East Harlem Teaching Residency – Adolescent Special Education (MSEd)

The East Harlem Teaching Residency is a New York State certification program for Adolescent Special Education (MSED) and you will apply for your certification through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Online Services.

You will apply for a Transitional B at the beginning of the program and will apply for Initial Certification upon graduation. Once you have completed three years of full-time paid teaching experience you can apply for your Professional Certification.

Please note, the Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) will no longer be a certification requirement as of April 27, 2022. Visit the Certification and Licensure page for more information regarding this change.

Types of Certification

The School of Education reserves the right not to recommend for certification any student who has committed a serious breach of professional ethics or behavior.

Transitional B Certificate

A Transitional B certificate is a provisional certificate that you must hold while enrolled in an alternative certification program like the East Harlem Teaching Residency. It is valid for three years or the amount of time it takes you to graduate from Hunter College, whichever is shorter.
Candidates apply and pay for their Transitional B certificate at the beginning of the program.

Initial Certification

The Initial Certificate is the entry-level teaching certificate. When you graduate from the East Harlem Teaching Residency program, you will receive a recommendation for both initial and professional certification in Adolescent Special Education. You must apply for the initial certificate when you are preparing to graduate from Hunter College in order for the state to issue your initial certification. Once issued, your initial certificate is valid for five years.

Professional Certification

The Professional Certificate is an advanced certification. Once you have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience (including one year of mentored teaching), you can apply for professional certification. Your professional certification will be continuously valid with completion and documentation of required professional development hours within a five-year professional development cycle as determined by New York State.

Certification and Exam Requirements

Transitional B Requirements

You must fulfill the following certificate and exam requirements to be eligible for the Transitional B certificate.

1. Pass all required New York State Teacher Certification Exams

Educating All Students (EAS)
Content Specialty Test (CST): Multi-Subject: Secondary Teachers (Grades 7-12). Please note there are three parts of this test (test codes 241, 244, and 245). You may register to take one part at a time or all three parts together, but you must pass all three parts before you are eligible for your Transitional B.

Students who have completed Educating All Students (EAS) for a prior certification do not need to take them again.

Need help preparing? The Hunter College School of Education Center for Career, Professional & Partnership Development (CPPD) conducts test preparation workshops regularly. Learn about upcoming Test Preparation Workshops.

For information regarding exam safety nets consult the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

2. Complete NY State Certification required workshops and submit completion certificates to the Office of Partnership Programs.

All applications for NY State certification require that students take and complete the workshops listed below. Students who have completed these workshops for a prior certification, do not need to take them again.

School Violence Intervention and Prevention

This workshop is included in coursework for your program.

Child Abuse Identification and Reporting

This workshop is included in coursework for your program.

Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Workshop

Students may take this workshop through Hunter College’s Continuing Education department or with another approved provider through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) website.

3. Submit Exam Scores and Workshop Certification(s) to the Office of Partnership Programs.

Students must submit copies of exam scores and workshop certification(s) to the Office of Partnership Programs at soe.opp@hunter.cuny.edu.

4. Clear fingerprints with the New York State Education Department (NYSED)

All students in programs leading to NYS certification need to have their fingerprints cleared by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for NYS certification.

This requirement will be completed as part of your employment process with the East Harlem Scholars Academies.

5. Apply and pay for your Transitional B certification by December 15 through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Account.

Initial Certification Requirements

As you prepare to complete your program, you must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the Initial Certification:

Apply and pay for Initial Certificate through your TEACH account.
Graduate from a New York State-registered teacher preparation program

Professional Certification Requirements

Once you have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience (including one year of mentored teaching), you can apply for professional certification.

Submitting Exam Scores and Workshop Completion

Students must submit copies of exam scores and workshop certification(s) to the Office of Partnership Programs via Alissa Herbert at ah420@hunter.cuny.edu.

Applying for Certification through TEACH Account and Program Code

How to Apply for Certification

The following is a step-by-step guide to apply for Transitional B, Initial and Professional certification through the New York State Department of Education’s TEACH Account.

1. Create/Log in to your TEACH Account

Students must create/log in to their New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Account. From your Teach Online Services Home page, select Apply for Certificate which is found under “Online Application”. This will start a new application.

2. Verify/Update Profile

The Verify/Update Profile section will ask for education and employment history. For educational history, provide information from bachelor’s degree to present. For employment history enter all full-time, paid teaching experiences in both public and private schools.

Hunter College is an approved New York Teacher Certification Program. When prompted, provide the following information:

Award Title: Master of Science in Education
Program Code: 34443 – TEACHER OF SWD-ADOLESCENT 7-12 (GENERALIST)
Major: Education
Enter all full-time, paid teaching experience (in both public and private schools).

3. Select Certificate(s)

Enter the following information for the certificates section.

Transitional B

Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
Select your Subject Area: Students with Disabilities
Select the Grade Level: Adolescent – Grades 7-12
Select the Title: Students with Disabilities – Grades 7-12 Generalist
Select your Certificate Type: Transitional B

Initial Certification

Upon graduation, when you apply for Initial Certification complete this section as follows:

Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
Select your Subject Area: Students with Disabilities
Select the Grade Level: Adolescent – Grades 7-12
Select the Title: Students with Disabilities – Grades 7-12 Generalist
Select your Certificate Type: Initial

Professional Certification

After three years of full-time paid teaching when you apply for your Professional Certification complete this section as follows:

Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
Select your Subject Area: Students with Disabilities
Select the Grade Level: Adolescent – Grades 7-12
Select the Title: Students with Disabilities – Grades 7-12 Generalist
Select your Certificate Type: Professional

On the next page, enter the Program Code 34443.

4. Sign Affidavit

5. Confirm and Sign Application

6. Make Payment

We recommend paying by credit card for ease of tracking.

7. Review Application Transaction Summary

This will help you keep track of what you need to do in order to obtain your certificate.

Checking Certificate Status in TEACH Account

Transitional B Certificate

We will submit your institutional recommendation after you have completed all Transitional B certification requirements. New York State will then review your application and if you have met all requirements issue your Transitional B certificate. Please note that New York State does not issue paper copies of Transitional B certificates. You must check your TEACH account for your certification status.

Initial Certificate

If you have applied for a certificate but have not yet graduated, the status of your certificate application will be “Not Ready for Review”. Once your graduation is posted, have met all the requirements and have institutional recommendation, your status will change to “Ready for Review” and NYSED will then review your application.

Expiring Transitional B Certifications

If you have a valid transitional B certificate but will not graduate in time to meet the master’s requirement before your Transitional B certificate expires, you may be eligible for an extension through NYSED’s TEACH Online Services. Create/Log in to your TEACH account and select “Apply for a Time Extension.”

Out of State Certification or Licensure

Students applying for certification or licensure in states other than New York must complete the Out of State Certification and Licensure Form.

Hunter International Students (F1 Visa Holder) Certification or Licensure

Registering for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE)

During the registration process enter all 9s when prompted for your Social Security Number (SSN). Once you do receive a Social Security Number, you will need to fax a copy of your Social Security Number card and Passport to the New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) with a cover letter including your assigned New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) ID number to request they change your temporary Social Security Number replacement with your assigned Social Security Number.

The fax number for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) is 413-256-7088. Follow up a few days later to ensure they have received your fax. The phone number for New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) is 413-256-2882.

Applying for NYSED TEACH Account without a Social Security Number

You do not need to wait for a Social Security Number (SSN) to create an account on the NYSED TEACH system. If you do not have a valid Social Security Number, you will need to email soeoasa@hunter.cuny.edu to request a TEACH Access Number first. The access number is only for use with TEACH and meeting requirements for New York State teacher certification. If you do get a social security number, you must notify NYSED.

If you apply for OPT the process will generate a Social Security Number which you will use to create your TEACH account and apply for New York State Department of Education teaching certification. You should apply for OPT as soon as you can, but you cannot apply earlier than 90 days before your program completion date.

For general instructions on setting up your NYSED TEACH account, please refer to the Certification and Licensure section on this program page.

New York City Department of Education Employment with OPT once your NYS Certificate has issued

International students cannot apply for employment with New York City Public Schools until they have a Social Security Number (SSN). International students may qualify for employment in New York City public schools once they hold New York State certification and hold an OPT visa. You will be ineligible to apply to work for the New York City Department of Education unless you hold OPT authorization, have a Social Security Number and your New York State certification has issued. Candidates fitting the above criteria may apply online to the New York City Department of Education. Once the application is received and reviewed, further instructions will follow. This policy is subject to change at any time.

Certification Support

If you have questions regarding certification, contact Alissa Herbert for support.

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