certification > preparation pathways

Applicants from Other States (Interstate Reciprocity)

Applicants who hold a certificate from another state, or who have completed an approved program that would lead to a teaching certificate in another state, may be eligible for a certificate through interstate reciprocity.
 

Options for Certification

Specific Information Regarding:

• Special Education Certification for Applicants from Other States: New York State certificates in special education are issued in the following certificate titles:
  
  Students with Disabilities (Birth – Grade 2)
  Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
  Students with Disabilities (Grades 5-9 Generalist)
  Students with Disabilities (Grades 5-9 + Content)*
  Students with Disabilities (Grades 7-12 + Content)*
  
  *An applicant who does not hold a certificate in a content core area (i.e. Mathematics, English, Biology, etc.) can not receive the Students with Disabilities + Content certificates. How to Apply
  
  
• Pupil Personnel Certification for applicants from Other States : (School Social Worker, School Psychologist, School Counselor, School Nursing, School Dental Hygiene, School Attendance)

  Since there are no testing requirements for Pupil Personnel certificates, applicants who are eligible for certification via interstate reciprocity will receive a Provisional certificate. A Provisional certificate is valid or 5 years, during which the applicant must complete the requirements for Permanent certification.

  If an applicant has 2 years of experience under their out-of-state certificate, they may be eligible for permanent certification. An exception to this is School Counseling, where a total of 60 graduate credits in School Counseling is required. How to Apply

• Leadership Certification for Applicants from Other States: Certificates for School Building Leader, School District Leader and School District Business Leader are issued on the basis of completion of a New York State approved program or, in some circumstances, by endorsement of an appropriate comparable district level leadership certificate issued by another state. Alternatively, the transcripts of applicants from other states must be reviewed to determine if the program completed is comparable to approved leadership programs in the appropriate title offered in New York State. How to Apply
  
  
• Certificate Endorsements: In many cases, endorsements in additional subject titles from another state do not satisfy the requirements for reciprocity because they are not comparable certificates. A comparable certificate requires the completion of an approved teacher education program that is comparable to New York State requirements or satisfactory teaching experience for three of the previous seven years under the certificate. How to Apply
  
  
• Alternative Programs: Applicants who have completed alternative teacher preparation programs in other states are required to have at least three years of full-time teaching experience under the level II certificate (not counting experience under the alternative certificate). How to Apply
  
  
• Certificates from Other Countries: If you have a teaching certificate from another country, please submit a copy of the certificate along with original, or original notarized copies of, transcripts (records of courses completed) of all college-level coursework completed. Office of Teaching Initiatives Comparative Education staff will review the programs you completed and the certificate for comparability to an approved program in New York State in that subject. How to Apply
  
  
• Progressing from Initial to Professional Certification: Candidates issued Initial certificates must still satisfy all graduate degree, experience, and workshop requirements for the Professional certificate. Professional certification in most titles requires a master's degree, and three years full-time experience, the first year of which must include mentored experience. The requirement for mentored experience is waived if the candidate has two or more years of teaching before the issuance of the Conditional Initial certificate.

  *Applicants already holding Initial certification must select the “Certificate Progression” pathway when applying for Professional certification. How to Apply
  

How to Apply

• To apply online, click .
  • For certificate type, select: “Initial”
  • For pathway, select: "Interstate Reciprocity"
    
    
• Upon completion of your application, apply for fingerprinting online using your TEACH account.
  • For information about the fingerprint process go to the Fingerprinting web page.
    
    
• Contact the registrar's office of each college/university you attended and ask that they submit official transcripts to this office.
  
  
• If applicable, mail a copy of your valid out-of-state certificate to:
  
  Office of Teaching Initiatives
  New York State Education Department
  89 Washington Ave, 5N EB
  Albany, New York 12234

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