Educator Resources

Memos to the Field

Below are links to memos to the field by the Deputy Commissioner for the Office Higher Education or the Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Teaching Initiatives.  Memos start from February 2003.  Please be aware that recent policy decisions supercede information in older memos.

Date Subject
January 2021 Certification Status of Educators who Hold an Expired Certificate and Applied for Certification On or Before Their Certificate's Expiration Date pdf file(189)KB
December 2019 Subject area certification requirement for special education teachers who teach a special class pdf file(189)KB
March 2017 Safety Nets for certain single-subject Revised Content Specialty Tests to expire June 30, 2017
June 2016 New Pathways to Certification for Out-of-State Teachers and Leaders pdf file (123) KB
June 2016 New Law and Regulation Pertaining to Registration, Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) and Approval of Providers of CTLE pdf file (457) KB
December 2012 Certification Examination Guidance and Framework Documents
October 2011 The General Science Extension as represented in NYS Basic Educational Data System (BEDS)
April 2011 Professional Certificate - Master's Degree Requirement
November 2010 New Teacher & School Building Leader Performance-Based Assessment for Initial Certification
August 2010 Performance Evaluations for Teachers and Principals
April 2010 April Regents Actions – Teacher Certification Flexibility
December 2009 Electronic Certification Records
December 2009 Career and Technical Education – Required College Coursework
July 2009 Internship Certificate Fee
June 2009 2009-2010 School Leadership Assessments Update & Schedule
June 2009 Credentialing of Athletic Coaches
May 2009 Tenure for Teachers in Instructional Support Service Positions
March 2009

Important Updates: Fingerprinting and Criminal Background Check Program

December 2008 Recent Statutory and Regulatory Changes Regarding §211 Waiver Requests
October 2008 Career and Technical Education Teaching Positions
July 2008 Effective Dates of Initial Certificates in Specific Career and Technical Education Subjects
June 2007 Clarifying information regarding the date by which newly-certified teachers can begin employment
June 2006 Educational Technology Specialists
April 2004 Recent amendments to teacher certification provisions
Last Updated: June 3, 2021
June 3, 2021