Certification for New Teachers

Do you know whether you have a Provisional or Initial Certificate? Are you clear about your requirements under a Transitional A or Transitional B Certificate? Are you aware of your deadlines for completing your requirements if you are working under an Extended or Renewed Provisional Certificate?

If you are confused about these or other aspects of your state certification, you’re not alone. In recent years, the State Education Department (SED) increased the number of certificate categories to more than 10, each with different requirements and deadlines. And the UFT is fielding many questions from newer teachers looking for clear, understandable and reliable answers.

“The state provided alternative routes to certification to give prospective teachers greater flexibility, and that’s a good thing,” notes Ann Rosen, UFT special representative for certification and licensing. “But new teachers don’t always know which type of certificate they have, and that could get them into trouble if they don’t understand their requirements and meet their deadlines.”

To help teachers find their way, the union has a team of UFT consultants and educational liaisons. They, in turn, offer workshops in schools or UFT borough offices and respond to teachers’ questions in person, by telephone and via e-mail.

To address the most common points of confusion, we’ve prepared this brief certification primer. If you need more specific information, make an appointment with the UFT Certification Services Department at UFT headquarters at 52 Broadway (212-420-1830). You can also email or speak to an educational liaison in your UFT borough office.