Childhood/SWD (1-6) & Early Childhood/SWD (B-2) FAQ

1) What classes are categorized by upper and lower division classes?

Lower Division Classes

Inclusive Ed./Childhood	Childhood Ed.	Early Child/Special Ed.
EDU 203	EDU 203	EDU 103
EDU 217	EDU 217	EDU 203
EDU 218	EDU 218	SED 270
EDU 237/EDU237L	EDU 237/EDU237L	ECSE 221
EDU 313	EDU 313	ECSE 279
SED 270	SED 270	EDU 217
SED 333	SED 333	EDU 237/EDU237L
SED 340		ECSE 222
SED 364		ECSE 280
		EDU 303
		SED 333

Upper Division Classes

Inclusive Ed./Childhood	Childhood Ed.	Early Child/Special Ed.
EDU 267	EDU 237/EDU237L	ECSE 324
EDU 316	EDU 267	ECSE 325
EDU 319	EDU 316	EDU 320
EDU 320	EDU 319	EDU 326
EDU 327	EDU 320	EDU 471 / EDU 472
EDU 475	EDU 321	SED 371
SED 363	SED 371	SOC 303
SED 371	EDU 473
SED 401	EDU 474
SED 476

2) How do I apply for upper division?

If you are an Early Childhood/SWD (B-2) major, or a Childhood/SWD (1-6) major, you would apply for upper division in your second semester, sophomore year, if the following have been taken and met:

In order to be admitted to upper division (and allowed to take upper division education courses), the following must be accomplished:

An overall quality point average of 2.75 or better for all completed college courses.
A quality point average of 2.75 or better in all education courses (SED, EDU & ECSC prefixes).

A grade of “C” or better in EDU 203 Learning Theory.
A grade of “B” or better in EDU 237 Instructional Design.
A grade of "C" or better in SED 270 Introduction to the Nature & Educational Needs of Students with Disabilities.

Graded papers from each class must also be submitted:

The research paper from EDU 203 with instructor’s comments and grade earned.
The research paper from SED 270 with instructor’s comments and grade earned.
The instructional unit for EDU 237 with instructor’s comments and grade earned.

You must compile and submit on-line an upper division teaching portfolio for review by education department during spring semester of your sophomore year. This will also include:

An emergent professional resume, must include original resume with feedback from Career Services and revisions.
An emergent comprehensive development plan.
An emergent dispositional self-assessment.
A dispositional interview.

3) What tests do I need to take, and pass, in order to secure my certification?

For Childhood/SWD (1-6)

Educating All Students Test (EAS)

Content Specialty Test - Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grade 1 - Grade 6)

Content Specialty Test - Students With Disabilities

edTPA

For Early Childhood/SWD (B-2)

Educating All Students Test (EAS)

Content Specialty Test - Multi-Subject: Teachers of Early Childhood (B-Grade 2)

Content Specialty Test - Students With Disabilities

edTPA

4) When should I take the required examinations?

Childhood/SWD (1-6)

Educating All Students Test (EAS): Sophomore/Junior Year
Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities: Senior Year
Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grades 1- 6): Senior Year
edTPA - Senior Year (During Student Teaching)

Early Childhood/SWD (B-2)

Educating All Students Test (EAS): Sophomore/Junior Year
Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities: Senior Year
Content Specialty Test (CST) – Multi-Subject: Teachers of Early Childhood (Birth-Grade 2): Senior Year
edTPA - Senior Year (During Student Teaching)

5) What are ways to prepare for New York State Teacher Certification Examinations?

For preparation information please visit the .

Also, from time to time, we hear of special preparation classes. If you know of any, let one of the faculty members know and we will send an email to all education students via the list-serve.

6) I understand that if I take and fail any of the required certification examinations, that NYSD has developed safety nets. Where can I find this information?

Please visit the following NYSED website:

7) When do I student teach?

Technically, student teaching is your “capstone” exercise for completing your degree and will propel you to begin your professional teaching career, graduate school or both; thus, student teaching is completed in your senior year. Some students teach in the fall semester, some in the spring. Speak to your advisor about this when the time comes. Please also refer to the 51�� College catalog and/or your curriculum design.

8) Can I request where and/or with whom I'd like to student teach?

When you apply to student teach, on the application there is a section asking for the name and contact information for someone you are requesting to student teach with. We try to honor this, but sometimes this may not work out. But we do our best!

9) How do I apply for my teaching certification?

Please visit the following NYSED TEACH website:
You will need to set up your own TEACH account.

10) Which pathway do I need to follow in order to apply for my teaching credential?

Pathway: Approved Teacher Preparation Program 05/01/2014

This pathway refers to programs specifically designed and registered with the New York State Education Department to qualify students for New York State teacher, pupil personnel, or administrative certification. Specified non-coursework requirements, such as the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations and fingerprint clearance, must also be satisfied

11) What do I need to get recommended for my certificate?

You need to finish your bachelor’s degree. You also need to complete the following NYS workshops: Project SAVE, child abuse training, Dignity for All Students (DASA). Contact the Certification Officer--Amherst Education Programs to address any questions in regard to being recommended.

12) What is a "Bachelor's Cert Code" and what is it used for?

Go the and you will see the link to your Bachelor's Certification Code which you will need to follow as you apply for your certification.

13) Where can I get information about fingerprinting?

Please visit the for information.

14) What, when, and where is DASA?

15) How to I get informed about Project Save and Child Abuse Training?

Please visit the following website: . Both workshops can be accomplished there.

16) What master’s programs does 51�� College offer?

Read a full description of our graduate education programs.

17) After I have graduated, do I enter a master’s program to secure a professional certificate or an initial/professional certificate?

New York has tinkered with certifications in the last few years, making it a bit challenging about what decisions you need to make in regard to securing your need cert after securing your bachelor’s degree and your initial certification.

The best thing to do is contact graduate admissions, of wherever you are looking to study, along with any graduate coordinators in the respective departments/schools of education to seek their counsel of what to do.

18) What is the difference between initial/professional and professional certification programs?

The major differences are the number of credits between initial/professional (min. 39 credits) and professional (30 credits). Also, student enrolled in initial/professional will have to student teach again.

19) What are the requirements to secure a professional teaching certificate?

In addition to the master’s degree, you must have three years of teaching experience. However, NYS has made this a bit complicated. Refer to the .

20) How long do I have to secure a master’s degree (and either an initial/professional or professional certification)?

As of February, 2005, you have five years to complete the master's degree from the time you secure your certification from New York State.

21) Can I get an extension to complete the master’s degree?

It is possible. Currently, the requirement for earning a master's degree is five years after a person gets certified in New York. Although there is a process for an extension, you will have to meet one of several conditions. Please refer to the for additional information regarding extensions.

22) How do I apply to get a certification extension?

Keep in mind at 51��, we are concerned with you finishing your degree and getting your certification based on your major. Any extension(s) would be between NYSED and you.

NYSED recommends the following:

Go to the Office of Teaching web site: .
Once there, click on Topics A-Z.
Then, scroll down to Certificate Requirements.
Then select your area of interest, etc. and click the search button. You need to look for the pathway called Additional Classroom Teaching Certificate
- Must Hold a Valid Certificate.

Under that, you will see all the requirements for an additional certificate. Then click on each requirement for more information and explanation of coursework.

You apply for the additional certificate through TEACH, but you would not use a program code.

You have to send official transcripts either to your local BOCES (the one closest to where you live) or to NYSED after you apply for your additional certificate(s), depending on who you designate as the evaluator when you apply in TEACH.

23) When I’m applying for my two certifications, I understand that there is an extra step to applying for the “first” and then “second” cert. How does that work?

This is what NYSED is telling us: If you are applying for multiple teacher certificates and/or enrolled in a teacher preparation program leading to certification in multiple subject areas (e.g., Childhood Education and Students with Disabilities [Grades 1-6]), then you would apply for a (first) Initial certificate in the subject area of your edTPA and apply for other Initial certificate(s) in the other subject area(s) through the “Additional Certificate” pathway. The edTPA is not required for additional certificates; individuals only need to pass one edTPA in the subject area of their (first) Initial certificate.