Certification Tests

Tests Required for First Initial Certification if You Are Not Already Certified in New York State

Be sure you check the requirements for your certification area. Certification rules and procedures may change or be revised over time.

If you want to obtain certification related to your college educator preparation program at Brooklyn College, check the list for the first certification title you will be eligible for under the list for Approved Teacher Preparation Program.

If you are applying for certification related to your dual certificate college program, for your first certification area, check Pathway: Approved Teacher Preparation Program and for your other certificate, check Approved Teacher Preparation Program—Additional Certificate.

To check if your program leads to certification, refer to either the undergraduate program or the graduate program lists.

If You Have New York State Certification and Will Be Applying for Certification to Teach Another Age Group or Subject

If your certification is in effect (it is valid, not expired, revoked, etc.), you should not need to complete the new certification tests unless you are applying for certification to teach another age group or subject.

• If you will not be completing a master’s degree that leads to certification for the new certification area you want, follow these instructions.
• If you will be completing a master’s degree that leads to certification for the certificate you want, you can check requirements under Pathway: Approved Teacher Prep Program—Additional Certificate.

Test Required for School Counselors

The testing requirement for school counseling will change beginning February 26, 2024. Candidates who apply and pay the fee for the Initial School Counselor certificate by this date and who complete all requirements for the certificate other than the CST prior to this date are not required to take and pass the School Counselor CST.

Test Preparation

The Murphy Institute’s LEAP to Teacher program offers free test prep and other services. Sign up here. The workshops are open to all CUNY students. For more information about test prep with the Murphy Institute, you can also send an e-mail or call 646.313.8532. After you have an account, you can select from the choices listed. You can check the Murphy Institute’s portal for updates and you will be added to its test prep mailing list.

TPA REQUIREMENT

All educators-in-training who are scheduled to complete student teaching starting in fall 2023 will not have to take the edTPA. Instead, they will be evaluated using a Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA), which will be integrated into their course work. All TPAs require students to videorecord a sample of their teaching, which will be evaluated using a student teaching observation rubric. All TPAs also include a dispositions rubric, common throughout all School of Education teacher preparation programs. Additionally, specific program TPAs include additional rubrics and/or assessments, some of which will happen during student teaching or other courses in the program.