Hey everyone, I want to know has anyone been certified to teach and taught in one state for at least a few years and the moved to another state? I am NYS certified in general ed for both early childhood and childhood education. I've been teaching, non-public school experience for about a year now and pursuing a masters program for early childhood special ed. Im considering in the future moving to either PA, or ATL for teaching. But still researching the process and would I have to take exams again for each state. Im just looking for feedback on any ones experience. How was the process? did you have take exams for that state? Do you think its better to stay where you currently hold your licence? Does it depend on where you want to teach? Thanks!
My original cert was in Virginia where I taught for a year and then moved to NJ. I had to ake an additional section f the praxis or my NJ cert. took the test but the paperwork took A WHILE in the state DOE.
I was certified in New York in 2009. I moved to Maryland, and did not need to do anything additional to get certified (my district handled the certification paperwork, but I didn't officially have a Maryland teaching certificate until May, which hampered my ability to look for jobs in OTHER Maryland districts when it turned out my principal was pants-on-head-insane). I then moved to Virginia for 2010-2011. Again, my district handled the certification paperwork. I had two tests I had to take before March 1 of 2011 to get a provisional certificate, and then I had two (three?) additional tests to take before March 1 of 2013 for my professional certificate. Paperwork in Virginia went through SIGNIFICANTLY quicker than in Maryland, but I had to take tests. Generally, New York certificates will be enough to get you a provisional certificate anywhere, but you might need to take Praxis tests to get professional certification. For what it's worth though, neither New York nor Maryland certification would have been enough to get hired in DC Public Schools. I would have needed to take their tests (I think the Praxis) before they would have even considered me.
I moved from MI to NC and I only had to write a check. It depends on each states' individual licensing requirements. During my 6 years in NC, I kept my MI license current, so moving back was super easy. Even though it costs money to renew, if there is a chance of moving back to your old state, I'd recommend keeping it current.
NYS - CA I was also certified in NYS originally. I moved to CA and it was a huge ordeal getting certified. I had to: - Take the CBEST (basically the CA equivalent to the NY LAST) - Complete the state 2-year mentor program - Complete 3 courses in teaching ELLs My best friend here moved at the same time from Utah. She also had to take the CBEST and the 3 ELL courses. However, she did not have to do the mentor program because she had more teaching experience than me. She did have to record a ton of PD hours, though. Now that I'm here, I have trouble to get my professional credential in NYS! I don't have whatever bullying course that is mandatory now!
My state has their own exams that aren't recognized by other states, and vice versa. The certification might be reciprocal but a teacher would still have to test.
I worked two years for "Teach For America".... one year in Texas and year in North Carolina. Although certified in already in Pennsylvania, I had to take tests in Texas, but not North Carolina. The process was fairly fast in Texas and North Carolina was pretty much what I considered the standard wait would be in dealing with a state organization. As for the second question you asked, if you're young enough, I think moving where the jobs are is the way to go. :thumb:
I didn't teach a few years in my home state first, so not exactly what you asked, but I got certified in my home state after college and then moved to another state to teach. I went to college in OH and I moved to CO to teach. I didn't have to take any additional tests, but my paperwork did take an extremely long time to process, which I wasn't expecting. Once I applied for it, my OH license came in about 3-4 weeks. My CO license took 7 months! Luckily my district understood how slow the department of ed is and just accepted that I'd applied and was waiting on the license. I got it half way through my first year teaching. I've been out here for four years and I absolutely think it was the best decision for me. The job market in OH, especially in my part of the state, is horrific. My dad's school will literally get around 5,000 applicants for a single job- you might as well be trying to win the lottery! Of my entire college graduating class and of my HS friends that became teachers, I know of exactly three that have gotten jobs in OH. Two got "hard to fill" jobs that were outside of what we originally went to college for. One works in a severe needs pre-k and the other works in a severe emotionally disturbed middle school program. Our major was dual elementary ed and mild/mod. sped. The third is a high school Spanish teacher who is doing the job she wanted, but literally lives in the middle of absolute nowhere. She's only about 2.5 hours from where we grew up, but her town literally has one grocery store, one restaurant, and a gas station. It's a 45 minute drive one way to get to any sort of entertainment, and even then it's just a little suburb with a movie theater, some chain restaurants, and some shopping. I would die of boredom! I think you do have to know your personality though and if you're the right type to enjoy moving away on your own. I've always been incredibly independent. I love my family, but I was never one that felt the need to go home during weekends in college or anything like that. I know a lot of my friends just wouldn't be able to handle being this far away and only going home for major holidays.
Good advice. OP, you seem willing to relocate. Pick a spot that you will be comfortable in and go for it!
Thanks everyone for sharing! Part of the reasons why I am greatly considering moving out of NY is living-cost and how hard it seems to even get a foot in the nyc public school system. I hope to get my professional license after a few years of teaching here in NYC and try to keep that license active even if I decide to move out of NY. I was reading for PA you'd need to take one test towards a specific content area along with proof of BA and MA transcripts. and @ aprilshowers I just read about how to obtain the professional credential in NYS, the bullying workshop must be relatively new I hope my grad school can help me out with this. And with mentorship the I read that if I teach in a public school for two years I would not need a mentor but for non-public school teachers, I'd need a mentor. Seems like a tedious process but gonna take a day at a time. Ive been craving to get out of NY! lol
Glad this worked out for you, I'm hoping for the same thing. My plan is to finish up my schooling here and gain more experience, save up and move out. I personally choose PA because its not far from NY and I could hop on a bus/train and be here in less than two hours, And in case I get homesick lol. ATL I have family that recently moved out there so that was another consideration. Cost of living in NY is getting pricey.
How did you get a MD cert without having taken the Praxis? Note: I got my provisional cert in TN where the Praxis was required to graduate, so I never really knew about the MD cert process. I just sent my documents into my district and MONTHS LATER, I finally got my cert.
I never thought much about it, and my district handled all the paperwork. In college, they told us that New York certification was reciprocal with most other states, and when nobody told me I needed to take any more tests, I didn't feel any need to ask questions.
NYS Yeah, it is so hard to get a teaching job in NY! I did my credential program/MA in NY at the same time and the summer after I did not get called for a single interview! I didn't limit my search to NYC, either, since my family lives upstate. I applied to like 50 jobs and not one interview! When I moved to CA, I was shocked at how many interviews I was asked on. I have found that, out here, if I apply for a job there is about 2/3rd chance of being asked to interview. In NY, there are a gazillion colleges certifying new teachers, so the job market is tough. In CA, especially in my subject area, there are probably less than 10. Something else to consider: The cost of living is very high in NY, but the teaching salaries are higher, too. I really wanted to move to Minneapolis but, in 2010, a new teacher there made like 32k year. In NY, it is more like 50k starting. So make sure you look at the salary schedules for places you are interested in moving.
