Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE)

Registering Your License

Beginning July 1, 2016, if you hold one of the following certificates, you must register your teaching license with the New York State Education Department (SED) every five years:

  • Permanent or professional teaching certificate in the classroom teaching service
  • Permanent or professional leader certificate in the educational leadership service (i.e., school building leader, school district leader, school district business leader), or
  • Level III Teaching Assistant certificate

Failure to register will result in discontinuance of your license.

Register online using the TEACH system. Registration periods will be as follows:

  • If you are a teacher or school leader with a permanent or professional certificate or a Level II Teaching Assistant certificate issued prior to July 1, 2016, you must register during the 2016-17 school year during the month of your birth, beginning on July 1, 2016, and you must renew your registration in the last year of each subsequent five-year period.
  • If you are a teacher or school leader with a permanent or professional certificate or a Level II Teaching Assistant certificate issued on or after July 1, 2016, you will be automatically registered, and you must re-register during the fifth succeeding birthday month thereafter and during each birthday month in the last year of each subsequent five-year period.

If you are not practicing, or if you cease to practice in New York, you must notify SED of this through the TEACH system. “Practicing” means employed 90 days or more during a school year by a single applicable school in New York in a position requiring certification. A single day of employment includes a day actually worked in whole or in part, or a day not actually worked but a day paid.

Continuing Education Requirements

The new law also requires, beginning with the 2016-17 school year, that holders of a professional certificate in the classroom teaching service or educational leadership service and holders of a Level III Teaching Assistant certificate (but not holders of permanent certificates) who are practicing in a New York public school or board of cooperative educational services (BOCES) complete 100 hours of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) during each five-year registration period. This is a change from the current requirement of 175 hours for those who hold professional certificates and from 75 to 100 hours for those who hold a Level III Teaching Assistant certificate.

The CTLE requirement may be completed at any time during the registration period. CTLE completed during a prior registration period may not be carried over.

Additional Notes

  • Permanent classroom teacher and school leader certificate holders practicing in New York State school districts or BOCES will be subject to Registration requirements, but will not be subject to CTLE.
  • Holders of Continuing Teaching Assistant certificates or Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) certificates such as School Attendance Teachers, School Counselors, School Psychologists, School Social Workers, School Dental Hygiene Teachers and School Nurse Teachers are not subject to Registration or CTLE requirements.
  • Consistent with the previously established professional development requirements, certificate holders must complete the following CTLE requirements in language acquisition to address the needs of English language learner students:
    • For those holding a professional certificate in the certificate title of English to speakers of other languages (all grades) or a holder of a bilingual extension under section 80-4.3 of this Title, shall be required to complete a minimum of 50 percent of the required CTLE clock hours in language acquisition aligned with the core content area of instruction taught, including a focus on best practices for co-teaching strategies, and integrating language and content instruction for English language learners; and
    • For all other certificate holders a minimum of 15 percent of the required CTLE clock hours shall be dedicated to language acquisition addressing the needs of English language learners, including a focus on best practices for co-teaching strategies, and integrating language and content instruction for such English language learners; and
    • For those holding a Level III Teaching Assistant certificate, a minimum of 15 percent of the required CTLE clock hours shall be dedicated to language acquisition addressing the needs of English language learners and integrating language and content instruction for such English language learners.

More Resources

  • Registration and CTLE FAQs [PENDING HOSTING PDF]
  • Table of registration and CTLE requirements by certificate type [PENDING HOSTING PDF]
  • SED memo on the new requirements [PENDING HOSTING PDF]
  • Who to contact for support [PENDING HOSTING PDF]
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