Office of Teaching Initiatives

Career and Technical Education Certificate Types

Individuals can choose the Transitional A or the Initial certificate type when they first apply for a Career and Technical Education (CTE) certificate in a specific subject area. The Transitional A certificate is valid for three years and allows individuals who need time to complete specific education coursework and student teaching/teaching experience requirements for the Initial certificate to work in a classroom as a certified teacher. To be eligible for the Transitional A certificate, individuals must have a commitment from a New York State school, school district, or BOCES to employ and mentor them while they complete the Initial certificate requirements.

The Initial certificate is valid for five years, during which time individuals work on completing the requirements for the Professional certificate. The Professional certificate requirements include completing additional specific education coursework, three years of full-time teaching experience or its equivalent, and passing the Educating All Students (EAS) test .

The following table compares the Transitional A, Initial, and Professional certificate features, including the requirements and validity period of the certificates. The baseline certificate requirements for each pathway/option are the same across all certificate types (e.g., Option A requires an associate’s degree or higher within the Transitional A, Initial, and Professional certificate types).