Frequently Asked Questions About Certification

1. Where is the Office of Certification and Educational Support Services located?
   The office is located in 129 Hagedorn Hall. Susan LaFemina is the Certification Coordinator and she can be contacted at (516) 463-4216 or via e-mail.
   
   
2. When do I file for Certification?
   Requests for institutional recommendation are submitted to the office in your final semester at Hofstra. Certification information seminars are presented every semester at which time certification request forms will be distributed.
   
   
3. Can I file an application through Hofstra before I complete my program?
   Certification recommendations can only be made for individuals who have received a degree in a teacher education, pupil personnel or educational leadership program here at Hofstra. All other applicants must file an application directly with the Office of Teaching in Albany.
   
   
4. What type of certification will I be eligible for when I graduate?
   

   Initial Certificate Description: The entry-level certificate for classroom teachers Validity: Valid for 5 years Leads to: Professional Certificate

   Professional Certificate Description: The advanced level certificate for classroom teachers Validity: Continuously valid with completion of required professional development hours on a five-year professional development cycle.

   Provisional Description: The entry-level certificate for pupil personnel professionals and school administrators. Previously, the entry-level certificate for classroom teachers as well, but discontinued as of February 2, 2004. Validity: Valid for 5 years Leads to: Permanent Certificate

   Permanent Description: The advanced-level certificate for pupil personnel professions and school administrators. The Permanent certificate also remains the advanced level certificate for classroom teachers who hold a valid Provisional certificate. Validity: Valid for life, unless revoked for cause by the New York State Education Department.

5. What is the professional development requirement?
   Holders of a Professional teaching certificate for classroom teaching certificate are required to complete professional development hours to maintain the validity of their certificates. Professional certificate holders must complete 175 clock hours every five years.
   
   
6. What tests are required for certification?
   Effective February 2, 2004, to receive an initial New York State teaching certificate in most fields, candidates are required to achieve passing scores on the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST), the elementary or secondary version of the Assessment of Teaching Skills- Written (ATS-W), and a Content Specialty (CST) in their area of certification. Candidates who received a provisional certificate effective before February 2, 2004, in PreK-6, secondary academic titles (7-12), or ESOL, are required to achieve passing scores on the CST in the content area of the certification and the Assessment of Teaching Skills- Performance (ATS-P) video in order to obtain a permanent certificate.
   
   
7. Do I need to be fingerprinted?
   All applicants for any new teaching or teaching assistant certificate must undergo fingerprint supported criminal history background check. New York State law requires the State Education Department to conduct these background checks for all school personnel, including applicants for certification, in addition to all prospective employees of school districts, charter schools and BOCES. The Office of Certification and Educational Support Services will have two sessions in the Fall and the Spring semester at which time you can get fingerprinted.