Teacher Certification

• Requirements for New York State Initial Teaching Certificate
• SUNY Cortland Teacher Certification Exam Pass-Rates

Requirements for New York State Initial Teaching Certificate

Completion of All Degree and Certification Requirements Prior to Graduation

The undergraduate degree may not be posted nor an official transcript produced without the completion of the relevant teacher certification requirements for the applicable undergraduate degree program. These requirements include, but are not limited to:

• completion of all degree requirements for an approved teacher certification program at SUNY Cortland
• completion of a workshop of two clock hours on Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting (CARR)
• completion of a workshop of six clock hours on Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
• completion of a workshop of two clock hours on Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE)

Information about the three workshops is available through the Field Experience and School Partnerships Office. Candidates register for these workshops as they would register for a class during the specified online registration period.

Please consult the department with regard to additional specific certification requirements for your program.

Upon completion of all the degree requirements, including the three workshops, and any departmental requirements, the graduate will be recommended by SUNY Cortland for certification to the New York State Education Department, following submission of the Teacher Certification Recommendation Authorization form to the Registrar's Office.

The New York State Education Department requires the following prior to actually awarding the teaching certificate:

• Filing the online application for certification to the New York State Education Department, Office of Teaching Initiatives
• The payment of the certification application fee to the New York State Education Department
• A criminal background check and fingerprinting. Information about fingerprinting requirements is available at Career Services.
• Passing scores on the Academic Literacy Skills Test (ALST), Educating All Students Test (EAS), the designated Content Specialty Test (CST) for the certificate and the edTPA.

Information about registration for the NYSTCE is available at Career Services.

Criteria for Admission to the Teacher Education Program

Please consult the appropriate academic department for admission requirements.

Examinations for Teacher Certificates

A person making application for a New York State teaching certificate will be required to achieve a passing score on the appropriate tests in the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) Program. The department should be consulted for details. NYSTCE registration information is available at Career Services.

Additional information regarding these new requirements can be found on the NYSED Certification Web page.

Career Services, Van Hoesen Hall, Room B-5, 607-753-4715, is also available to answer questions on teacher certification.

Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting (CARR)

All students seeking teaching certification must complete a minimum of two clock hours of instruction regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment.

This degree and certification requirement can be met by taking designated workshops on child abuse at SUNY Cortland. This requirement also may be met by completing a designated workshop through another New York State Education Department approved provider. If taken through another provider, documentation of workshop completion should be brought to the Registrar's Office for posting on the academic transcript.

Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

All candidates seeking teacher certification must complete a minimum of six clock hours of instruction on providing all students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school function. This requirement may be met by completing a designated workshop at SUNY Cortland or through another New York State Education Department approved provider. If taken through another provider, documentation of workshop completion should be brought to the Registrar's Office for posting on the academic transcript.

Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE)

All students seeking teaching certification must complete a minimum of two clock hours of instruction regarding school violence prevention training. This degree and certification requirement may be met by taking designated workshops on school violence prevention training at SUNY Cortland or through another New York State Education Department approved provider. If taken through another provider, documentation of workshop completion should be brought to the Registrar's Office for posting on the academic transcript. This requirement is mandated as part of the NYS Save Legislation.

The Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting (CARR) Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) and Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) workshops must be completed prior to student teaching.

Health and Human Development

All students seeking teaching certification must complete a course that includes "human developmental processes and variations, including but not limited to: the impact of culture, heritage, socioeconomic level, personal health and safety, nutrition, past or present abusive or dangerous environment, and factors in the home, school and community on students' readiness to learn – and skill in applying that understanding to create a safe and nurturing learning environment that is free of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and that fosters the health and learning of all students and the development of a sense of community and respect for one another." (New York State Department of Education Teacher Education Program Registry, 2000)

This requirement may be met by taking one of the following courses: HLH 110, 199, 265 or 510. Students should consult their academic program/advisor regarding appropriate course selection.

Fingerprinting

All candidates, certified and non-certified, who wish to work in schools in New York State will be subject to fingerprinting regulations and background check prior to employment. Contact Career Services for information regarding fingerprinting.

Note: Some New York state districts require that candidates be fingerprinted and/or Board of Education approved prior to engaging in field experiences or student teaching.

Students With Disabilities Requirement

All candidates admitted into a New York state teacher education program at the initial or advanced level, including transfer students, must take a three-credit-hour course on teaching students with disabilities. The three-credit-hour course must focus on the following six areas:

1. categories of disabilities
2. identification and remediation of disabilities
3. special education processes as well as state and federal special education laws and regulations
4. effective planning for co-teaching and collaboration with peers
5. individualized instruction
6. application of positive behavioral supports and interventions to address student and classroom management needs.

Completion of All Degree and Certification Requirements Prior to Graduation

The undergraduate degree may not be posted nor an official transcript produced without the completion of the relevant teacher certification requirements for the applicable undergraduate degree program.

Field Experience in Teaching

All teacher education candidates seeking the Initial Certificate are required to successfully complete a minimum of 100 hours of field experience in K-12 schools as part of their professional preparation program prior to student teaching. At least 15 hours of the total required field experience commitment for each program must focus on teaching students with disabilities. Arrangements for housing and transportation during all field experiences and student teaching are the responsibility of the candidate.

Job Placement Availability

The New York State Education Department requires publication of statistics regarding labor market and job availability for teachers. These may be accessed at the following Web sites: www.aaee.org for national statistics and www.highered.nysed.gov/ for statewide statistics. Contact Career Services for information regarding Cortland graduates.

SUNY Cortland Teacher Certification Exam Pass-Rates

All graduates of teacher preparation programs must pass New York state teacher certification exams in order to be granted Initial Certification in Teacher Education to teach in New York state. The table below presents the pass rates by 2013 SUNY Cortland graduates on the New York State Teacher Certification Examination (NYSTCE). At that time, those tests included:

• Content Specialty is assessed by the Content Specialty Tests (CST).
• Knowledge of the Arts and Sciences is assessed by the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST)
• Knowledge of teaching skills is assessed by the Assessment of Teaching Skills with Writing (ATS-W)

The New York State Education Department implemented a new set of teacher certification tests for those students graduating after Sept. 1, 2013. Pass rates on those tests will be published in subsequent catalogs. 

Since its founding in 1868, SUNY Cortland has maintained a long and distinguished history in preparing high quality teachers. The College's teacher education programs are highly recognized both regionally and nationally. Among SUNY institutions, SUNY Cortland prepares the largest number of teachers and ranks in the top 20 colleges nationally in terms of the number of teachers that graduate each year.  

These data are presented in compliance with Section 207 of the Higher Education Act Title II. Program completers in this table are defined as undergraduate and graduate students receiving a degree between Sept. 1, 2012, and Aug. 31, 2013, and who have taken the NYSTCE exams. While most graduates take one or more of these exams, they are not a graduation requirement at SUNY Cortland for bachelor's and master's programs.