Don’t let this slip through the cracks: A reminder for NYS professional certificate holders

Remember when NYSED started requiring teachers to register on TEACH? This is the second re-registration cycle for those who have stayed on track for their renewals.

If you hold a Professional teaching certificate in New York State, it’s time to take a look at your TEACH account and make sure you know where you stand in your five-year registration cycle. For educators who are practicing in a New York State public or nonpublic school, BOCES, or other applicable school, maintaining an active registration is required.

What do you need to do?

Professional certificate holders who are practicing must:

• Complete 100 hours of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) during each five-year registration period.
• Complete 15 hours in Language Acquisition for non-ESOL certified teachers, or 50 hours for ESOL certified teachers.
• Re-register through TEACH at the end of the five-year period.
• Maintain “Registered – Active” status in order to practice in an applicable New York State school.

The good news? If you have been keeping up with your CTLE throughout the past five years, this process should be fairly straightforward. When you re-register, you will attest that you have completed the required CTLE hours. You do not send your CTLE certificates or documentation to NYSED as part of the re-registration process. However, you are required to keep your records for at least three years after the end of the registration period and have them available if NYSED requests them.

Check your TEACH account now

Don’t wait until the last minute! You can check your registration expiration date through your TEACH account under “Account Information” and “Registration Information.” Educators can begin re-registering six months before their current registration period expires. NYSED starts sending out reminder emails at that time.

It’s also a good time to make sure your contact information—especially your email address—is current. TEACH sends reminders about upcoming re-registration, and NYSED recommends having a current, verified personal or home email address in your account so you receive those notifications.

One more thing: Keep those CTLE records!

As you head into another school year, take a few minutes to organize your professional learning records. Save certificates, attendance records, and other documentation showing your completed CTLE hours. You may never need to submit them, but you do need to be able to produce them if requested.

So, if you’re a Professional certificate holder and this is your re-registration year, log into TEACH, check your registration status, review your CTLE hours, and make sure you’re ready to re-register.

Five years can go by quickly. Consider this your friendly NYS TESOL reminder to take care of the paperwork before the school year gets fully underway!

For the most current information and directions, visit NYSED’s Office of Teaching Initiatives registration resources.