All corps members are required to hold a New York State teaching certificate in order to be hired by schools here in New York City. The certificates are issued by the New York State, and certify that an individual has met required degree, coursework, exams, and experience requirements. Certification ensures that all teachers providing instruction to students have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach. All corps members must work to have their Transitional-B license issued, if they are not already certified to teach in NY State.
This means that you attended a traditional 4-year undergraduate, 2-year graduate college preparation program or approved college certificate program that leads to teacher certification. In this case, you will not have to complete any additional certification requirements.
If you believe you meet this requirement, or if you hold certification in another state, please email MoMo at newyorkregion@teachforamerica.org.
This means that you will need to enroll in an "alternative" teacher preparation program offered through an institution of higher education. All NY corps members are required to enroll in Relay Graduate School of Education in order to teach under a Transitional B Certificate. You will begin completing certification requirements during onboarding, and continue throughout your two year commitment at Relay, until you earn your Initial Certificate.
The vast majority of corps members follow the alternative route. We are proud that New York has some of the most rigorous requirements to be a teacher as teaching is a huge responsibility that dramatically impacts the trajectory of students’ lives.