Starting February 2, 2023, New York introduced new Initial and Professional School Counselor certificates, replacing the older Provisional and Permanent certificates. This blog will help you navigate these changes and understand the new certification requirements.
Initial and Professional Certificates
The new Initial and Professional School Counselor certificates have specific requirements that differ from the old Provisional and Permanent certificates. To learn about the pathways to these new certifications, visit the Search Certification Requirements webpage. Here, you will find information on the required courses, practicum, and internship for the “Individual Evaluation” pathway, as well as details on the new School Counselor Content Specialty Test.
Provisional Renewal and Time Extensions
If you hold an expired Provisional School Counselor certificate, you can extend its validity through a time extension or Provisional Renewal, provided you meet the eligibility requirements.
Provisional Certificate
The Provisional School Counselor certificate is available only to candidates who completed a New York State Registered school counselor education program before February 2, 2024. You must apply and meet all requirements before this date. The application will no longer be available in the TEACH system after February 2, 2024.
If you applied for the Provisional certificate before February 2, 2023, your application will be reviewed. If you met all requirements by this date, the certificate will be issued. Otherwise, you can switch your application to the Initial School Counselor certificate by emailing tcert@nysed.gov with the subject line “change certificate pathway”. Include your date of birth or last four digits of your social security number for identification purposes.
Permanent Certificate
For the Permanent School Counselor certificate, you must have either:
- Met all requirements before February 2, 2023, or
- Held a valid Provisional certificate and met all requirements while holding it or a time-extended Provisional or Provisional Renewal certificate.
If your Provisional certificate has expired, you can extend its validity and complete the requirements for the Permanent certificate during the extension period.
If you never held a Provisional certificate, you must have completed the requirements before February 2, 2023. Otherwise, you can pursue the new Initial or Professional School Counselor certificate.
Additional Information
For those who completed coursework outside New York State, the Office of Teaching Initiatives will review your coursework to determine its acceptability. Visit the New York State School Counselor Education Programs page for more details.
For more information, please follow this link.
