Starting July 1, a new state law requires all certified teachers and Level III teaching assistants to register online with the State Education Department. What does this mean for retirees? If you plan on working in a public school or BOCES — including substitute teaching — in the next five years, you should register. You can register on the state's TEACH system at www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/. If you don't have a TEACH account, you can create one. There is no fee to create a TEACH account or to register.
Registering has no bearing on your permanent certificate(s) — a permanent certificate is still a lifetime certificate. Permanent certificate holders do NOT need to complete Continuing Teacher & Leader (CTLE) hours. For more information, go to www.nysut.org/certification and see #5 of the FAQ.