How to apply for a certificate in TEACH

How to apply for a certificate in TEACH
Log in to TEACH using your username and password. Please note that if you have forgotten
either (or both) there are links below the box to help you!
**If you are having trouble logging in, contact TEACH at (518) 486-6041 (M-F 8-5).
PLEASE do not call the BOCES office as I will be unable to help you with this! You can also use
https://portals.nysed.gov/tcert/technical.htm to report the problem, and someone will get back to
you.
Select “Apply for Certificate” from TEACH Home page
Created by Mary Kay LaLonde, TST BOCES Certification office
revised 2.15.12
You will see the following screen
Read the entire screen, then hit Next button
The next screen is the Update/Verify screen
Edit/Update/verify your Personal profile. BE SURE TO SCROLL to the bottom of that screen and enter your
citizenship status as well as your e-mail address. By clicking on the box “it is ok for NYSED to communicate
with me via e-mail” and entering your e-mail in the space provided it will save a lot of time, paper, postage
and money to communicate via e-mail. Then, hit Next button.
You may have to
update/verify your Education & work experience (even if what is there is all accurate) in order to progress
to the next screen.
Created by Mary Kay LaLonde, TST BOCES Certification office
revised 2.15.12
The next screen will be where you want to enter a new certificate application. Make the selections from
the pulldowns to enter the certificate you are seeking. This screen will show the applications or certificates
you already have on file. It will show the certificate(s) you already have under the heading “Certificates
and Applications on File”. Do not confuse that with the certificate you need/want to apply for now. Since
you need a different level certificate (professional or maybe permanent) or a new certificate all together,
you need to add the “new” certificate you are seeking. In this screen shot the Certificates and Applications
on File does have them listed on the way bottom, but the screen shot cuts them off.
Once entered, hit the Add button, then click “next” button
If you are applying for a “certificate progression” for your present certificate, you need to click NO, I have
not completed….University option, then click on the Next button. You may have received your Initial
certificate by completing an approved teacher ed program, but it is very likely that the college has only
“college recommended” you for your initial certificate only, and not the professional one as well.
Created by Mary Kay LaLonde, TST BOCES Certification office
revised 2.15.12
If you are not applying using the Interstate Reciprocity pathway, you must select
No, I do not want to apply through the Interstate Reciprocity Pathway, then hit the Next button.
** For those applicants who are indeed applying using Interstate Reciprocity (who are moving or who have
moved to the area, and have a valid out of state teaching certificate) you would select one of the two yes
statements, then click next.
If you are applying for the “next level” or progressing from an Initial certificate to a Professional one, you
will see that the system “knew” that the pathway must be certificate progressions, which is what you
want. You need not edit the pathway or anything. You want to hit the Next button.
Created by Mary Kay LaLonde, TST BOCES Certification office
revised 2.15.12
**If you are applying for certification and have not completed an approved teacher ed program in NY, and
are not applying using Interstate Reciprocity…
The next screen will ask you to make a selection of other possible pathways:
The next screen will show if the certificate application can be reviewed by State Ed or by a BOCES
Certification Specialist.
If the certificate can be reviewed by either SED or BOCES reviewers, choose your reviewer. If BOCES review
is selected, select the BOCES office by school district or county. Keep in mind that BOCES reviewers case
loads are not as many as those of SED. Also, once a reviewer has been selected, it cannot be changed.
After review type is selected, click Next
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Answer the affidavit questions and click “Sign affidavit”
Click “Sign application”
Select your method of payment. Please be advised that if you choose Money Order as your form of
payment there will be a delay in linking payment of the application on your record until the Money
Order is received by the bank, and your name appears on a report of payment with State Ed. If you
choose Money Order, you will select the link “Mail in a Cashiers Check or US Postal Money Order”.
You will also want to print the coupon, and include that with the Money Order. This will link the
payment to the correct application.
Read the relevant information, click Next
If you choose to pay by Credit Card, click on “Pay online by a credit card”
Enter credit card information, click Submit **do not hit this button more than one time as it will
cause “double” billing!!!
A confirmation will appear. Read this, click Next
You may print a summary by clicking print. When complete, click Done
Created by Mary Kay LaLonde, TST BOCES Certification office
revised 2.15.12
After you complete the application process, you may see that the automatic checklist that you see does
not credit you with all of the requirements that you have completed. DO NOT be alarmed – there is NO
NEED to contact this office. Some requirement fields must be manually triggered. This is done during the
evaluation process once the application appears in the work queue, and the appropriate documentation is
provided.
Send all required documents to TST BOCES Certification Office
555 Warren Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
**Documents can be either mailed via US Mail, or if you work for a component district, they can be
sent via interoffice/”bus” mail.
All transcripts must be “official copies” (unless the State has an official copy already on hand)
If the original was sent to the State more than 3 years ago, the transcript will have been archived, and
a new official one will have to be obtained.
FAQ's for TEACH may also be a helpful site to refer to!
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/teachappfaq.htm
If you find you made a mistake in the pathway you chose for your certification, simply
e-mail me with the situation, and I will do my best to assist you in having the certificate pathway
changed.
If you assign TST BOCES as your evaluator/reviewer (you must live, work or attend school within the
TST Certification Region) I will be able to make the change for you once you advise me of the error. If
you do not live, work or attend school within the TST BOCES area, and choose TST as your reviewer,
we will have to charge an “out of area” certification assistance fee. This fee will have to be paid to TST
BOCES before any work can be done in your file.
Questions?? Contact me at the TST BOCES Regional certification Office 257-1551x309
or [email protected] (best)
Created by Mary Kay LaLonde, TST BOCES Certification office
revised 2.15.12