THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:

Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee

FROM:

Johanna Duncan-Poitier

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

Proposed Amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Relating to Requirements for the Certification of Teaching Assistants

 

DATE:

January 20, 2006

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goal 3

AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Discussion

 

Should the Regents amend section 80-5.6(b)(2)(ii) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, relating to requirements for the certification of teaching assistants?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration


          Review of Policy.

 

Proposed Handling

 

The proposed amendment is before the Committee for discussion in February 2006 and will be submitted for action at the March 2006 Regents meeting.

 

Procedural History

 

A Notice of Proposed Rule Making will be published in the State Register on January 25, 2006.

 

 

Background Information

 

The purpose of the proposed amendment is to establish requirements for the certification of teaching assistants for service in the State's public schools: extending the validity of the level I and II teaching assistant certificates, specifying additional requirements for the renewal of the level I teaching assistant certificate, requiring additional collegiate study for the level II teaching assistant certificate, and clarifying coursework requirements.  Under existing regulations, teaching assistants advance through three levels of certificates (level I through level III), and level I and II certificates are time-limited. The amendment is needed to provide teaching assistants additional time to meet requirements for the next level certificate.  Also, the amendment is needed to ensure that level I certificate holders are on track for meeting the one-year experience requirement for the level II certificate.  This is accomplished by requiring the candidate requesting the renewal of the level I certificate to have a commitment for employment as a teaching assistant under that certificate. 

 

Recommendation

 

N/A

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

The effective date of the proposed amendment is April 13, 2006.

 

 

 

 

Attachment

 

AMENDMENT TO THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

          Pursuant to sections 207, 305, 3001, 3004, 3006, and 3009 of the Education Law.

          1.  Subclause (2) of clause (a) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of section 80-5.6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective April 13, 2006, as follows:

          (2) Time validity.  The certificate shall be valid for [one year] three years from its effective date [and shall not be renewable, unless the certificate holder submits adequate evidence of the need to renew the certificate for one additional year to meet the experience requirement for the level II teaching assistant certificate].  The certificate shall be renewable on one occasion only for three years, except for a certificate that already has been renewed once for a one-year term which may be renewed on one additional occasion only for three years, provided that for a certificate to be renewed the candidate must submit to the department adequate evidence substantiating that the candidate has a commitment for employment in a teaching assistant position under the level I teaching assistant certificate. 

          2. Item (i) of subclause (1) of clause (b) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of section 80-5.6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective April 13, 2006, as follows:

          (i) Education.  The candidate shall have attained a high school diploma or its equivalent [and] .  In addition, the candidate who applies for the certificate on or before February 1, 2007, shall be required to have successfully completed a total of at least six semester hours of collegiate study acceptable toward meeting the requirements for [a] an associate or baccalaureate degree, and the candidate who applies for the certificate after February 1, 2007 shall be required to have successfully completed a total of at least nine semester hours of such collegiate study.

          3.  Subclause (2) of clause (b) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of section 80-5.6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective April 13, 2006, as follows:

          (2) Time validity.  The certificate shall be valid for [two] three years from its effective date and shall not be renewable.

          4.  Item (i) of subclause (1) of clause (c) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of section 80-5.6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective April 13, 2006, as follows:

          (i) Education.  The candidate shall have attained a high school diploma or its equivalent and successfully completed a total of at least 18 semester hours of collegiate study acceptable toward meeting the requirements for [a] an associate or baccalaureate degree.

5.  Item (i) of subclause (1) of clause (d) of subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of section 80-5.6 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education is amended, effective April 13, 2006, as follows:

          (i) Education.  The candidate shall have attained a high school diploma or its equivalent, successfully completed a total of at least 18 semester hours of collegiate study acceptable toward meeting the requirements for  [a] an associate or baccalaureate degree, and be matriculated in a program registered as leading to teacher certification pursuant to section 52.21 of this Title, or its equivalent, or in a program with an articulation agreement with such a program.