East Harlem Tutorial Program – Childhood Special Education (Advanced Certificate)
Welcome to the East Harlem Tutorial Program – Childhood Special Education (Advanced Certificate) program home page. Use this page as a guide to the program from acceptance to graduation.
The East Harlem Tutorial Program Childhood Special Education Advanced Certificate is a program exclusively for graduates of the East Harlem Teaching Residency and other eligible teachers at EHTP Scholars Academies who are invited to apply. It is a partnership between the East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP) and Hunter College School of Education that leads to certification in Childhood Special Education. Participants in each cohort take coursework leading to this Advanced Certificate over the course of two years. Tuition costs are covered by EHTP.
Academic Plan
CSPE-AC
Total Credits
17
Advisor
Contact the Office of Partnership Programs Advisor at soe.opp@hunter.cuny.edu.
Newly Accepted Partnership Program Students
Getting Started and New Student Support
Welcome to the School of Education! Visit the Newly Accepted Partnership Program Students page for next steps. If at any point you need support, please reach out to the Office of Partnership Program Advisor at soe.opp@hunter.cuny.edu.
Program Sequence
The program advisor will notify students of their cohort’s particular course of study before registering for classes. Course sequence is subject to change. To view course descriptions, progress standards and exit requirements visit the Hunter College catalog.
Program Sequence
Year 1 – Fall
- SPED 700 Issues and Practices in Education of Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
Year 1 – Winter
- SPED 704 Issues in Teaching English Second Language Learners with Special Education Needs (1 credit)
Year 1 – Spring
- SPED 701 Assessment of Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
Year 2 – Fall
- SPED 781 Reading and Writing for Students with LD: Methods 1 (3 credits)
- SPED 782 Supervised Clinical Teaching of Students with Learning Disabilities: Part 1 (2 credits)
Year 2 – Spring
- SPED 783 Math, Organizational and Social Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities: Methods 2 (3 credits)
- SPED 784 Supervised Clinical Teaching of Students with Learning Disabilities: Part 2 (2 credits)
Clinical Experiences
Fieldwork
As a participant in the East Harlem Tutorial Program – Childhood Special Education Advanced Certificate program you are required to be hired as a full-time teacher in a EHTP Scholars Academy school. Fieldwork requirements can be completed in your capacity as a full-time teacher but may require you to occasionally observe or visit another classroom in your school.
Learning Lab
In the second year of your program you will enroll in Learning Lab. Learning Lab is a required year-long clinical experience embedded in SPED 782 and SPED 784. This lab draws on the lectures and materials from the methods courses in your program. In this clinical teaching practicum, you will be required to tutor a student with an IEP twice weekly to address individualized goals of the student and practice use of specialized, research based methods for students with disabilities. This tutoring must take place outside of regular class time. You will receive specific information and support about the tutoring requirements in your SPED 782 and SPED 784 courses. You will tutor a student at your school and participate in a hybrid seminar. Per the Hunter College School of Education progress standards, you must receive a grade of at least a B in Learning Lab. If you receive a grade of B- or lower you must apply to the department chair for permission to retake the course. Students who earn an F in Learning Lab will not be allowed to continue in the program.
Certification and Licensure
As a participant in the East Harlem Tutorial Program – Childhood Special Education (Advanced Certificate) program, you will complete a New York State certification program for Childhood Special Education (Advanced Certificate). You will apply for your certification through the New York State Education Department (NYSED). You will apply for initial and professional certification.
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.
Initial Certification
The Initial Certificate is the entry-level teaching certificate. When you graduate from the Advanced Certificate program, you will be recommended for both initial and professional certification in Childhood Special Education. You must apply for the initial certificate when you are preparing to graduate from the Advanced Certificate program in order for the state to issue your initial certification.
Professional Certification
The Professional Certificate is an advanced certificate. Once you have completed three years of full-time, paid teaching experience (including one year of mentored teaching), you can apply for professional certification in your base certificate, Childhood Education. When you do so, you will also apply for professional certification in Childhood Special Education. 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
To apply for the initial and professional certification you must fulfill the following certificate and exam requirements.
1. Pass all required New York State Teacher Certification Exams
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities
- Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-subject Teachers of Childhood (Grades 1-6)
If you graduated from the East Harlem Teaching Residency or have prior Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) certification you do not have to take the Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-subject Teachers of Childhood (Grades 1-6) again.
Register for an exam at the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations website.
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 to the Office of Academic and Students Affairs (OASA)
All applications for New York 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.
Autism Workshop
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 Program
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 New York State certification need to have their fingerprints cleared by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
Visit the Fingerprinting for Hunter College School of Education Students to learn how to obtain fingerprint clearance.
5. Apply and pay for your Transitional B certification by December 15 through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) TEACH Account.
6. Graduate
Submitting Exam Scores and Workshop Completion
Students must submit copies of exam scores and workshop certification(s) to the Office of Partnership Programs at soe.opp@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 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: Advanced Certificate
- Program Code: 37799 – CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION
- 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.
Initial Certification
- Select your Area of Interest: Classroom Teacher
- Select your Subject Area: Students with Disabilities
- Select the Grade Level: Grades 1-6
- Select the Title: Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
- 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: Grades 1-6
- Select the Title: Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6)
- Select your Certificate Type: Professional
Students must add each certificate they want to apply for.
On the next page, enter the Program Code 37799.
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
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 Certifications
If you will not graduate from the Advanced Certificate program prior to the expiration of your initial certificate, 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.
Graduation
Graduation is the official completion of your program and conferral of an academic degree. In order to graduate, students must apply for graduation using CUNYFirst the semester before the semester of their planned graduation and complete any outstanding requirements by the stated deadlines. Visit the Graduation and Commencement page for complete information.