Certification Overview

March 6, 2008

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Agenda

Teacher Certification Overview

New Human Capital Profile System

NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher Overview

Question and Answer Session

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NYS Certificate v. NYC License

NY State Certificate

•Issued by NYS after all requirements are completed

•Basis for NYC License

•Will expire (except for permanent certificates)

NYC License

•Automatically generated by NYC when staff is hired (payroll secretary can access)

•Depends on your NY State certificate and NYC teaching assignment

•Specifies area for DOE Seniority

New York State requires that all teachers and other school staff be certified.

NYC Board of Examiners licenses are equivalent to State certification.

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Common NY State Certificate Types

Basic Transitional B – Alternative certification; valid for 3 years Internship – 50% of Master’s, no tests; 2 years Conditional Initial – Out of State certificate; 2 years “College Letter” – Not a NYS certificate; 1 year

Entry-Level Provisional – Most requirements met, save 2 yrs experience; 5 years Initial – Most requirements met, save 3 yrs experience; 5 years

Advanced-Level Permanent – All requirements met; no expiration date Professional – Requirements met; need 175 hrs of PD every 5 years

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Expiring Certificates

Each year, we send teachers with expiring or not yet issued certificates 4-5 letters reminding them to complete requirements

Encourage staff to visit local ISC or DHR Call 718-935-4723 to make an appointment Bring all transcripts, test scores, etc. Be sure to apply with NYS Education Department Keep copies of all documents

Terminations only occur June 30th of each year

Review list of your expiring certificate staff with HR Partner Must be state certified in NYC license area or have license changed

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Role of Your HR Partner

Your HR Partner and ISC can help you:

Hire new, properly certified teachers

Evaluate teachers for certification by scheduling a meeting with a certification specialist

Review expiring certificate holders

Review your NCLB BEDS reports

Discuss Completion of Probation and Tenure concerns

Answer additional questions

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Questions?

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New Human Capital Profile System DEMONSTRATION

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How You Can Access the Human Capital Profile

Important Human Capital information and online systems can be found on the new Principal Portal at http://intranet.nycboe.net/DOEPortal/Principals. 

Look under Key IT Systems to find a full list of the online HR Tools available to you

On Tuesday, March 11, check Principal’s Weekly to find detailed instructions on how to access this system

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Questions?

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What is Highly Qualified (HQ)?

Teachers in certain “core” subjects must be HQ, which means they are: CertifiedAND Assigned to their area of certification, with limited flexibility

Core Subjects are: English, reading, language arts Math Sciences Social Studies Foreign languages Arts (art, dance, music, theater, public speaking, drama)

Special Education teachers must show they know the core subjects they are teaching for credit if they have a general K-12 certificate

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HQ FlexibilityLimited flexibility exists to assign teachers outside of their certification

Teachers can teach ONE period per day outside of certification Elementary teachers at the Middle School can teach Math, Science,

English, and Social Studies in Grades 7 & 8 Self-contained Special Education teachers can teach all core subjects to

special education students

These teachers must “demonstrate subject matter competency” to show they know their out of field subject(s)

This only applies to core subjects, not different student populations, i.e., General Education teachers can’t teach Special Ed students and vice versa

ONLY teachers in these three instances above can teach outside of their certification area

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Demonstrating Subject Matter Competency for Out of Certification Assignments

Holding an undergraduate or graduate degree or its equivalent in the subject; OR

Passing a Content Specialty Test (CST) in the subject or a NYC Board of Examiners test in the subject; OR

For teachers hired before 8/31/07, using the HOUSSE (High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation)

HOUSSE is a rubric that enables teachers to demonstrate subject matter competency using education, credentials, teaching experience and professional development

Teachers can access HOUSSE with their name, file # and SSN at http://www.nycenet.edu/offices/dhr/housse

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Determining if a Teacher is HQ

Annual BEDS Survey & Report determines if a teacher is HQ BEDS was open from November 14th – January 18th this year Reports were available to print through February 29th

Scenario Core Class (Subject to NCLB)

Not Core Class (Not subject to NCLB)

If someone has the proper certification for an assignment

Highly Qualified Teaching in Certification

If someone does NOT have the proper certification for an assignment

Not Highly Qualified Teaching Out of Certification

ONLY if someone is:1) Teaching ONE Period a day outside of their certification2) A CB teacher is teaching a common branch subject (math, science, English, Social Studies) at the middle school3) A special education who teaches one or more core academic subjects to a special (self-contained) class for students with disabilities in grades 7 – 12 (Elementary special ed teachers are HQ by being certified in special education)

Must Demonstrate Subject Matter Competency- Take HOUSSE

N/A

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Options for Non-HQ TeachersNo $$$ Reassign teachers to classes consistent with their certification area, when possible

May Require $$$ - Title I Schools have 5% HQ Set-Aside For only those needing to demonstrate subject matter competency, you can use

HOUSSE, the appropriate Content Specialty Test, or a major in the subject

Help teacher gain additional certification in the assignment area using your Title I 5% set aside Certification Specialists at your local ISC can assist in determining if your non-

HQ teacher is eligible for the Conversion Program

*Teachers cannot be excessed on the basis of their Non-HQ status

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Common HQ QuestionsCan Elementary teachers can teach at Middle School level?

YES, only in Math, Science, English and Social Studies, and they must demonstrate subject matter competency in the subject(s) they teach.

Can Elementary teachers teach the Arts and be HQ? NO. Arts cluster teachers must have arts certification to be HQ.

Can a Science teacher teach any science and be HQ? NO. Science teachers must be certified for their specific science at the HS level. Any

science certificate is valid at the Middle School.

Can a General Ed teachers teach a self-contained class for one period a day? NO. Special Ed teachers must teach self-contained classes. HQ applies to “subjects” not

different student populations.

Can only teachers listed as “Take HOUSSE App” on your BEDS reports take HOUSSE? YES, with one exception: Teachers must be listed as “Take HOUSSE App” on your BEDS

reports take HOUSSE. Teachers listed as not HQ cannot take HOUSSE to become HQ. The one exception is that Special Education teachers can take HOUSSE for core subjects they may teach in the future.

Why is my teacher not HQ? I thought they had certification in their assignment area. If a teacher’s certificate has expired, they may no longer be HQ. Once they have a new,

valid certificate, they will become HQ again. Please help them get certified.

How will my BEDS Survey be used? NY State uses your BEDS Survey to determine Highly Qualified status, class size, and other

key data for your school. Accuracy is important!

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Questions?