for School Counselor must do so through the Alternate Route, which means that the applicant must apply for the certificate on his/her own. Applicants should meet with their Program Advisor regarding the Provisional Certification Process. Specific application questions can be address to Ruth Jordan, the Division of Education Certification Officer in Carman Hall B33.
Provisional Certification
Complete a BA or BS degree from a NYS accredited institution
Complete 30 hours of approved graduate study in school counseling which includes a supervised practicum.
The 30 hours can be completed as part of Lehman College's MSEd in Counselor Education.
Complete the two hour training in Child Abuse Detection
Complete the two hour training in Violence Intervention and Prevention
Permanent Certification
Complete all requirements for or earn the Provisional Certificate
Complete the MSEd in Counselor Education from Lehman College
Complete two years experience in pupil personnel in a K-12 setting
Complete the two, 2-hour mandated workshops in Child Abuse and Violence Prevention
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