New York State Department of hEDache

UPDATE:
Certificate issued! Matt hung in there on the phone, finally got through to someone. They simply looked at my file and said it was issued. So basically that means someone didn't do their job- all the information they needed was there, they just didn't review it correctly. Great.

I loathe calling about my certificate issues. So, I begged Matt to do it. He's been on hold so long, he transcribed the entire content of their labrinthyne phone system which ultimately disconnects you before you can ever speak to anyone. Always. It's impossible. I attempted to circumnavigate this absurdity by photocopying nearly every document in my possession, mailing it to them hoping that I had somehow miraculously provided what they needed, and begged them to call me. Of course, none of that was effective.
This cracks me up. It's absurd. Freakin' ridiculous actually. It made Matt drop the "f" bomb, and if you know Matt, he NEVER drops the "f" bomb.

Welcome to the New York State education dept Office of Teaching Initiatives teacher certification help line. Representatives are available to speak to you Monday through Friday between 9am and 4:30pm

The teacher certification help line is designed to provide automated information, access to faxable applications and forms, and access to customer service staff. Unfortunately because of the large volume of calls we receive, you may not be able to reach customer service staff during peak times. For alternative ways to contact us please have a pen available and listen carefully for our web address and fax number.

Please note, due to the complexity of the individual evaluation process we cannot provide evaluations over the phone or by fax or email. Comprehensive information including the requirements for each type of certification available in New York State, information about the application process and online applications are available on our website at

w w w dot highered dot nysed dot gov slash tcert

that's, w w w dot h i g h e r e d dot n y s e d dot g o v forward slash t c e r t

Please listen carefully to this news. We are pleased to announce our new online teacher certification system – TEACH Online Services. TEACH features include online applications for teacher certification, fingerprint clearance, name change or correction, and duplicate certificate. You also have the ability to update your personal history, pay for your applications online by credit card and check the status of your pending applications online in a secure environment. Applying online cuts the processing time of paper applications and gives you instant access to your certification file. TEACH is fast easy and secure. To learn more about features and to access TEACH online services go to our website at:

w w w dot highered dot nysed dot gov slash tcert

that's w w w dot h i g h e r e d dot n y s e d dot g o v forward slash t c e r t and click on the TEACH Online Services icon.

If you would like to write to the Office of Teaching Initiatives or access the Office of Teaching Initiatives homepage on the World Wide Web please press 1 now.

If you would like information about your application for certificate based on the completion of a teacher education program, please press 3 now.

To hear detailed information on the application procedure, testing requirements, child abuse and school violence prevention workshop requirements and specific certification requirements, press 4 now.

Office of Teaching Initiatives representatives are available to speak with you Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm. If you wish to speak to an Office of Teaching Initiatives representative please press 5 now.

…[press 5]…

Please stay on the line while we connect you to a representative.

Please note that the evaluation of an application for a teaching certificate cannot be done over the phone. Currently individual transcript evaluation of applications can take from 14 to 18 weeks. College recommended applications for first-time teachers are usually processed within two weeks. If you meet all requirements for the certificate for which you applied, and you are offered a teaching position in a public school, the Superintendent can request an expedited evaluation of your pending application. Superintendents have this contact information.

If you wish to speak with staff, please press 1.

…[press 1]…

All Office of Teaching staff are currently handling other customer calls. You may press 1 to listen to a list of automated services, visit our comprehensive website at:

w w w dot h i g h e r e d dot n y s e d dot g o v slash t c e r t,

fax us at 518-474-6950, or call back at another time. We apologize for any inconvenience. Unless you press 1 now this call will be disconnected. Thank you.

…[press 1 and return to the beginning]…
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