Office of Teaching Initiatives

NYSED / Higher Ed / OTI / Certification / Teaching Assistant

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Requirements Teaching Assistant - Professional Certification

Professional Certificate

Does not expire

List of requirements for all new TA Pathways: New TA Certificate Pathways

Option A: Individual Evaluation (you do not hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher)

1. Paid application on file.
2. Conferral of a High School Diploma or GED

• This has already been verified when you earned your previous TA certificate(s). You do not need to have official transcripts sent to OTI.

3. 18 SH (Semester Hours) of college coursework

• 9 SH of Pedagogical Core from one or more of these areas including Human Development, Teaching Students with Disabilities, Teaching Literacy Skills, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, and/or Foundations of Education.​
• 9 SH of additional Pedagogical Core (as described above) or coursework in ELA, math, science, and/or Social Studies or a combination of both.
• Minimum grade requirements of a C or better for undergraduate coursework or B- or better for graduate level coursework apply.
• Life Experience Credit (also known as life credit) is not acceptable for certification purposes, regardless of the policy of an individual college/university.

4. Three years of TA experience in New York State under a valid TA certificate.

• Experience must be completed in New York under any valid TA certificate (e.g., - Level I/2/3; Initial; Initial TA Renewal, Temporary; Continuing; Emergency COVID-19)
• Verification of paid experience must be submitted directly by the employer(s). NYS public schools, BOCES and NYS charter schools must submit verifications by entering an electronic Superintendent Statement (“TA Professional 3 Yr. Exp.") onto your TEACH account. All other employers may use this form: Verification Form for TAs
• Please note that this requirement can also be met with classroom teaching experience completed in NY under a valid NYS classroom teaching certificate. NYS public schools, BOCES and NYS charter schools must submit verifications by entering an electronic Superintendent Statement (“Classroom Teaching Experience") onto your TEACH account. All other employers may use this form: Verification Form for Teachers

5. A passing score on the ATAS exam OR Foundations of Classroom Support and Instruction exam.

• You have already passed this exam and do not need to take it again. Your scores will carry over to this application.
• If you hold/held a valid teaching certificate and passed a CST for the certificate, this requirement can be waived.

6. All workshops required for certification.

• You have already completed this requirement but make sure there are no new workshops required.

7. Fingerprint clearance

• You have already completed this requirement and do not need to be fingerprinted again.

Option B: Individual Evaluation (you hold a conferred Bachelor’s degree or higher)

1. Bachelor’s degree or higher in any major.

• Please request all of your official transcripts sent to the Office of Teaching for evaluation under this pathway. To learn more about requesting official transcripts, please visit our website here. (Note: We do not accept transcripts sent by the applicant.)

2. Three years of TA experience in New York State under a valid TA certificate.

• Experience must be completed in New York under any valid TA certificate (e.g., - Level I/2/3; Initial; Initial TA Renewal, Temporary; Continuing; Emergency COVID-19)
• Verification of paid experience must be submitted directly by the employer(s). NYS public schools, BOCES and NYS charter schools must submit verifications by entering an electronic Superintendent Statement (“TA Professional 3 Yr. Exp.") onto your TEACH account. All other employers may use this form: Verification Form for TAs
• Please note that this requirement can also be met with classroom teaching experience completed in NY under a valid NYS classroom teaching certificate. NYS public schools, BOCES and NYS charter schools must submit verifications by entering an electronic Superintendent Statement (“Classroom Teaching Experience") onto your TEACH account. All other employers may use this form: Verification Form for Teachers

3. A passing score on the ATAS exam OR Foundations of Classroom Support and Instruction exam.

• You have already passed this exam and do not need to take it again. Your scores will carry over to this application.
• If you hold/held a valid teaching certificate and passed a CST for the certificate, this requirement can be waived.

4. All workshops required for certification.

• You have already completed this requirement but make sure there are no new workshops required.

5. Fingerprint clearance

• You have already completed this requirement and do not need to be fingerprinted again.

Option C: Completion of a NYS Approved Teaching Assistant Program

1. Paid application on file.
2. Completion of a NYS Approved Teaching Assistant Program.
3. NYS Approved Teaching Assistant Program Recommendation.

• This recommendation would be entered by the college into your TEACH account verifying that you have completed a teaching assistant program registered with NYS and that your degree has been conferred.

4. Three years of TA experience under a valid TA certificate.

• Experience must be completed in New York under any valid TA certificate (e.g., - Level I/2/3; Initial; Initial TA Renewal, Temporary; Continuing; Emergency COVID-19)
• Verification of paid experience must be submitted directly by the employer(s). NYS public schools, BOCES and NYS charter schools must submit verifications by entering an electronic Superintendent Statement (“TA Professional 3 Yr. Exp.") onto your TEACH account. All other employers may use this form: Verification Form for TAs
• Please note that this requirement can also be met with classroom teaching experience completed in NY under a valid NYS classroom teaching certificate. NYS public schools, BOCES and NYS charter schools must submit verifications by entering an electronic Superintendent Statement (“Classroom Teaching Experience") onto your TEACH account. All other employers may use this form: Verification Form for Teachers

5. A passing score on the ATAS exam OR Foundations of Classroom Support and Instruction exam.

• You have already passed this exam and do not need to take it again. Your scores will carry over to this application.

6. All workshops required for certification.

• You have already completed this requirement but make sure there are no new workshops required.

7. Fingerprint clearance

• You have already completed this requirement and do not need to be fingerprinted again.

 NOTE:

Last Updated: April 8, 2026