Teacher Certification

Initial Certification Requirements

Students at SUNY Potsdam who complete an approved program of study that leads to teacher certification will be recommended through the Office of Field Experiences for the appropriate teacher certificate.

In order to be recommended for initial certification, the following requirements must be successfully completed:

  1. An approved program of study that leads to certification
  2. Health 230 (CA, SAVE), a two-credit hour course on drugs and alcohol, the Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse, and Violence Prevention and Intervention
  3. New York State Certification Exams:
    1. Liberal Arts and Science Test (LAST)
    2. Assessment of Teaching Skills – Written (ATS-W)
    3. Content Specialty Test (CST)
  4. Fingerprint clearance from the New York State Education Department
  5. Complete the Certification Application once you complete all of the above requirements.
  6. Program Codes and Student Information Application Sheets
  7. Teacher Certification Authorization Form

Creating a TEACH Account

In order to be able to access your personal information, test scores, fingerprint clearance, etc., and in order to apply online for fingerprinting and teaching certification online, you must create a teach account with the New York State Education Department. MAKE SURE YOU FILE YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD IN A SAFE PLACE.  You will use them for your entire teaching career.

 

Professional Certification Requirements

To be recommended for professional certificate which must be obtained five (5) years from the effective date of   the initial certificate and which must be obtained in order to continue to be licensed in the state of New York, the following two (2) requirements must be completed.

  1. Complete a relevant master’s degree.
  2. Complete three (3) years of paid teaching.

Once the master’s degree and three (3) years of paid teaching have been completed, the holder of the initial certificate must complete a Certification Application in order to receive the professional certificate.   The three (3) years of paid teaching can be either as a full-time employee or as a substitute teacher. One full year equals 180 substitute days.

Once the professional certificate has been obtained, the holder of the professional certificate must complete 175 hours of documented professional development every five (5) years in order to keep the professional certificate.