How To Become A Teaching Assistant
Requirements for Becoming a Certified Teaching Assistant
Human Resources Department is not responsible for the processing or issuing of instructional certifications.
Complete instructions to obtain and maintain certifications can be found here or by contacting the New York State Education Department at 518-474-3901.
It is your responsibility to check your TEACH account and notify the Human Resources Department via email or in writing to 720 City Hall when your Teaching Assistant certification is issued. New York State does not contact Human Resources when your certification is issued and Human Resources does not audit certifications to determine whether or not they are initially issued. Once notified, Human Resources will send you a packet of paperwork that needs to be completed and processed, and membership to the NYS Teacher’s Retirement System is mandatory.
Application and Payment
Submit an application and pay the registration fee (Visa or MasterCard accepted) at TEACH online services.
Materials Required:
Copy of High School Diploma or GED
Proof of Education
Level 1: High School diploma or GED -valid for 3 years and then you must advance to a Level 2 or Level 3 certification which requires college credits and one year of experience.
Level 2: 9 college credits (Official College transcripts)-valid for 3 years and cannot be renewed.
Level 3: 18 college credits (Official College transcripts)-does not expire, professional development hours required to maintain.
SAVE Workshop Certification
Child Abuse Prevention Workshop Certification
Dignity for All Students Workshop Certification
Visit either of the websites below for Workshop Certifications OR contact Buffalo State College at 878-5907 or Erie County BOCES at 821-7009.
Send copies of the above materials to:
New York State Education Department
Office of Higher Education
977 Education Building Annex
Albany, New York 12234
Phone: 518-474-3901 x5
Teacher Assistant Certification Exam
Registering for your TEACH account does not automatically enroll you for the NYS Teacher Assistant Certification exam. For more information about how to register and pay for an upcoming exam please visit NYS Teacher Certification Exams.