Certification Information

TEACH Help for Applicants

TEACH Online Services 

The NYSED approves individuals and organizations to offer the required training workshops in both online and in-person formats. Upon completion of each workshop, the provider will give you a Certificate of Completion (COC) and electronically submit your workshops to your TEACH account, however this may require you to follow instructions sent by vendors in follow up emails.

Always keep a copy of any Certificate of Completion you receive for your own records and be sure to register for workshops with your name EXACTLY as it appears in your Teach account.

Use this link for more information on NYSED required workshops. 

Child Abuse Identification (also referred to as Mandated Reporter)

NYS has recently updated Mandated Reporter Training Requirements. This law requires that mandated reporters, including those who have undergone the previous training, complete the updated training curriculum by November 17, 2026. It will be noted as Child Abuse Identification (Second Update) on your TEACH account. Additional information is available on the OTI webpage. [Updated 3/2026]

You may register for a FREE Mandated Reporter Training here.  Note: This is for first-time registrants and returning registrants for additional training.

School Violence Prevention

You may use any NYS approved workshop provider, however Workshop Express offers SJU students a discount using promotional code SJUQ. 

Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

You may register for DASA training here using an approved NYSED vendor.  You can also use Workshop Express to complete the training.  Note: you can bundle workshops for both School Violence Prevention and DASA to receive a vendor discount.

All teacher, school leader (SBL/SDL) and school counselor candidates are required to take an exam(s) as part of their certification requirements to become eligible to hold their respective license in NYS.  Current information from NYSED about required exams initial certification and additional areas of certification can be found here. 

If you are still unsure of the required exams after you have reviewed the NYSED website, contact your advisor or a Certification Officer to determine the exams for your program and certification sought. Your department and program faculty may have suggestions as to when you should take each of the exams. 

To register for the exams online, visit NYSTCE. You will need a credit card for payment. You will also find information about study guides and scoring on this site.  Remember to select the appropriate St. John’s campus as your reporting school when you register.  St. John’s University – Main Campus 680

The New York State Education Department’s Office of Higher Education has made changes to exam requirements, which establishes a waiver process for the content specialty tests (CST). For complete details, please refer the Office of Teaching Initiatives webpage Certification Exam Waiver: Certification: OTI:NYSED or the NYSTCE webpage NYSTCE Certification Exam Waiver Process Now Available. [Updated 10/2025]
 

Requirements for completing the Professional Certification.

Requirements for completing the Permanent Certification. 

Information about Continuing Teacher and Leader Education requirements (CTLE).

1. Must be currently enrolled in a graduate-level NYS registered educator preparation program that leads to teacher, school counselor, or educational leadership (SBL/SDL) certification and includes an internship experience(s).
2. Complete at least 50% of the program.
3. Complete required workshops.

• Child Abuse Identification (Second Update)
• School Violence Intervention & Prevention
• Dignity for All Students (DASA)

4. Pass the required CST and EAS exams.
5. Fingerprints must be on file.
6. Letter from a school offering you a position. The letter must be on school letterhead, signed by the principal, and include the following:

• The title, subject area, and grade level of the position you are being offered (must be consistent with your program of study).
• The term/dates of employment.
• That the school is willing to hire you under an Internship Certificate. 
   

To request college recommendation for an internship certificate you must submit the following:

1. Internship Recommendation Request by email to Evelyn Franco at [email protected]
2. Letter from a school offering you a position to be uploaded to the Internship Recommendation Request Form.

​Apply for the internship certificate via your TEACH account.  Do not enter the application until after the Internship Certificate recommendation has been entered on your TEACH Account.  To check if the college recommendation has been posted to your TEACH account, go to TEACH Home → Account Information → College Recommendations. 
 

If you are seeking an endorsement (otherwise referred to as an institutional recommendation) and have completed your program and are eligible for conferral of degree (graduation), complete a request for endorsement by selecting the IRAF button at the top of this page.

Degrees are conferred three times a year, on or around the following dates: January 30, September 30, or the next weekday following May commencement. Diplomas are usually available for pick-up in the Dean’s Office of The School of Education one month after degree conferral.  Certification endorsements will be made shortly after these degree conferral periods provided you have met all requirements. 

You must apply directly to New York State for certification. For instructions, refer to Applying for a Certificate. You must log into your TEACH account, pay required fees, and provide all requested information as well as the NYSED program code for the approved teacher preparation program that you completed at St. John’s University. Use the same program code when you complete the Institutional Release Form.

The New York State Education Department no longer prints all paper certificates. You can check your TEACH account to see if your endorsement has been posted and if your certification has been issued. Once your certificate is listed on your TEACH account as issued, it is considered a valid NYS teaching certificate.

Contact Information for Office of Teaching Initiatives for general inquiries and assistance with your TEACH account. 

For graduates seeking certification in the area of Mental Health Counseling, please be sure to submit Form 2 and forward to Dr. Heather Robertson, Chair, Department of Counselor Education at [email protected]. The University will also provide documentation to verify candidate program completion. Upon conferral of degree and submission of Form 2, documentation will be mailed directly to the Office of the Professions in Albany.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) issues the Conditional Initial Certification to qualified individuals holding a reciprocal certificate who have not yet met the state testing and workshop requirements. At least one reciprocal certificate from each of the 50 states is accepted. When applying for certification, you should apply for initial certification and then choose Interstate Reciprocity as your pathway. For information, consult this link.

Applicants must apply directly to the New York State Education Department for the Conditional Initial Certificate. Once granted, it is valid for up to two years to enable a teacher to complete additional testing and workshop requirements.

Students who are seeking initial teacher certification and who wish to receive University endorsement for a career change master’s program in education completed at St. John’s University will need to provide the Certification Officer with official translated transcripts of all previous coursework. Indication of grades and credits awarded must appear on the transcript.  Only evaluations completed by a NACES member organization will be accepted.  

New York State requires a US social security number before they will issue you a teaching certificate. United States citizenship or permanent resident status is required for Permanent and Professional Certification only.

If you do not seek an endorsement for certification following the completion of a master’s degree at St. John’s and wish to apply for Individual evaluation of non-US credentials, please see this information.