The New York State Board of Regents requires certain teachers and paraprofessionals to collect and track professional learning credits called Continuing Teacher and Leader Education hours to maintain their state certifications. The following Q&A will help you learn more about these CTLE requirements. For answers to specific questions, please call the UFT at 212-331-6311. 

Who needs to earn CTLE hours? 

Teachers who hold professional teaching certificates and paraprofessionals who hold Level III teaching assistant certificates need to earn CTLE hours.

Teachers who hold entry-level certificates (initial, conditional initial, Transitional A, Transitional B or internship) and paraprofessionals who hold Level I or II teaching certificates do not need to collect CTLE hours. Teachers who hold permanent licenses do not need to obtain CTLE hours, although they must register on the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website every five years.

See the NYSED website for more information on CTLE and a detailed chart listing requirements by title.

How many CTLE hours must I collect? 

Teachers with professional certification and paraprofessionals who hold a Level III teaching assistant certificate must complete 100 CTLE hours every five years to maintain their certification. You are required to register with NYSED in order to start your registration period for completing CTLE hours.

If you achieve certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards within your five-year registration window, you will be deemed to have met the CTLE requirement for that cycle.

When does my five-year cycle begin and when will I be required to complete my CTLE hours?

Your first registration period begins on the date you register with NYSED, and it expires five years and zero to 11 months later, depending on your birthday. It ends on the last day of the month preceding your birth month. For example, if you registered on Aug.10, 2019, and your birthday is on Dec. 15, then your first registration period begins on Aug. 10, 2019, and runs until Nov. 30, 2024.

After the first registration period, the length of the registration period is exactly five years. Future registration periods will run from the first day of your birth month to the last day of the month preceding your birth month, such as Dec. 1, 2024, to Nov. 30, 2029.

You can log in to your TEACH account on the NYSED website to make sure you are registered and confirm your due date to complete CTLE hours.

Which professional learning courses count toward the CTLE requirement? 

Your CTLE hours must be completed with a state-approved provider. Both the UFT’s LearnUFT program and the UFT Teacher Center are state-approved providers that offer affordable CTLE workshops. P-credits taken through the city Department of Education’s After School Professional Development Program (ASPDP) also count toward the CTLE requirement.

For credit-bearing university or college courses, each semester-hour of credit equals 15 clock hours of CTLE credit, and each quarter-hour of credit equals 10 clock hours of CTLE credit. Not all institutions of higher learning are state-approved — check the list of state-approved sponsors of CTLE on the NYSED website.

What are the CTLE language-acquisition requirements? 

If your professional certificate is in English to Speakers of Other Languages or you hold a bilingual extension annotation, a minimum of 50% of your CTLE hours must be in language acquisition, including a focus on best practices for co-teaching strategies and integrating language and content instruction for English language learners. Everyone else must complete a minimum of 15 CTLE hours in language acquisition.

How should I track my CTLE hours? 

You should keep records of certificates you receive at CTLE workshops. These records should show the title of the program, the total number of hours completed, the number of hours completed in language acquisition addressing the needs of English language learners, the sponsor’s name and identifying number, attendance verification, the date and location of the program, and your Social Security number and date of birth. You may use NYSED’s record-keeping form to assist you.

The UFT’s LearnUFT program has committed to maintaining the records of its course participants so UFT members can easily provide proof of CTLE hours if the state audits them.

What actions do I need to take at the end of my five-year cycle? Do I need to submit proof of completion of CTLE hours? 

At the end of your five-year cycle, you will be asked to verify whether you have met the 100-hour requirement. You should not submit any documentation to the state Office of Teaching Initiatives; however, you should keep your records for at least three years after the end of your five-year cycle in case the state Office of Teaching Initiatives audits you.

At the end of each registration period, you must also apply for re-registration through your TEACH account on or shortly before your due date. Then, begin to collect CTLE hours for your next five-year cycle.

What are the consequences if I do not complete my CTLE hours within the five-year deadline? 

If you are audited and asked to submit proof of CTLE hours and you have not completed them, you may not be allowed to work in a New York State public school until you have met the requirements.

If you do not complete the required CTLE hours before the end of your five-year registration period, you can apply for a conditional registration from NYSED via your TEACH account to allow up to one additional year to complete the remaining CTLE hours. You must state that you have not completed all the CTLE hours required and commit to completing them within the conditional registration period. Once the conditional registration period ends, no further extensions will be granted without demonstrating good cause.

Where can I find CTLE credit-granting courses and opportunities? 

The UFT frequently offers CTLE workshops to members. Many UFT conferences also include CTLE workshops. You can see the latest opportunities on the UFT website. The AFT’s educational webinars grant CTLE hours for participating.

Often professional development workshops or teacher education courses offered by other educational institutions offer CTLE credits as well. NYSED’s list of state-approved sponsors of CTLE also includes web addresses to check for current offerings.

Under the 2023 DOE-UFT contract, professional learning options created by the DOE and the UFT Teacher Center that confer CTLE hours may be offered in PD time during the workday at the school’s discretion.

What if I have additional questions or specific concerns? 

Call the UFT at 212-331-6311 and ask to speak with a certification specialist who can answer individual questions.