Office of Teaching Initiatives

Teaching Assistant Certificates (also known in NYC as Paraprofessionals)

The requirements for New York State Teaching Assistant certification are available through the following links and Search Certification Requirements.

• If you have never held a New York State Teaching Assistant Certificate, you must apply and meet the requirements for a Level I Teaching Assistant certificate.
  
  
• If you have at least one year of teaching experience in New York State as a classroom teacher under a New York State classroom teaching certificate, you may proceed to the Level III Teaching Assistant certificate.
  

All others should review the requirements for the certificate level that you are interested in receiving. The Teaching Assistant Certificate Experience Requirements webpage describes the experience requirements for the Level II, Level III, and Pre-Professional certificates in detail, including acceptable and unacceptable experience.

• As of January 1, 2022, except for official college transcripts, OTI will be going paperless with this application. All high school diplomas/transcripts and GED certificates must be submitted electronically to tcert@nysed.gov. Please make sure "Attention: HS Diploma" is copied into the subject line of your e-mail.