New York Teacher Certification Exam Prep

In New York, the State Education Department (NYSED), through its Office of Teaching Initiatives, sets the standards candidates must meet to become certified teachers, managed through the TEACH online system. Requirements vary by certificate title and subject or grade band, and the full list of test and education requirements per title can be looked up with NYSED's Search Certification Requirements tool.

Candidates take assessments from the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) program, administered by Pearson/National Evaluation Series (nesinc), not edTPA. Depending on the certificate, this can include the Educating All Students (EAS) test, Content Specialty Tests (CSTs) for the subject area, and other specialized assessments. edTPA was eliminated as a certification requirement effective April 27, 2022, following a New York State Board of Regents vote, and was not replaced by a new state-administered performance assessment; instead, NY-registered teacher preparation programs must embed their own teacher performance assessment into student teaching and clinical practice. Guides that still tell candidates to take the edTPA for New York certification are outdated.

New York recognizes the following teacher certification credential types:

• Initial Certificate - Entry-level teaching certificate for new teachers.
• Professional Certificate - Advanced certificate after completing experience and requirements beyond the Initial certificate.
• Transitional Certificates - Several types, including alternative-pathway options for career changers.

The full list of certificate titles and their exact requirements is available through NYSED's Search Certification Requirements tool.

The New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) program, administered by Pearson/National Evaluation Series (nesinc), is the current testing program, not edTPA. Depending on the certificate, candidates may need the Educating All Students (EAS) test, Content Specialty Tests (CSTs) for the subject area, School Leadership Assessments (for administrative certificates), Foundations of Classroom Support and Instruction or the Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills (ATAS) for teaching-assistant certificates, a Bilingual Education Assessment, the Communication and Quantitative Skills Test (CQST, only for the CTE Transitional A - Option B pathway), or the Speech-Language Pathology Praxis test (ETS, for the Professional Speech and Language Disabilities certificate only).

Note an active transition to watch: NYSTCE science content tests (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics) are scheduled to retire August 9, 2026, replaced by new NES-branded exams, and new CST English Language Arts (613) and Mathematics (614) exams are scheduled to begin rolling out in summer/fall 2026. Confirm current test requirements at nystce.nesinc.com before registering.

Passing standards for NYSTCE assessments are set per test and published through the NYSTCE program at nystce.nesinc.com. Confirm the current passing score for your specific assessment before scheduling, since standards can change.

Typical requirements for New York teacher certification include:

• A bachelor's degree.
• Completion of a NYSED-registered teacher preparation program, which since April 27, 2022 must embed its own teacher performance assessment into student teaching and clinical practice.
• Passing the required NYSTCE assessments for your certificate title.
• Fingerprint and background clearance.

Exact requirements vary by certificate title and subject or grade band; confirm your specific path using NYSED's Search Certification Requirements tool.

Requirements can change. Always confirm current licensing rules with the official state licensing authority before applying.

NYSTCE per-test fees are set by the testing contractor and published at nystce.nesinc.com; NYSED does not publish a single flat figure across all certificate titles. Certificate application fees are handled through the TEACH online system. Always confirm current fee amounts with NYSED or the NYSTCE testing contractor before submitting payment.

A focused 4 to 6 week study plan works well for most candidates:

• Week 1-2: Review Teaching Foundations and Classroom Management against your required NYSTCE assessment blueprint.
• Week 3-4: Work through Assessment and Learning and your content-area material, then take a full-length practice test.
• Week 5-6: Review every missed question, drill weak areas, and confirm your specific certificate requirements using NYSED's Search Certification Requirements tool.

Practice topics on ExamsLib cover Teaching Foundations, Classroom Management, and Assessment and Learning.