Using TEACH on the NYSED web site to apply for Teacher’s Certification ONLINE

HOW TO APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION ONLINE

http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/

Beginning in August, 2006, the School of Education is no longer accepting paper applications for

New York State certification.. Following are directions to follow when registering or applying

online..

1. SELF-REGISTRATION (in the purple box on the right hand side of screen):

First, you will have to create an account and register online with a username and password.

You are able to apply for certification(s) online as well as check the status of any previous

application. Status of both paper and online applications can be checked through the TEACH

system.

The self-registration process will ask for your a) First and Last Name; b) Date of Birth; and

c) Email Address

You will also have to generate a Preferred User ID, Password Reset Information and a

Password (at least 8 characters, one of which must be a number).

You must complete all the required fields in the registration form in order to continue to the

certification process.

2. FIRST LOGIN:

When you first login, you will be asked to enter your old password (the one generated at self-

registration) and then to create a new password (again, at least 8 characters with one

number).

You will then be asked to enter your social security number, at which point the system

matches your self-registration to the information they already have in their system with your

social security number. (If you have submitted fingerprints, taken certification tests, taken

workshops and/or submitted a paper application for any prior teaching certification, these

will also be linked to your online account and they can be viewed by you.)

3. DIRECTORY PAGE:

On this page, you have four options:

a) Enter TEACH online service: to apply for certification

b) Update Account Information: address, phone number, password reset

c) Change User Password

d) Logoff

Once you enter the TEACH online service, there are a few options to select.

 Verify/Update Profile

 Submit Application for Fingerprint Clearance

 Account Information

 Apply for a Certificate/Duplicate Certificate

 Maintain Professional Development Record

HOW TO APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION ONLINE

http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/

 Verify/Update Profile will ask for your Education and Employment information. Enter all

the information from a baccalaureate to present. (Note: The radio button on top is where you

select whether the college you are about to enter is an Approved New York Teacher

Certification Programs or not. St. John’s University IS an approved NY Teacher

Certification Program.) Complete the fields to the best of your knowledge.

Enter all relevant teaching experience (both public and private school teaching experience)

with as much detail you can provide.

**If you verify/update profile when registering you will not have to enter all the information

when you apply for a certificate, unless you have new or different information to update/add.

 If you have not submitted your application for fingerprint clearance, you can do so online or

by paper. You may also choose to complete the fingerprint application online and have the

option to pay with a credit card or by money order. With the online fingerprint application,

you must still use fingerprint cards and your payment coupon with a money order or credit

card payment confirmation to OSPRA.

 APPLYING FOR A CERTIFICATE:

STEP 1: Verify/Update Profile

On this page you can update or make changes to your education and employment history. If

you did not complete these sections when you first registered, you must do so now. NYSED

will check your application requirements against the information you provide.

STEP 2: Select Certificate(s)

Select your Certificate Title

 Select your Area of Interest (e.g. Administration and Pupil Personnel Services,

Classroom Teacher)

 Select your Subject Area (e.g. School Administration and Supervision,

Childhood Education)

 Select the Grade Level (e.g. PreK-12 All Grades, Childhood Grades 1-6)

 Select the Title (e.g. School Administrator/Supervisor, Childhood Education

Grades 1-6)

 Select your Certificate Type (e.g. Initial Certificate, Professional Certificate)

*Most of you will be getting initial certification. However, if you already hold

NYSED certification, you may be getting the professional certificate.

You must [Add] each certificate you want to apply for.

You will then be asked to select your preferred Pathway for obtaining your certificate. Teacher

education students at St. John’s University should select “Pathway: Approved Teacher

HOW TO APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION ONLINE

http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/

Preparation Program”. Then select “I want my application to be reviewed by the State

Education Department” and click on [Next].

STEP 3: Sign Affidavit

You must answer all * questions and click on [Sign Affidavit].

By signing this affidavit, you are confirming that all the information you have provided is true

and contains no misrepresentation or falsehoods.

STEP 4: Confirm and Sign Application

Make sure that you have completed the correct application and click on [Sign Application].

STEP 5: Make Payment

Here you have the option of paying for your application via credit card or by money order. If you

want to pay by money order, you must be able to print out a payment confirmation sheet to

accompany the money order you will post to NYSED as part of the completed certificate

application process. The cost is $50 for each certificate.

 Once you have made your payment, the web site will issue you an “Application

Transaction Summary” The summary will list the pathway you have chosen and all the

requirements under that pathway. It will show a green tick (√) for the requirements you

have satisfied; it will show a bullet point (·) those you have not. This will help you keep

track of what you need to do in order to obtain your certificate.

The transaction summary will show a bullet point next to “Completion of a NYS Registered

Program” and “Institutional Recommendation”. We will only endorse those students who

have completed ALL requirements for any of our registered and approved programs.

THIS CONCLUDES THE APPLICATION PORTION OF THE TEACH WEB

SITE.

HOW TO APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION ONLINE

http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/

Once you have registered with TEACH, you are able to check the status of your application

online. You can find this information from the “Account Information” link from the initial page

after you log in. 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 you have graduated, have

met all the other requirements and we have given the institutional recommendation for your

application, your status will change to “Ready for Review” and from then it is up to NYSED to

review your application. You may continue to check the status of your application online.

If you are experiencing problems with your registration or the certification application online,

you may submit an online form to report your problem. The link is on the left navigation bar

entitled “Report Problems Using TEACH” on the TEACH home page, before you login.

Complete all the required fields of the form, but also include in the box for detailed description

where you are asked to Describe the Problem:

• First and Last Name (maiden name if any)

• Social Security

• Date of Birth

• Zip code on file

• Problem encountered. Try to copy the exact error message you receive.