Student Services & Support

Certification

Planning ahead is key when it comes to New York State certification. You should not apply for certification until you complete your graduate program at Bank Street, but you should begin the necessary exams and fingerprinting components as early as possible so that you are able to become certified promptly after you graduate. 

The certification requirements may seem overwhelming. See below for a suggested timeline for completing requirements.

  • Background Check and Fingerprint Clearance

    New York State requires that you get fingerprinted through MorphoTrust USA.

    To begin the process at the state level for certification, visit this webpage and be sure to use the code 14ZGQT. This code is specific to those seeking certification with the New York [State] Department of Education.

  • Create a TEACH Account

    In order for us to recommend you for certification when you graduate, you must create a TEACH account. Your certification will not be issued until your master’s degree is granted.

  • Complete Your Degree

    Provided that you have a TEACH account, after you graduate you will be recommended for certification by Bank Street. Approximately a month after your degree is conferred, we will send  a Student Application Information Form to your Bankstreet.edu email address, which includes all of the  information you need when you apply for certification online. Each program has it’s own unique code assigned by New York State. Bank Street will automatically recommend you for the initial and professional certification(s) for which your Bank Street degree grants you eligibility.

  • Request a Certification Recommendation

    You can request a recommendation in the final month of your final semester at Bank Street. If you are an alumni, a request can be made  at any time. Confirmation of a recommendation will be sent once the process is complete. Recommendation timelines vary based on a candidate’s date of completion. Submit questions to certification@bankstreet.edu

  • Apply for Certification

    You will find instructions on how to apply in the tab below.

  • Confirm Your Certification in TEACH

    New York State does not issue paper certificates, nor will it inform you once the certification has issued.  You will need to log in to your TEACH account periodically to check the status of your certification. Any questions? Please email us at certification@bankstreet.edu.


Elements of Certification

  • Online Application and Program Codes

    You will need to apply online for New York State certification. It is important that you submit your application using the unique Bank Street program code provided to you upon your graduation. If you are unsure of your program code, contact certification@bankstreet.edu.

    What kind of student are you?

  • Exams
    Each certification you apply for will require a different exam for certification in New York. These exams are not required for you to graduate; however, Bank Street recommends that you take advantage of the resources and supports available to you as a Bank Street student before you graduate.  More details can be found on the website for the New York State Certification exams

    Candidates who are applying for certification must take and pass:

    *There are four Multi-Subject tests available for four different grade levels. Each test has three parts. Part Three is shared by all four Multi-Subject tests; therefore, if you are seeking more than one Multi-Subject certificate, you need to pass Part Three only once.

    Certification Required Exams
    Bilingual Education Extension BEA, EAS
    Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) EAS, Childhood Multi subject CST
    Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2) EAS, Early Childhood Multi subject CST
    Literacy (Birth-Grade 6) CST for literacy
    Students with Disabilities (Birth-Grade 2) EAS, CST  Students With Disabilities
    Students with Disabilities Grade 1-6) EAS, CST  Students With Disabilities
    TSOL CST – ESOL, EAS

    Leadership Certification Exams:

    • Educating All Students Test (EAS)
    • School Building Leader (SBL)
    • School District Leader (SDL)
  • Internship Certification

    If you are interested in working in a public setting in New York before graduating, you can work under the Internship Credential. Once you have completed at least one-half of the credits required in a qualifying degree program, you can obtain this temporary certification, which allows you to earn a teacher salary while completing your coursework and culminating project in the evenings and over the summer.  

    What is it?

    The internship credential is a temporary certificate that allows you to accept a job that requires certification as a condition of employment while you are in the process of completing your degree.

    Who qualifies?

    You must be a matriculated student enrolled in a certification-eligible program, in good academic standing, and you must have completed at least 50 percent of the credits required for the program. You must not have completed the fieldwork required for your program.

    You must also be fingerprinted. Both the State Department of Education and the New York City Department of Education will need to clear your fingerprints in order for you to be eligible. Proof of fingerprints must be reflected in your TEACH account with New York State.

    Steps to obtain the credential:

    • Find a job. You must submit a written offer letter from a particular school for a job in the same certification area as the degree program for which you are enrolled (e.g., Childhood Education students can accept a job only in grades 1–6). This letter must be submitted to certification@bankstreet.edu.
    • Talk to your program director or advisor. You will need a faculty mentor who will be required to meet with you twice per semester while you work. The faculty mentor must send written notification to certification@bankstreet.edu that he or she agrees to be your mentor. If you are enrolled in Supervised Fieldwork, your mentor must be your advisor.
    • An email will be sent to you that has all of the steps you will need to take to finalize your internship. This includes the Internship Registration form and instructions to apply in TEACH for the Internship certificate.
    • Complete the Internship Credential Registration Form. Students must register each semester in which they are working. For students who are in fieldwork at the time of the internship, the fee is $100. For students who are continuing with the internship post-fieldwork, the fee is $500. The Internship Registration form must be signed by your mentor. Submit the registration form to the blt@bankstreet.edu.
    • Apply for the internship credential online. You are required to apply for the internship via the state’s Certification Database (TEACH). Once you have met all of the above requirements, the Registrar’s Office will send you the information that you will need to complete the application.
    • Submit all materials for the internship prior to the first day of classes to ensure the internship can be processed and you are registered before the end of add/drop. Internship certificate registration must take place during regular registration periods.

    Other important information:

    The internship credential is temporary and will expire as soon as a recommendation for initial certification is entered following the completion of your program. You will need to complete all of the requirements for regular certification, including exams and workshops, and you will need to submit an online application. You must apply for regular certification upon completion of your program.

  • Links

Frequently Asked Questions

  • When and how do I apply for certification?

    We recommend that you wait until you complete a degree through Bank Street before applying for certification. Upon your graduation, Bank Street will send you a graduation packet with detailed instructions to help you apply online for your certification(s). These instructions pertain only to certification that you will earn based on your Bank Street coursework.

  • How do I create a TEACH account?

    Visit the Office of Teaching Initiatives website to get started.

  • What is my program code?

    On your Student Application Information form (sent in your graduation packet), the program code is the 5-digit number that appears before your Bank Street program.

  • What if I enter my program code and get an error?

    This code applies only to the certificate(s) that your Bank Street program is registered for. No other certification application should not be submitted using this code.

  • Should I apply for intial or professional certification?

    Professional certification requires three years of paid, full-time  experience, including a mentored experience in your workplace. (The mentor year cannot be your Bank Street fieldwork year.) If you do not have this, you should apply for initial certification. You will have five years to get the experience required for professional certification. If you do have this, go to this page to download the appropriate form to have your experience verified. The form must  be submitted by your employer. If you worked in multiple schools during the three years, you must submit multiple forms.

    Once you hold professional certification, you must complete 100 hours of professional development every 5 years. Go to this page to learn more about this requirement.

  • Where can I get the Verification of Mentor Experience form for professional certification?

    Visit the Office of Teaching Initiatives website to get started.

  • Where do I send my Verification of Mentor Experience form for professional certification?

    New York State Education Department
    Office of Teaching Initiatives
    Room 5N, Education Building
    Albany, NY  12234

  • Do I need to submit my transcripts to the state?

    For certifications issued based on your Bank Street coursework, no. If you have a prior certificate or would like to obtain another certification, official transcripts are required.

  • What if I don’t get three years of experience by the time my initial certificate is expiring?

    You must apply for a time extension through the TEACH system. If you are applying for an extension on the basis that you have not completed your master’s degree, you must develop a written plan, signed by your advisor describing how you will complete the academic requirements for this master’s degree prior to the expiration of the time-extended certificate. You must also submit official transcripts to the state. Send supporting documentation to:

    New York State Education Department
    Office of Teaching Initiatives
    Room 5N, EB
    Albany, NY 12234

  • I am an international student. What credentials can I obtain?

    Non-citizens with permanent residency status may be able to obtain the full range of certificates. Non-citizens without permanent residency status may be eligible for time-limited certificates.

  • How can I teach in a public school before I complete my program?

    Students who have completed at least half the credits of their programs and who have a job offer from a school are eligible for the Internship Certification Credential (see above section: Elements of Certification – Internship Certification).


Exams

  • Educating All Students

    The Educating All Students test consists of selected-response items and constructed-response items. Each constructed-response item will share scenario-based stimulus material with several selected-response items. The EAS test measures the professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills necessary to teach all students effectively in New York State public schools.

    EAS Framework (pdf)

    EAS Prep Guide

    Courses to help prepare for the exam: EDUC 500, EDUC505, EDUC 803 (after EDUC 500), the three State-Mandated Workshops

  • Content Speciality Tests

    Content Specialty Tests consist of multiple-choice questions and a written assignment. The CSTs for languages other than English include recorded listening and/or speaking components and writing components. The American Sign Language CST includes video-recorded signing components. These tests measure knowledge and skills in the content area of the candidate’s field of certification.

    If you are seeking dual certification in early childhood and childhood, you will need to take both the Multi-Subject CSTs.

    Multi-Subject Early Childhood (birth – grade 2):

    CST Framework (pdf)

    CST Prep Guides

    Courses to help prepare for the exam: EDUC 500, EDUC 505, EDUC 510, EDUC 514, EDUC 535, EDUC 540, EDUC 551, EDUC 563, EDUC 564, EDUC 590 (or EDUC 591), after completion of fieldwork.

    CPS offers math support workshops for this exam. Check the schedule for upcoming dates.

    Multi-Subject Childhood (grades 1 – 6):

    CST Framework (pdf)

    CST Prep Guides

    Courses to help prepare for the exam: EDUC 510 (or EDUC 511), EDUC 513 (or EDUC 514), EDUC 515 (or EDUC 517), EDUC 535 (or EDUC 551), EDUC 540 (or EDUC 542 or MATH 495), EDUC 560, EDUC 563 (or EDUC 568)

    CPS offers math support workshops for this exam. Check the schedule for upcoming dates.

    Literacy:

    CST Framework (pdf)

    CST Prep Guides

    Students with Disabilities:

    CST Framework (pdf)

    CST Prep Guides

    Courses to help prepare for the exam: The Literacy and Students with Disabilities CST are meant to be taken at the end of your coursework.

  • Bilingual Education Assessment

    The BEAs consist of multiple-choice questions and constructed-response assignments. They include recorded listening and speaking components in English and include listening, speaking, reading, and writing components in the target language. The BEAs are required of candidates seeking a bilingual education extension to a certificate. Students seeking a Bilingual Education Extension to a teaching certificate are required to take this exam in the target language of instruction.

    BEA Framework

    BEA Prep Guide

  • School Building Leader

    Each of the School Leadership Assessments consists of two individually administered tests called “Parts.” Each part consists of both selected-response questions and performance tasks.

    School Building Leader Preparation Materials

  • School District Leader

    Each of the School Leadership Assessments consists of two individually administered tests called “Parts.” Each part consists of both selected-response questions and performance tasks.

    School District Leader Preparation Materials

  • ESOL CST

    The Content Specialty Test is a component of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE). Offered in specific subjects, the CSTs in Languages other than English and Music include taped listening and/or speaking components and a written assignment. The purpose of the test to assess knowledge and skills in the subject of the certificate sought.

    ESOL Framework

    ESOL Prep Guide

Other Certifications

Each U.S. State has its own regulations and requirements for teacher and leader certification. Select the option that pertains to you.
As an Admissions Prerequisite Outside of New York