Early childhood ed is a shortage area in New York City and the “Big Four” districts: Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers. Early childhood teachers are especially needed for Early Multilingual Learners and students with disabilities. 

You can increase your impact in students' lives—and your job opportunities—if you teach in one of these communities!

Pre-K works a little differently depending on whether you’re in New York City or elsewhere in New York State. 

In New York State

The New York State Education Department offers Universal Pre-K on a lottery basis. That means that families can apply for a free Pre-K spot, and in areas where there aren’t enough Pre-K seats, students are randomly selected. 

If families do not get a spot through the lottery process, they can still enroll their child in Pre-K, but they’ll need to find a school with openings themselves, and Pre-K may not be free. 

In New York City

New York City Public Schools offers free Pre-K to all four-year-olds in NYC! This initiative is called Pre-K For All. 

In 2017, the city launched 3-K For All, which aims to deliver high-quality education for NYC three-year-olds. While 3-K For All isn’t quite universal yet, New York City aims to offer 3-K education to as many children as possible. 

Congratulations on deciding you want to teach! The journey to certification can feel complicated, but there are tons of resources to help. 

Here at TeachNY, we’d recommend these next steps:

1. Check out the Certification Guide to get an overview of the certification process.
2. Sign up for group or 1-on-1 coaching to ask questions and learn more about getting certified. 
3. Visit the Program Explorer to start looking for certification programs.

In most settings, yes, you’ll need a teaching certificate. That said, some community-based organizations don’t require certification right away—and some districts may work with you to pursue alternative certification. That means you can earn your teaching certificate while you work in a classroom full-time!

There are also lots of classroom roles that don’t require a teaching certificate! 

Contact the specific school or organization where you want to teach to learn about their requirements.

If you’re not sure about getting certified, that’s okay! You can still work in early childhood in New York. 

If you want to work with elementary students: A paraeducator role could be a great fit. You’ll help classroom teachers support student needs, working 1-on-1 or in small groups. And if you decide to get certified later, some school districts offer tuition support.  

Check your local school district’s website to find paraeducator positions. 

If you want to work with Pre-K students or younger: Consider a role as an assistant teacher or teacher’s aide. Depending on the job, you may just need a high school diploma, or you might need a credential like a Child Development Associate Certificate. (More on that in the next question!) 

Check out local schools and community organizations, like a childcare center, to learn about their requirements. 

In New York, you can earn a variety of other early childhood credentials, each with a different focus. These take less time and cost a lot less than a teaching certificate! For example: 

• Child Development Associate Certificate & Credential: This can be a great first step in an early childhood career. You can get this credential with a specific focus, such as preschool, infant and toddler care or family child care.
• Family Child Care Credential: This credential is for professionals who specialize in home-based care for very young children. It focuses on child development and healthy learning environments. 
• Infant-Toddler Care & Education Credential: This credential recognizes early childhood educators who specialize in infant and toddler development and partnerships with families and caregivers. 

Learn more about your early childhood credential options.