Teaching Assistant Certification
HILLARY BREWER
WSWHE BOCES
REGIONAL CERTIFICATION OFFICER
SUPERVISOR, TEACHER REGISTRY
Regulations of the Commissioner of Education
Teaching Assistant
Description- A teaching assistant is appointed by a board of education to
provide, under the general supervision of a licensed or certified teacher, direct
instructional service to students.
Duties- Teaching assistants assist teachers by performing duties such as:
 Working with individual pupils or groups of pupils on special instructional
projects
 Providing the teacher with information about pupils that will assist the teacher
in the development of appropriate learning experiences
 Assisting pupils in the use of available instructional resources, and assisting in
the development of instructional materials
 Utilizing their own special skills and abilities by assisting in instructional
programs in such areas as: foreign languages, arts, crafts, music and similar
subjects; and assisting in related instructional work as required.
Levels of Teaching Assistant Certification
 Level I- valid for 3 years
 Level I Renewal- valid for 3 years
 Level II- valid for 3 years
 Level III- no expiration date attached
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Must complete 75 hours of Professional Development each 5 year
period to maintain validity
Requirements of Teaching Assistant Certification
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Level I
Education - High School Diploma or GED
New York State Teacher Certification Exam - ATAS
Workshop - Child Abuse Identification
Workshop - School Violence Intervention and
Prevention
Workshop- DASA (Dignity for All Students)
Fingerprint Clearance
Requirements of Teaching Assistant Certification
Level I Renewal
The Level I Renewal is only for those people that held a Level
I TA certification, but were unable to obtain the 1 year of TA
experience to qualify for the Level II or Level III
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Education - High School Diploma or GED
New York State Teacher Certification Exam - ATAS
Workshop - Child Abuse Identification
Workshop - School Violence Intervention and Prevention
Workshop- DASA (Dignity for All Students)
Fingerprint Clearance
School District Recommendation- A NYS public school would enter this
when hiring a TA that qualifies.
Requirements of Teaching Assistant Certification
Level II
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Education - High School Diploma or GED
College Coursework - 9 S.H.
New York State Teacher Certification Exam – ATAS
Experience as a NYS Licensed Teaching Assistant - 1
Yr.
Workshop - Child Abuse Identification
Workshop - School Violence Intervention and
Prevention
Workshop- DASA (Dignity for All Students)
Fingerprint Clearance
Requirements of Teaching Assistant Certification
Level III
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Education - High School Diploma or GED
College Coursework - 18 S.H.
New York State Teacher Certification Exam - ATAS
Experience as a NYS Licensed Teaching Assistant - 1
Yr.
Workshop - Child Abuse Identification
Workshop - School Violence Intervention and
Prevention
Workshop- DASA (Dignity for All Students)
Fingerprint Clearance
Completing the Requirements
Education Requirements
 High School Diploma or GED
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Submit a photo copy of document
 College Coursework 9 s.h. or 18 s.h.
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Submit official college transcript from college
Official transcripts are sent directly by a college in a sealed envelope
All documents must list at least the last 4 digits of individuals Social
Security number.
If high school diploma lists maiden name and maiden name is not
listed in your TEACH account, please also include a copy of your
marriage certificate showing last name matching TEACH account.
Completing the Requirements
Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills (ATAS)
Exam
 All test information including preparation materials on-line
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at www.nystce.nesinc.com
Register for exam on-line
Exam fee is $79
Test is only available through an appointment for computer
based testing
Results go directly to TEACH account 4 weeks after exam
Once exam result is entered in TEACH it will remain valid
Completing the Requirements
Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting , School
Violence Prevention & DASA
 All workshops required for anyone seeking certification through
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the NYS Education Department
Child Abuse and SAVE can be completed on-line in 2 hours each
at www.childabuseworkshop.com
Child Abuse is $39.95, SAVE is $50- complete both for $74.95
DASA training is a new requirement. See
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/dasaapplicant.html for a list of approved providers. Cost will vary by
provider.
Will receive Certificate of Completion that will be signed and
submitted to NYSED
Once workshops are entered in TEACH they remain valid
Completing the Requirements
Fingerprint Clearance
 Apply Online for Fingerprint Clearance & Appointment at
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www.IdentoGo.com Make Payment through account-$102
fee. Use ORI Number- TEACH
Schedule Appointment at nearest location
In some cases hiring school district will pay for associated
fees. Process is slightly different.
Once Fingerprints are cleared through the FBI and DCJSclearance will be listed in TEACH
Clearance remains valid
Completing the Requirements
1 Year Experience as a NYS Licensed Teaching
Assistant
 Work 1 year as a Teaching Assistant under a valid
Teaching Assistant certificate
 List experience in personal TEACH account and
submit completed Verification of Teaching Assistant
Experience document.
Application Process
All Teaching Assistant applications are
completed through the NYS TEACH system
www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert
 Applications can be assigned to either the
NYSED office or to a BOCES Regional
Certification Officer
 Applications processed by BOCES RCO are
generally expedited in a more timely fashion.
BOCES will charge a $25 fee for this service.
Application Process
www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert
• Website will bring you to this page
• Self-Register with TEACH first if you
have not set up a TEACH account
• Then click Login to TEACH
• Enter Username & Password to Sign In
• On the following Screen click TEACH Online Services
TEACH Home Page
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Check on personal information or
status of applications by going to
Account Information
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Choose Apply for Certificate to begin
application
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Level III TA’s can view their PD hours
by clicking here
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Can submit a payment here if began
an application and needed to come
back for payment
• Read through information &
then select Next
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Once you have updated your Personal Information if necessary
Entered or updated education information
Entered or updated employment information
Then click Next
You will almost always get the message below
• Hit Next until you are allowed to the following screen
• Select certificate areas as above
• Choose the Level that is appropriate for you
• Then Click Add
• Select the circle for Individual Evaluation Pathway
• Then Select Next
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After adding
certificate- system
will take you back to
add another
certificate
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Click Next at the
bottom of the page
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Then system will ask
you to assign to SED
or BOCES RCO
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Choose BOCES RCO
Finish Certification Application
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SIGN AFFIDAVIT
 CONFIRM AND SIGN APPLICATION
 MAKE PAYMENT
 SEND ALL DOCUMENTATION ATTENTION:
HILLARY BREWER
REGIONAL CERTIFICATION OFFICER
1153 BURGOYNE AVE. SUITE 2
FORT EDWARD, NY 12828