Teachers and teaching assistants who have Emergency COVID-19 Certificates will have more time to finish up requirements, due to limited test center availability for certification exams during the pandemic.
The State Education Department announced in May that Emergency COVID-19 Certificates will automatically have one year added to their expiration date. Educators should check their TEACH accounts in July to make sure this has been done.
The union advocated for the continued flexibility so educators are not penalized by the interruptions caused by the pandemic. The emergency credentialing has also helped districts having difficulty finding certified staff in high-need areas.
The Emergency COVID-19 Certificate allows candidates to work for up to two years while taking and passing any required exams. New applications for the emergency certificate must be submitted via TEACH on or before Sept. 1, 2021.
Emergency certificates issued in the future will be valid for two years. For more info, visit higher, nysed.gov/ tcert.
Visit nysut.org/certification to find a guidance presentation with key information on emergency certification and details on how to apply. The site also includes registration information on a new round of certification webinars offered by NYSUT. The webinars cover six specific certification topics, including special education extensions, teaching assistant certification, Career and Technical Education certification and steps required for professional certification.
The webinars are being offered from now through August.