|
|
Recent Certification Changes
On September 14, 2007, the Board of Regents adopted an amendment to Commissioner’s Regulations that made certain technical and other amendments to teacher certification requirements, as listed below.
The amendment:
- Adds, to those sections of Part 80 where not previously explicitly stated, the flexibility to accept alternate, but equivalent, preparation in satisfaction of the requirements for certification through individual evaluation.
- Extends the time validity of an expired Provisional, Initial, or Transitional certificate for an additional year beyond the two-year extension currently provided for, in cases of extreme hardship.
- Changes the date, from September 2, 2006 to September 2, 2007, by which all applicants for certification as educational leaders must submit their applications to qualify under the “old” titles (school administrator and supervisor, school district administrator, and school business administrator). Candidates must both apply and qualify by the new deadline.
- Clarifies that certificate holders applying for additional certificates may continue to apply through individual evaluation, after the sunset of individual evaluation for candidates for first certificates.
- Allows for the acceptance of a degree from a higher education institution that is substantially equivalent to a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education for purposes of qualifying for a certificate. Examples include: different types of degrees from foreign countries and law degrees from institutions not regionally accredited but accredited by the American Bar Association.
- Allows for the acceptance of paid full-time experience in lieu of the college-supervised practicum required for certification in certain titles: literacy, library media specialist, and speech and language disabilities.
- Establishes September 1, 2008 as the application deadline for a Statement of Continuing Eligibility (SOCE) in certain certificate/extension titles: gifted and talented, American Sign Language, and theater.
- Allows for completion of an educational leadership program accredited by a United States Department of Education-recognized accrediting body at a regionally accredited institution outside New York State for certification as a school building leader, school district leader or school district business leader.
- Specifies the certificate titles to which an extension as a coordinator of work-based learning programs for career awareness may be appropriately attached and those teaching certificate titles for which an extension as a coordinator of work-based learning programs for career development may be attached.
- Clarifies that the holder of an extension as a coordinator of work-based learning programs for career development may also coordinate programs for career awareness.
- Allows acceptance of an out-of-state certificate or an authorization to practice from another country that evidences comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities with those required for Initial certification.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a brief summary only; it is not an exhaustive description of the amendment.
- For more information, see the Chart of Recent Certification Changes, below.
- For the complete text of the regulation, see the September 2007 Regents Item.
Chart of Recent Certification Changes (September 2007)
Subject of Change |
Section of Regulations |
Provisions |
Eligible Individuals |
Limitations/ Notes |
|
Equivalency of Alternate Preparation |
80-3.3,
80-3.7 |
Allows for acceptance of alternate, but equivalent, preparation in satisfaction of the requirements for certification through individual evaluation |
Candidates for certificates through individual evaluation |
Language added to sections as needed to make provision consistent throughout Part 80 |
|
Time Extensions |
80-1.6 |
Allows for extension of time validity of expired Provisional, Initial, or Transitional certificate beyond 2 years, for one additional year, in cases of extreme hardship |
Holders of expired Provisional, Initial, or Transitional certificates |
|
Application Deadline for “Old” Administrative Certificates |
80-3.1 |
Changes the deadline date from September 2, 2006 to September 2, 2007 for applicants for certification under the “old” administration certificate titles (school administrator and supervisor, school district administrator, and school business administrator) |
Candidates for administration certificates |
Candidates must both apply and qualify by new deadline |
Sunset of Individual Evaluation in Classroom Teaching Titles |
80-3.3,
80-3.7 |
Clarifies that certificate holders applying for an additional certificate may continue to apply through individual evaluation, after the sunset of individual evaluation for candidates for first certificates |
Certificate holders applying for an additional certificate |
Clarification only; no change in sunset dates |
Equivalency of Institutions of Higher Education |
80-3.3 |
Allows for the acceptance of a degree from an IHE that is substantially equivalent to a regionally accredited IHE for purposes of qualifying for a certificate |
Applicants for certificates |
Examples: foreign degrees, law degrees from institutions not regionally accredited but accredited by the American Bar Association, etc. |
Experience in Lieu of Practicum |
80-3.7 |
Allows the acceptance of one year of paid full-time experience in lieu of the college-supervised practicum required for certification in certain titles |
Applicants for certificates in literacy, library media specialist, and speech and language disabilities |
|
Statements of Continuing Eligibility (SOCEs) |
80-3.8,
80-4.3 |
Establishes an application deadline of September 1, 2008 for a Statement of Continuing Eligibility (SOCE) in certain certificate/ extension titles |
Applicants for extensions/certificates in gifted and talented, American Sign Language, and theater |
Recognizes that all applications for SOCES should now have been made |
Equivalency of Programs |
80-3.10 |
Allows for completion of an educational leadership program accredited by a USDOE-recognized accrediting body at a regionally accredited institution outside NYS for certification |
Applicants for school building leader, school district leader and school district business leader certificates |
|
Coordinator of Work-Based Learning Program Extensions |
80-4.3 |
Specifies the certificate titles to which extensions in coordinator of work-based learning programs for career awareness and coordinator of work-based learning programs for career development may be attached |
Holders of extensions in coordinator of work-based learning programs |
Clarification only |
Coordinator of Work-Based Learning Program Extension |
80-4.3 |
Clarifies that the holder of an extension as a coordinator of work-based learning programs for career development may also coordinate programs for career awareness |
Holders of extension in coordinator of work-based learning programs for career development |
Clarification only |
Equivalency of Out-of-state Certificates |
80-5.17 |
Allows acceptance of an out-of-state certificate or authorization to practice from another state/ country with knowledge, skills, and abilities comparable to those required for Initial certification |
Certificate holders from other states/countries |
|
|
