PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
Your Certification Team
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Loretta WaldronRegional Certification Officer
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Maureen VanDemarkRCO Support Staff
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The OCM BOCES Regional Certification Office can be reached:
By phone:
(315) 433-2628
Monday through Friday (8:30 AM - 11:30 AM only)
By email:
By mail:
OCM BOCES
ATTN: Certification Office
PO Box 4754
Syracuse NY 13221-4754
Certification Forms:
- Classroom Teachers - Experience Verification Form
- Pupil Personnel Service Professionals - Experience Verification Form
- Teaching Assistant Level II or III - Experience Verification Form
- Mentored Experience - Verification Form
- District Superintendent Statement Request Form
Required Workshops:
For information on all NYSED approved workshop providers please visit: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/- School Violence Prevention and Intervention Workshop
- Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Workshop
- Needs of Students with Autism Workshop
- Dignity for All Students (DASA)
Submitting Official Transcripts:
Official College Transcript may be submitted using one of the following methods:- Electronic PDF Official Transcripts must be emailed by an approved third-party vendor to the NYSED Office directly at transcriptsoti@nysed.gov.
- Paper Official Transcripts may be mailed to the NYSED Office directly at: NYSED Office of Teaching, Room 5N-EB, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany NY 12234.
- Paper Official Transcripts may be mailed to the OCM BOCES Office at: OCM BOCES, Attn: Certification, P.O. Box 4754, Syracuse, NY, 13221.
Overview:
The BOCES Regional Certification Office is authorized by the State Education Department to evaluate and recommend certification for most certificate titles. If you reside or work in the OCM BOCES component district area you may wish to have us evaluate your application. Applications and materials that have been evaluated and submitted by Regional Certification Offices are given priority. Your actual certificate will be issued by the New York State Office of Teaching Initiatives.The following certificate titles cannot be evaluated by BOCES: Adult Education, Bilingual Education, Career and Technical Education, Educational Technology, English to Speakers of Other Languages, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Education, Leadership Certificates, Statements of Continued Eligibility, Students With Disabilities Subject Area Extensions, Supplementary Certificates, and Technology Education. Also, we cannot evaluate applicants applying through the Approved Teacher Preparation Program Pathways or the Interstate Applicant Pathways. However, you may ask this office to forward all materials to the State Education Department.
This office cannot perform informal evaluations. You must submit an application for certification through your TEACH Online Services Account and select the option to have your application reviewed by the BOCES Regional Certification Office. Evaluations are not done by appointment; they are completed in the order in which the application and supporting documentation are received by the Certification Office.
- To research all NYSED certification guidelines please visit the Office of Teaching Initiatives Website: http://www.highered.
nysed.gov/tcert/ - To research certification requirements for teachers, teaching assistants and coaches visit Search Certification Requirements
- For information and/or to register for NYS Teaching Certification exams visit New York State Teacher Certification Exams
- Fingerprint clearance: Schedule your appointment with Morpho Trust or call directly at (877) 472-6915. The Service Code: 14ZGQT
Candidates may contact the New York State Office of Teaching directly at:
Office of Teaching Initiatives
New York State Education Department
89 Washington Ave., 5N EB
Albany, New York 12234
Tel: (518) 474-3901
Mon - Fri, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Announcements
Announcements
Computer Science Statement of Continued Eligibility (SOCE) Deadline Extended | 10/4/2022
New Students With Disabilities (All Grades) Certificate Created | 9/14/2022
New Literacy (All Grades) Certificate Created| 9/14/2022
Incidental Teaching and Substitute Teaching Flexibilities Extended | 5/18/2022
Elimination of the edTPA Requirement for Certification | 4/12/2022
Teacher Performance Assessment Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | 4/12/2022
New Students With Disabilities (All Grades) Certificate Created | 9/14/2022
New Literacy (All Grades) Certificate Created| 9/14/2022
Incidental Teaching and Substitute Teaching Flexibilities Extended | 5/18/2022
Elimination of the edTPA Requirement for Certification | 4/12/2022
Teacher Performance Assessment Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | 4/12/2022
Helpful Videos
Applying for a NYS Teaching Certificate in TEACH
Navigating TEACH website and other helpful websites
Navigating TEACH website and other helpful websites
Literacy (All Grades) Certificate Available
The newly created Literacy (All Grades) Certificate is now available in the TEACH system. This certificate permits individuals to teach literacy in pre-K through grade 12 in NYS public schools. Individuals interested in obtaining this certificate should submit a paid application through their NYS TEACH account, and official college transcripts to the NYSED Office of Teaching. To research pathways and requirements visit: OTI - Search Certification Requirements. For additional questions visit: OTI - Literacy (All Grades) Certificate.
SWD PreK-12 Certificate now Available in TEACH
The new SWD PreK-12 Grade Certificate is now available in the TEACH system. This certificate permits individuals to teach students with disabilities in pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 in New York State public schools. Individuals interested in obtaining this certificate should submit a paid application through their NYS TEACH account, and official college transcripts. To research pathways and requirements visit: OTI - Search Certification Requirements. For additional questions visit: Students with Disabilities (All Grades) Certificate Summary and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
SWD Grade Level or Content Area Extensions
Special Education Teachers holding SWD, Grades 1-6 Certification, may qualify to extend their certification into the lower developmental level of Pre-K and Kindergarten if they have a minimum of 3 years experience teaching students with disabilities at the 1st and/or 2nd grade levels, and also complete 45 clock hours of acceptable CTLE focused on SWD at the early-childhood level. Those interested may register for a 45 clock hour CTLE course for this extension at https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=13206&I=4223054
SWD-Subject Area Extension Revisions
The NYSED Board of Regents recently approved revisions to the SWD-Subject Area Extensions for SWD Teachers to teach certain subjects to students with disabilities in grades 5-9 or 7-12. The SWD-Subject Area Extensions are available in: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, ELA, Math, physics, SS, and a LOTE. Individuals interested in obtaining these extensions should submit a paid application through their NYS TEACH account. To research pathways and requirements, visit: OTI - Search Certification Requirements. For additional questions or clarification, visit:Subject Area Extension in Grades 5-9 and 7-12 for Special Education Teachers
TEACH Online Services
Through the TEACH Online Services System you can:
- Create a TEACH account
- Apply for a certificate
- Check the status of your application(s)
- View/update your profile
- Search certification requirements
- View correspondences from the NYSED Office of Teaching
- Update your certificate registration status
Helpful Links
Office of Teaching Initiatives Website
Coaching Licenses
Teaching Assistant Certificates
Applicants with Foreign Credentials
Applicants from Other States
NYS Teacher Certification Exams
NYSED CTLE Requirements
NYSED Registration Requirements
Adult Education Certification PDF
Coaching Licensure PDF
Teaching Assistant Certification PDF