Teacher Certification


Confirming a
Teacher's Certification


NYS Database of Teacher Certification
http://eservices.nysed.gov/teach/certhelp/CpPersonSearchExternal.jsp?trgAction=INQUIRY

You can search each of your child's teachers to determine their areas of certification. This search is tricky, as you have to spell the teacher's name exactly the way it was when they were certified. Some teachers have changed or hyphenated their last names and others might be using a different first name. If you cannot find a teacher, it is a good idea to learn the "official" spelling of their name.

Parent Request for Teacher Certification Disclosure
http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/04071675-98DE-4B44-A191-C5CFB5B9A9DA/0/ParentRequestFormEnglishAug2011.pdf

Parents may find out the certification of each teacher by filling-out this request form (one per teacher) and submitting it to their child's school.



Regulations and Laws about
Teacher Certification


Teacher Certification
NYC Department of Education
http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/DHR/TeacherPrincipalSchoolProfessionals /Certification/Teacher+and+School+Professional+Certification.htm

All NYC pedagogical employees, including teachers and school administrators, must maintain valid certification to remain employed.

Chancellor's Regulation 
NYC Department of Education
http://docs.nycenet.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-60/C-200__9-12-00.pdf

Part C-200, section 27.a
School teacher means persons who are employed to provide teaching and related services directly to students and who are required by law to hold an appropriate state certificate or city license.

Teacher Certification
NYS Education Department

Field Memo #03-2008, Part A
All public school teachers of core academic subjects must:meet New York State certification standards for each teaching assignment (with the exception for certain charter school teachers discussed in Item D1); and be "highly qualified" as defined by the NCLB or IDEA if they are teaching a core academic subject in grades Kindergarten (K) through 12.

"HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS"
US Department of Education
http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/methods/teachers/hqtflexibility.html

"Highly Qualified" Teachers: To be deemed highly qualified, teachers must have:
1) a bachelor's degree,
2) full state certification or licensure, and
3) prove that they know each subject they teach.

State Requirements: NCLB requires states to
1) measure the extent to which all students have highly qualified teachers, particularly minority and disadvantaged students,
2) adopt goals and plans to ensure all teachers are highly qualified and,
3) publicly report plans and progress in meeting teacher quality goals.

Demonstration of Competency: Teachers (in middle and high school) must prove that they know the subject they teach with:
1) a major in the subject they teach,
2) credits equivalent to a major in the subject,
3) passage of a state-developed test,
4) HOUSSE (for current teachers only, see below),
5) an advanced certification from the state, or 6) a graduate degree.

High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE): NCLB allows states to develop an additional way for current teachers to demonstrate subject-matter competency and meet highly qualified teacher requirements. Proof may consist of a combination of teaching experience, professional development, and knowledge in the subject garnered over time in the profession.

NCLB definition of "highly qualified" teacher 
United Federation of Teachers
http://www.uft.org/q-issues/what-does-highly-qualified-mean-general-education-teachers

The federal law requires that all teachers of core academic subjects meet three basic requirements:
1. Hold a bachelor’s degree, AND
2. Hold full state certification (provisional, professional, or master teacher), AND
3. Demonstrate subject matter competency in the core academic subject (s) taught.

Long Term Substitute Teaching

• Long term substitute teaching is defined as 30 or more consecutive days
substituting for the same teacher in the same classrooms, without interruption.
• Long term substitutes are required either to be eligible for New York State
certification or to be working towards certification.