Provisional and Permanent Certifications How they Function for School Counselors

and School Psychologists During Your Career

How to keep provisionalcertification active

and prevent it from lapsing

Teacher Certification OfficePowdermaker Hall – 135

718-997-5547

First Provisional Certification

• Candidates/Students seeking their First Provisional Certification must be recommended for Certification through their Institution – Teacher Certification Office

• There are two systems that must have their requirements met in order for the Provisional Certification to be issuedo The Institution – Queens College, CUNYo The New York State Department of Education

Components Required by: Queens College, CUNY

• Complete Teacher Preparation Program

• Includes field work in a school• Take 5 seminars:

o Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention seminar (www.childabuseworkshop.com)

o School Violence Prevention and Intervention seminar (www.violenceworkshop.com)

o DASA: Harassment, Bullying, and Discrimination seminar

o School Safety seminaro Alcohol and Substance Abuse

seminar

NYS Department of Ed• Fingerprints must be on file

with the State

Sign up for the seminars in the Professional & Continuing Studies Department – 718-997-5700

4

The Candidate/Student must apply for every certification sought.

1. If the Candidate has completed a College Teacher Preparation Program the Institution’s Teacher Certification Office will recommend the person for

certification.2. If the candidate is applying for a

separate certification he/she applies through the individual method in the TEACH system of the NYS Dept. of Ed

• When you have satisfied both the College’s (& the College has recommended you for certification) and the State’s requirements for certification you will be issued your First Provisional Certification within a couple of days to a week from the day the College recommends you. (The Provisional Certificate is not automatically mailed to you – you must request it on-line using the TEACH system).

• You have 5 years within which your must be a School Counselor or School Psychologist for 2 years full-time or the equivalent of 360 days of substitute work (or a combination of both).

o It must be substitute or part-time work because you are responsible for the work you do directly in the school

o Keep a record of the days you have worked in whatever schools you substituted – ask for a statement about every 1/2 year. You will have to send proof of substitute work to the State when you apply for Permanent Certification.

o If you have been unable to work 2 years full-time or the 360 days of substituting you are able to obtain a 2 year time extension – apply for a 2 year Time Extension on the TEACH site about 3 to 4 months before your certification expires.

o After the 2 year extension, if you have still not been able to work for the 2 full-time or the 360 days of substituting you are able to apply for an Provisional Certificate Reissuance. However, in order to get these extra 5 years I believe you must do 175 hours of Professional Development.

The Sequential aspects of the First Provisional Certification from

application & Institutional recommendation

Ways of extending Provisional Certification

Time Extension – Provisional Certificate Reissuance

Permanent Certification:

You have worked as a School Counselor or School Psychologist 2 years full-time or its equivalent of 360 days of substitute or part-time work and have your Master’s Degree• You are eligible to apply for Permanent Certification. You may have accomplished working two

years in less than the 5 years allowed, you can still can apply for the Permanent Certification at this time.

• When you apply for Permanent Certification you must mail up certain documentation to the New York State Department of Education, Office of Teaching Initiatives, 5 North Education Building, Albany, NY 12234:

o Send up proof that you have worked 2 years full-time (i.e. full-time and part-time experience)o If you are applying through the Individual Pathway make sure you send up original copies of your

transcripts and the original seminars – Child Abuse, School Violence, and DASA: or the Bullying seminar

• Permanent Certification is Permanent and will not have to be renewed