TEACH New York | Frequently Asked Questions

Teachers generally have a great deal of autonomy — more so than most jobs right out of college. From day one, you'll be entrusted with big responsibilities. 

Areas teachers will have the most autonomy

• Building classroom culture by way of room decoration, class room management techniques and classroom routines
• Instructional Strategy by choosing the activities, technology and teaching methods that best fit your students' needs
• Being creative with lesson implementation by adapting the required curriculum to be engaging for your students

That said, every school varies in terms of teacher autonomy, so it's smart to ask about this during job interviews.

In most cases, yes. With proper training, preparation and practice, you'll build the skills you need to manage students in your classroom.

Your teaching program should show you how to earn your students' trust, develop strong communication skills and use effective classroom management techniques.

Once you're in the classroom, you'll continue to learn on the job and learn from your colleagues. Teachers are a supportive bunch, and experienced educators at your school will help you to continue to build your craft. You've got this!

Yes! While there’s no single way to be a good teacher, there are a combination of skills and values that a good teacher has. Like any profession, it takes time and dedication to develop the skills to teach effectively. 

Therefore, good teachers need to have passion, drive, and curiosity to do their job well and better themselves. Each day, you'll improve your relationship-building, critical thinking, creativity and leadership skills, to support your students the best that you can.

You do not need a master’s degree to start teaching in New York, but you will need to earn a master’s degree within five years of earning your initial teaching certificate (NYSUT). 

Benefits of getting a master’s degree to teach in New York

• Every teacher in New York will need a master's degree, so you can fulfill the state requirement ahead of time
• A master's degree will allow you to earn a higher salary and earn your professional certification.
• If you already have a teaching certificate, you can take classes to earn your master’s degree during nights and weekends. 

You can use our Program Explorer to find master's degree programs in New York.

To set your teaching career up for success, focus on professional growth and finding the right environment. Follow these key steps:

• Prioritize teacher effectiveness: Look for professional development opportunities, find strong mentors and challenge yourself to try new things in the classroom! These strategies can set you up for more benefits like promotions and pay raises. 
• Select the right employer: Research school districts and leadership carefully, as your school community and leadership will significantly impact your growth.
• Evaluate fit during interviews: Treat interviews as a two-way process. You're interviewing for a position, but you also want to find out if a particular school will be a good fit.

You can use financial aid such as scholarships, grants and loan forgiveness opportunities to help make teaching programs more affordable. 

Financial aid options in New York

• Scholarships: financial assistance that does not need to be repaid, and is offered based on a student’s merit, need or athletics, such as the TEACHNY Classic Scholarship. 
• Grants: a financial award that does not need to be repaid, such as the Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA).
• Loan forgiveness: a cancellation of some or all a student’s loans after meeting specified requirements such as on-time payments, service commitments and tenure. The Teacher Loan Forgiveness program is a good example. 

Financial aid opportunities can be federally, privately or institutionally funded. You can learn more about financial aid for New York teachers in our financial aid guide. 

Choosing the right teaching programs will depend on your experience and where you want to begin your teaching career. 

Consider these questions to help determine the program for you: 

• Do you want to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree along with your teaching certificate? Or do you want to jump right into teaching with an alternative certification program? 
• Do you have a budget? Does the program need to be mostly online to fit your schedule? 
• How much hands-on experience do you want, and what kind of mentorship do you hope to receive? 

Questions like these will guide you to choosing the program that fits your goals. You can learn more about choosing a teaching program in our article. 

You can absolutely teach in a subject other than what your degree is in. In New York, you will need to have at least 18-30 credits in the subject you want to teach, pass content exams and take a teacher preparation program pathway. 

How to Get Certified in Your New Subject:

• Take post-bac courses: Enroll in post-baccalaureate classes to fulfill the 18-30 required by the state.
• Pass the CST: You must pass the Content Specialty Test (CST) for the new subject area to prove you can teach that subject Learn about what content exams are required on our Testing Guide.
• Choose a Pathway: master’s of art in teaching programs offer a master’s degree alongside your teaching certificate, or you can take alternative certification programs or certificate-only programs. Learn more on our How to Earn Your NY Teaching Certificate page.

If you’re a first-year teacher, the average starting salary for New York state teachers is $50,077. In New York City, teacher salaries start at $68,902. 

• In most cases, school districts set their own salary schedules for teachers, which are often based on years of experience and credentials. 
• Some districts also look at performance or offer higher pay to teachers in shortage area subjects. 

You can learn more about New York teacher salaries and benefits on our Salary and Benefits page.

Only you can decide if teaching is right for you, and there is a combination of skills and values that many teachers have. 

Here are some signs that you will like teaching:

• You want a career with autonomy, mastery and purpose.
• You have drive and curiosity to challenge yourself and grow.
• You've worked with children before and enjoy it.
• You want a job that's both creative and analytical, and that makes a real difference in your community.

Here are a few places to start your research:

• Visit our Explore Teaching page.
• Check out our articles, pages and videos to explore the ins and outs of teaching.
• Learn about the teaching career in New York on our Try out Teaching page.

The quickest way to become a teacher online is through alternative certification programs or teacher residency programs. 

Key benefits to non-traditional online programs:

• Online coursework: asynchronous coursework can be completed at your own pace
• Fast-track training: shorter but enriched training courses on the fundamentals of teaching a classroom of students
• Earn while you learn: in many cases, once you finish training, you can start teaching in your classroom right away and apply what you learn as you teach. 

No matter what type of program you choose, you will have hands-on, in-person experiences during student teaching, so it can’t be done completely online. 

In most cases, it will take four years in a traditional teaching program. However, it ultimately depends on the type of teaching program you choose and where you are in your academic career. 

• Bachelor’s degree + certification programs take four years
• Master’s degree + certification programs take three years or less
• Certificate-only programs and alternative certification programs can take as little as one year

You can see different programs and their lengths in our Program Explorer.

The fastest pathways to become a certified teacher is through alternative certification programs or certificate-only programs. If you have educational or professional degrees in the subject area you want to teach, these programs allow you to learn how to teach and, in some cases, start teaching right away.

Learn more about New York alternative certification programs.

You can become a teacher even if you have a unique background and there are pathways to teaching tailored specifically for situations like this. 

Pathways to a teaching certificate:

• Alternative certification programs are a good option for you if you want to change careers and have a bachelor’s degree in the subject you want to teach. 
• Career and Technical Education certification programs are a good option if you have vocational experience in a specific trade or industry.

Learn more about New York teacher certification.  

No, you can absolutely become a teacher in New York at any point in your career. 

• If you have a bachelor’s degree, you can find many programs suited for career changers, such as master’s degree programs, certificate-only programs and alternative certification programs. 
• If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, there are traditional teaching programs that offer a bachelor’s and certificate at the same time. 
• If you have work experience in an industry or technical field, you can become a Career and Technical Education teacher to teach grades 7-12. 

Each program offers a different range of coursework, hands-on experience and mentoring. Learn more about New York teacher certification. 

Yes, paid teaching experience can be used towards your initial teaching certification (NYSED). You will need a specified number of days of teaching to be eligible:

• If you are a substitute teacher, you will need 40 days of teaching in the subject and grade level for which you want to be certified in. 
• If you are a paraprofessional or teaching assistant, you will need a full year (180 days) of teaching experience in the subject and grade level for which you want to be certified in. You will also need a valid New York State Pre-Professional Teaching Assistant or Professional Teaching Assistant certificate.

Whether you are a substitute teacher or a paraprofessional, you will need to submit an experience evaluation form to be approved by your superintendent. 

Yes, you can use your non-education degree or prior experience to teach in New York. There are two options available: 

• Elementary and Secondary education (in any subject) teacher: You will need to have at least 30 credits in the subject you want to teach, so you may need to sign up for post-baccalaureate courses to get the credits you need. Pathways available to you include master’s degree programs, certificate-only programs and alternative certification programs. Learn more in our teaching programs guide.
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher: This pathway is a non-traditional route to becoming a teacher. If you have work experience in industries like construction, hospitality, or health sciences, CTE certification lets you apply your skills to teach grades 7-12. Learn more about becoming a CTE teacher. 

New York offers a variety of teacher certification programs, ranging from programs for people who have never been to college to programs for people who want a master’s degree. You can expect to find these types of programs available at different colleges and universities:

• Bachelor’s degree & certificate programs
• Master’s degree & certificate programs
• Alternative certification programs
• Certificate-only programs

Each program offers a different range of coursework, hands-on experience and mentoring. Learn more about New York teacher certification. 

An alternative certification program is a teacher preparation pathway that lets you earn your initial teaching certification while you teach in your own classroom. To apply, you will need to meet these requirements:

• Plan to teach a shortage area subject
• Have at least 18-30 college credits in the subject you plan to teach. Most alternative certification programs require a GPA of at least 3.0, but can be low as 2.5.
• Pass required tests such as the Education All Students (EAS) Test and Content Specialty Test (CTS) in your teaching subject.

Applications are available on university or institution websites, and you can find New York alternative certification programs in our Program Explorer.

Alternative certification is a type of teacher certification that prepares teachers for an accelerated entry into teaching shortage area subjects. This type of certification is good for people who:

• Want to teach a shortage area subject
• Have a bachelor’s degree, but haven’t started a teacher prep program
• Have career experience in the subject you plan to teach
• Have previous experience in education

Alternative certification in New York requires that you plan to teach a subject that is a shortage area in your desired district. This includes subjects like math, science, English, world languages and more! Learn more about New York certification subject areas.

In New York, the primary difference is that a teaching degree is an academic qualification from a college, while a teaching certificate is the legal authorization from the state to teach in a classroom.

To qualify for these credentials, you must meet different requirements:

• Teaching Degree: Obtained by completing a college-level teacher preparation program, including specialized coursework in a specific subject area.
• Teaching Certificate: Issued by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) after you complete the degree, pass the required state certificate exams, and finish student teaching assessments. 

Yes, you can earn your master’s degree and New York teaching certificate in one program in as little as one to two years. 

The benefits of a master’s degree program:

• Integrated certification: Master’s of arts in teaching programs build in teacher certification requirements into your coursework to get you certified faster.
• Higher salary: You can start teaching with a higher salary with a master’s degree.
• Fulfill state requirements: In New York, all teachers are required to get a master’s degree eventually.

You can find a master’s degree program for you in our Program Explorer.

Yes, there are many earn while you learn (teacher residency) programs in New York for teachers to get certified while teaching in a classroom. These programs are built for you to earn your teacher certificate in one to two years, all while applying what you learn in your coursework into the classroom. You can learn more in our guide about what to expect in a New York Teacher Residency.

A teaching residency program is a type of alternative certification program that allows you to earn your initial teaching certificate in 16-18 months while getting paid to teach in a classroom alongside a mentor teacher.

Key benefits to a teaching residency program

• Get paid to teach: receive up to a $30,000 stipend while in the program.
• Earn a master’s degree: depending on the program, you may receive both your teaching certificate and a master’s degree
• More experience: you will commit to teaching in your school for the full 180-day school year, where other programs typically have student teaching last for 15 weeks. You will also get support from your mentor teacher.
• Job opportunities: start a full-time teaching role, usually in the district where you trained. After you graduate, you’ll often commit to teaching in your district for a certain amount of time

You can learn more about the benefits of New York Teacher Residency Programs.

There are no specific requirements to become a substitute teacher in New York, but standards and requirements differ by school district. 

Possible requirements by school districts:

• A bachelor’s degree or teaching certificate
• A nomination from a principal
• Enrollment in a teacher preparation program
• Specific number of college credits completed

While a teaching certificate is not required by all school districts, having one allows you to substitute teach for more than 40 days in a school year. 

Check with the school district you want to substitute for to see the requirements to apply. 

To start teaching immediately in New York, you can go through an alternative certification program to get your Transitional B or C certificate. 

If you have educational or professional degrees in the subject area you want to teach, these programs allow you to start teaching right away while you learn outside of school hours. Learn more about New York alternative certification programs.

Yes, in New York you can renew your teaching certificate up to two times, with each renewal good for five years. This is called an initial reissuance certificate. There are eligibility requirements for renewing your certificate.

Eligibility requirements for a reissuance certificate:

• For the first renewal, you must meet all the requirements for the professional certificate, aside from education/experience. This means you do not yet have a master’s degree, and/or have not had three years of teaching experience with one year of teaching mentorship. 
• For the second renewal, the same eligibility requirements are as described above.

There are a few pathways to get your out-of-state teaching certificate evaluated by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to determine if you meet all the requirements to teach in New York. 

Evaluation of your out-of-state teacher certification:

• Comparable certification: If your out-of-state certificate is comparable to the New York teacher certificate, and have three years of teaching experience, your certificate can be endorsed by NYSED. 
• Completion of a comparable program: If your certificate does not pass the evaluation by NYSED, but you have completed a comparable teacher prep program, you can apply for initial teacher certification in New York. 
• Individual evaluation: If the above options aren’t available to you, you can apply for individual evaluation of your teaching credentials.

Regardless of how your credentials are evaluated, depending on your subject area and experience, your exams for a New York teacher certificate may be waived.

To have your international teaching certificate or degree recognized by the U.S. and to begin teaching in New York, you will need to submit your transcripts to an accepted evaluation organization. 

How to start your teaching credential recognition:

1. Foreign Credential Evaluation: You must have your transcripts evaluated by an accepted evaluation organization.  
2. TEACH Account Application: Create a TEACH (not affiliated with TeachNY) online account through New York State Education Department and submit an application for "Individual Evaluation" in your desired subject and grade level.

Once you submit all the required documents, the organization will evaluate your credentials and send a report to the New York State Education Department (NYSED). It’s important to note that NYSED will not accept reports submitted directly from you.

You can begin the individual evaluation pathway if you want to start teaching in New York. After this process, you may still need to fulfill some requirements before you can start teaching in New York. 

The International Certification Process:

1. Foreign Credential Evaluation: You must have your transcripts evaluated by an accepted evaluation organization. 
2. TEACH Account Application: Create a TEACH (not affiliated with TEACH New York) online account through New York State Education Department and submit an application for "Individual Evaluation" in your desired subject and grade level.
3. Fulfill New York Requirements: Even with an international degree, you may need to complete:
   1. State Exams: including the Educating All Students (EAS), Content Specialty Tests (CST) and edTPA (pedagogy exams)
   2. Mandatory Workshops: Child Abuse Identification (Second Update) workshop and Dignity For All Students Act workshop, but workshops vary by subject area and grade level. 

New York has many programs and benefits for veterans and military spouses to pursue a teaching career. 

For Military spouses: a transitional J certificate 

This pathway allows you to begin teaching in a classroom right away while you earn your initial teacher certificate outside of school hours. 

Key requirements:

• Status: A spouse of a full-time active duty member of the armored forces with a permanent duty station in New York State. 
• Education: At least a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. 
• Teaching certificate: active teaching certificate or you are in a teaching preparation program leading to initial certification.

For Veterans: Specialized programs & Financial Aid

Veterans can utilize several support programs, such as Troops to Teachers or the G.I. Bill. Learn more about translating your skills as a veteran to a career in education.

Programs in New York will have a variety of deadlines that vary depending on the program start, but generally, spring semester applications are due by late October, summer by March, and fall by June. 

Typical application deadlines:

• Alternative certification programs have deadlines for cohorts that are usually early in the year, with applications opening in the winter for a summer start.
• Traditional teacher preparation programs through colleges and universities often have spring deadlines for the following fall semester.

Be sure to carefully review the programs you are interested in and account for deadlines when planning your application. 

The balance working full-time while earning your teacher certificate, leverage programs that allow for you to complete coursework online or fast-track programs such as alternative certification programs. 

Carefully review program overviews to fully understand the requirements throughout the program. Take note that all teacher preparation programs will require you to student teach, so being able to work in a classroom will be a requirement at some point. Learn more about alternative certification programs in New York.

In most cases, it will take four years in a traditional teaching program. However, it ultimately depends on the type of teaching program you choose and where you are in your academic career. 

• Bachelor’s degree + certification programs take four years
• Master’s degree + certification programs take three years or less
• Certificate-only programs and alternative certification programs can take as little as one year

You can see different programs and their lengths in our Program Explorer.

You can apply for financial aid such as scholarships and grant opportunities to help make teaching programs more affordable. 

Types of program-specific financial aid

• Institutional grants or scholarships: these are unique to your program’s institution, and help cover some or all of the cost of tuition.
• Teacher or education specific grants or scholarships: these are aid opportunities aimed to support future teachers
• Stipends or tuition assistance: residency programs will often offer a stipend to help pay for living expenses and may even offer tuition assistance to cover the costs of your teacher preparation program, too
• Federal financial aid: You can apply for free financial aid that gets directly sent to your institution, and may make you automatically eligible for other scholarships or grants 

You can learn more about financial aid for New York teachers in our financial aid guide.

Teaching preparation programs vary in cost, but there are financial aid resources available, especially for teachers and educators. 

Financial aid options in New York

• Scholarships: financial assistance that does not need to be repaid, and is offered based on a student’s merit, need or athletics, such as the TeachNY Classic Scholarship. 
• Grants: a financial award that does not need to be repaid, such as the Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA).
• Loan forgiveness: a cancellation of some or all a student’s loans after meeting specified requirements such as on-time payments, service commitments and tenure. The Teacher Loan Forgiveness program is a good example. 

Financial aid opportunities can be federally, privately or institutionally funded. You can learn more about financial aid for New York teachers in our financial aid guide.

To teach special education, you will need to go through a teacher preparation program that offers certification in Students with Disabilities (SWD), as well as take a few exams and workshops.

The key requirements:

1. Exams: there are three exams needed to you will need to take to be certified in SWD teacher
   1. The Educating All Students Test (EAS)
   2. Content Specialty Tests (CST) Specified Multi-Subject Examination and
   3. Content Specialty Tests (CST) Students With Disabilities or Safety Net Students With Disabilities
2. Workshops: unique to this certificate area, there are three workshops required
   1. The Child Abuse Identification (Second Update) workshop, 
   2. The Dignity For All Students Act workshop and 
   3. The Autism workshop

You can check for different certificate pathways by using the New York State Education Department Certification Requirements search.

In New York, there are three main requirements to become a certified teacher. The requirements may become more specific with each teacher preparation program. 

The key requirements

• Bachelor’s degree: you must have a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field to the subject you want to teach. The standard GPA is 2.5 or higher.
• Teacher preparation program: you must take an approved teacher preparation program, either traditionally or in an alternative route, which leads to initial certification.

Education and Content exams: there are three main exams you will need to take to become a certified teacher; the Educating All Students (EAS) exam, the edTPA (teaching assessment) and the Content Specialty Test(s) in your chosen subject area.

While GPA requirements may vary depending on the program and university, you can generally expect to see a cumulative GPA of 2.5 to 3.0 as a requirement for most teacher preparation programs in New York. You can view GPA requirements for programs in our New York Program Explorer. 

There are a variety of online resources available to help prepare you for the required exams to become a teacher. 

• TEACH.org resources, like coaching and test guides
• New York State Teacher Certification Examination free study guides
• 240 Tutoring digital courses for test preparation

You can learn more about test preparation in our testing guide.