Certification Requirements Map

Exams are one lane in a larger map

Passing a test is not the same as holding a New York certificate. NYSTCE supplies the testing piece; the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives (OTI) manages certification requirements, applications, the TEACH records system, workshops, fingerprinting, and pathway review. Treat the exam plan as one lane in a wider certification map.

The NYSTCE "What Tests Do I Need to Take?" page states that candidates for a first Initial teaching certificate in most certificate areas must achieve passing scores on EAS and the CST(s) in their area of certification. That is the common classroom-teacher pattern, but not the only one in New York. Candidates pursuing leadership, bilingual, or teaching-assistant titles follow different test lists, so always verify your own certificate title and pathway first.

Requirement map

The TEACH System is the working record system, not just a payment portal. It lists applicant services including applying for a certificate, checking application status, viewing certification records, applying for fingerprint clearance, and viewing clearance status. NYSTCE registration and TEACH must show consistent identity data for automatic score matching to work.

Workshops and fingerprinting

NYSED's "Workshops Required for Educator Certification" page lists three required workshops for New York educator certification:

• Child Abuse Identification and Reporting (CAR) — mandated-reporter training.
• Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) — harassment, bullying, and discrimination prevention.
• School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE) — safety, warning signs, and intervention.

Some special-education certificates may also require autism-related training. If you completed a workshop through a program or approved provider, confirm it posts correctly in TEACH or follow NYSED submission directions.

Fingerprint clearance is separate from exam registration. NYSED pathway pages list clearance as a condition before a certificate is issued; the approved-program page states that college-recommended applicants must satisfy the testing requirement and obtain fingerprint clearance before issuance. Out-of-state candidates should confirm whether they need new prints or a transfer.

edTPA status, and how to plan your path

Do not treat the edTPA as a current New York certification exam requirement. NYSED's edTPA elimination notice states that the Board of Regents eliminated the requirement, and it is no longer a certification requirement as of April 27, 2022. Active applications that still listed edTPA as unmet were to have that requirement marked exempted in TEACH. Registered teacher preparation programs still integrate a teacher performance assessment into student teaching, practicum, or residency, but that is coursework, not a state exam. The narrow takeaway: do not spend NYSTCE study time preparing an edTPA portfolio.

Start with the certificate, not the test. In TEACH or NYSED guidance, confirm the certificate title, grade band, subject area, and pathway, then list the exams, workshops, fingerprint status, transcripts or recommendations, and fees. Use this checklist:

1. Certificate title confirmed.
2. Pathway confirmed.
3. EAS requirement checked.
4. CST or other exam requirement checked.
5. TEACH identity data matches NYSTCE registration.
6. Fingerprint status checked.
7. Workshops (CAR, DASA, SAVE) completed.
8. edTPA not treated as a current certification exam requirement.

If your name, date of birth, or Social Security number differs across TEACH and NYSTCE, fix it before relying on automatic score matching. Administrative mismatches can stall issuance even when academic preparation is complete.

Pathways and sequence

The non-exam requirements are not all due at once, and sequencing them well avoids wasted fees. Most candidates reach certification through one of three pathways: an approved teacher preparation program (your college files a recommendation in TEACH), individual evaluation (you submit transcripts and apply directly), or interstate reciprocity (you hold a comparable out-of-state certificate). The pathway determines whether a college signs off on your testing and clearance or whether you assemble the evidence yourself.

A sensible order is: confirm the certificate title and pathway, open a TEACH account, begin fingerprinting early (clearance can take time), schedule the three workshops, then register for EAS and the CST. Fingerprinting and workshops have no exam-style waiting period, so starting them early means a passing exam score is the last piece rather than the bottleneck. Finally, submit the certificate application in TEACH and confirm every requirement shows as met — a single "unmet" flag (a missing workshop, a pending clearance, a transcript not yet posted) holds the whole certificate, regardless of strong exam scores.

Re-check TEACH a few days after each score posts, because automatic matching is not always instant.