ESL Certification Requirements in New York

<p>ESL, or ESOL, teachers instruct students whose native language is not English. They teach students English skills relevant to their grade level by practicing reading, writing, listening and speaking. In New York, these educators will get a classroom teaching certificate in English to Speakers of Other Languages, which qualifies them to teach preschool through 12th grade. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Education/Experience Required </td><td> Bachelor's degree in ESL and teacher preparation program</td></tr> <tr><td> Exams Required </td><td> edTPA; EAS (Educating All Students); CST (Content Specialty Test) in ESOL</td></tr> <tr><td> License Validity Period </td><td> 5 years for initial certificate</td></tr> <tr><td> Advancement Requirements </td><td> Master's degree and 3 years of teaching experience to advance to professional certificate</td></tr> <tr><td> Mean Salary (2018, general teachers in New York) </td><td> $48,630 (preschool)<br /> $79,410 (kindergarten)<br />$83,010 (elementary school)<br />$83,490 (middle school)<br />$85,300 (high school)*</td></tr> <tr><td> Estimated National Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td> 10% (preschool)<br /> 7% (kindergarten and elementary)<br /> 8% (middle and high school)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) </i></p> <h3 id="section---EducationAndExperienceRequirements">Education and Experience Requirements</h3> <p>To get an initial certification in teaching ESL in New York, applicants must complete a bachelor's degree program and a state-approved program in teaching ESL. For those who already hold a bachelor's degree, but not in the field of education, New York state offers alternative routes to certification that can be found on the state education department's website. Various universities throughout New York offer state-approved undergraduate, graduate and alternative programs for teaching ESL. Once the candidate completes the program, the higher education institution will need to complete an online statement that recommends the candidate receive certification. </p> <h3 id="section---RequiredCertificationExams">Required Certification Exams</h3> <p>New York state has various certification exams that depend on the subject and grade level an individual wants to be certified in. The state requires ESL teachers to pass the: </p> <ul><li>Educating All Students (EAS) exam, which costs $92 as of 2019 and requires a score of 520. This test assesses teachers' knowledge of instructing various kinds of students, including those with special needs and English language learners. </li><li>edTPA in English as an additional language, a performance assessment examines teachers' skills in working with ESL students. </li><li>Content Specialty Test (CST) 116 in ESOL. A passing score is 520 and it costs $134 as of 2019. This 3-plus-hour test covers topics about language learning, instruction practices and more. </li></ul><h3 id="section---AdditionalCourseworkDocumentAndFingerprintingRequirements">Additional Coursework, Document and Fingerprinting Requirements</h3> <p>Apply for certification using the TEACH online system on the state department of education website. During the application process, applicants will also need to send supporting documents, like college transcripts, to the state. The application fee was $50 or $100 as of 2019, depending on the applicant's pathway to certification. </p> <p>New York also requires that all teachers get fingerprinted for a background check, which costs about $100 as of 2019. </p> <p>In the TEACH system, applicants will also have to show proof that they've completed 6 hours of DASA training about bullying and discrimination prevention. A list of approved providers is available online. </p> <h3 id="section---CertificateRenewalAndAdvancementRequirements">Certificate Renewal and Advancement Requirements</h3> <p>All entry-level teachers will first receive the initial New York teaching certificate, which is valid for five years. Before this certificate expires, educators must work toward getting a professional certificate. To get a professional certificate, educators need three years of teaching experience, including a year of mentored experience, and they'll need to complete a master's degree, if they haven't already.</p>