Additional Information for LPCS Teachers
Coursework/ Degrees
Any coursework or degrees used to satisfy teacher licensure requirements must have been taken at a regionally accredited college or university with the exception that the professional education courses required for licensure can be taken through one of the approved New York State proprietary school associations. Courses completed at registered or licensed proprietary schools, in adult education programs, or in continuing education programs are not acceptable toward satisfying licensure requirements. Life experience credit or credit based on completion of a proficiency examination will only be recognized if a regionally accredited college or university has awarded college credit for that activity.
The credit hours listed on the evaluation forms are expressed in terms of semester credit hours. Regionally accredited colleges/ universities that use units other than semester credit hours will have those units converted into semester hour credit by the Bureau prior to evaluation.
Experience Requirements
Experience requirements are listed in terms of full-time experience. Experience that is less than full-time, but at least half-time applies toward licensure requirements at a rate of two years of such experience equating to one year of full-time experience. Ordinarily, the employer determines whether the experience has been full or part-time. Part-time experience must be indicated in terms of the percentage of a full-time position in which the applicant was employed. Experience of less than half-time does not apply.
Work experience is practical (not teaching) experience in the occupation for which the course or curriculum will prepare students. Therefore, experience routinely using word processing software applications as an administrative assistant would apply as computer applications work experience. Training co-workers in using such software would not apply as work experience. Documentation of work experience requires an originally signed and dated letter on company letterhead indicating the applicant's specific dates of employment, job title, detailed job description, percentage of a full time position in which the applicant was employed and, where different types of assignments were combined (e.g., computer networking and computer programming, etc.) the percentage of the applicant's time devoted to each. As an alternative, individuals can use the "Verification of Work Experience for Personnel Licensure (BT-2)" form.
Where an employee's assignment combines work and teaching/training experience, the letter of verification must specify the percentage of the work assignment devoted to actually performing the occupation as opposed to teaching/training.
Special Instructions for Self-Employed
Where an applicant is self-employed, a sworn affidavit to that effect should be submitted and properly attested to by two witnesses. (Note: A witness is an individual who knew the applicant during the time of self-employment [e.g., a customer or employee.]) The affidavit should also include the address of the applicant's place of business, the nature of his/her employment, whether or not employed full time, and the dates employed.
Where employment was in a foreign country and evidence of such is not available, a sworn affidavit attested to by two witnesses should be submitted. (Note: A witness is an individual who knew the applicant during the time of self-employment [e.g., a customer or employee.]) The affidavit should describe, in detail, the nature of the employment and give the names and addresses of employers.
Likewise, where education was obtained in a foreign country, or obtained in this country and records are not available, an affidavit similar to those above should be submitted, giving the name and address of school or schools attended, whether full-time, part-time, courses completed, and length of courses. The affidavit should be accompanied, if possible, by a letter or letters from school authorities stating that the records are not available. The affidavit should be attested to by two witnesses.
Where applicant's experience is gained from freelance work, adequate evidence should be submitted that the freelance work is equated to the appropriate number of years of full-time experience. Please follow the affidavit format indicated above if verification from employers cannot be obtained.
School Owners/Presidents/Directors
Education Law allows a school to employ a teacher before the teacher has been issued a permit/license provided that the school does the following:
- The teacher must file an application online, pay the evaluation fee and the school owner, president or director must email BPSS@NYSED.GOV, four (4) days prior to the first day of the teacher's employment. That email must contain the following information:
- The teacher’s name
- First day of employment
- Statement from the owners, president, or director stating they are, “certain that the teacher will meets the licensure requirements.”
- An affirmation that owner, president, or director acknowledges responsibility for deeming teacher to be qualified prior to licensure.
- File all supporting official transcripts, letters verifying experience, etc. required for the teaching permit/license within twenty (20) days of the filing of the application.
In such a case, once the Bureau confirms that the teacher is qualified for the credential requested, the permit/license will be dated effective as of the first day of the teacher's employment.