There are many advantages to being a math teacher in New York. Annual average salaries are substantially higher for New York teachers than those of other areas of the nation. Fuurthermore, New York is serious about investing in students – in 2012-13, New York spent $19,523 per student, or 176 percent of the national average. New York has high expectations for its teachers, and thus requires most new teachers to hold a graduate degree.
Math Teacher Certification in New York
Math Teaching Qualifications
New York State requires teachers to complete a state-approved teacher preparation program, pass the requisite standardized testing and complete a graduate degree program.
Credentials & Exams
- Testing Requirements: Upon completing an accredited graduate degree program, candidates must pass the following New York State examinations:
- New York State Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST)
- Assessment of Teaching Skills- Written (ATS-W)
- Mathematic Content Specialty Test(s) (CST)
- Initial Certificate: This five-year license is New York’s entry-level teaching certificate. The initial license is issued for specific subjects and grade titles, and can be renewed once teachers have accumulated 175 hours of professional development.
- Professional Certificate: This is the advanced-level certificate for classroom teachers, and like the Initial Certificate, is issued in specific subject and grade titles. The Professional Certificate is continuously valid upon completion of a predetermined set of hours of professional development, based on a five-year cycle.
- Permanent Certificate: This advanced-level certificate is issued to teachers who were issued provisional classroom teaching certificates prior to February 2, 2004 (note: New York discontinued the issuance of Provisional Certificates as the entry-level certificate for classroom teachers on Feb. 2, 2004; accordingly, teachers issued a classroom teaching certificate on or after September 1, 2004 are in the Initial/Professional series).
- Mathematics Certification: New York Certified classroom teachers seeking to add mathematics certification require the following:
- 12 semester credit hours in mathematics
- Recommendation from the employing school district
- Mathematic Content Specialty Test(s) (CST)
- National Board Certification: National Board Certified teachers are only required to verify their National Board Certification information to receive a comparable New York teaching certificate.
- Reciprocity: Out-of-state teachers must pass the following examinations in order to be issued a New York State teaching certificate:
- New York State Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST)
- Assessment of Teaching Skills- Written (ATS-W)
- Mathematic Content Specialty Test(s) (CST) (It is also possible to receive a conditional certificate whereby candidates have up to two years to fulfill the testing requirements.)
Alternative Certification for Math Teachers
New York also offers an alternative pathway to teacher certification: Eligible candidates must have a bachelor’s degree (minimum 3.0 GPA), with a major in the subject, or 18 semester hours in the subject in which the candidate plans to teach with 12 semester hours in a related subject. In addition, candidates must take the following examinations:
- New York State Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST)
- Assessment of Teaching Skills- Written (ATS-W)
- Mathematic Content Specialty Test(s) (CST)
Financial Aid for NY Math Teachers
- NYS Math and Science Teaching Initiative Scholarship: Scholarships are awarded to students who commit to teaching math or science in a New York public school for at least five years.
- NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program: New York high school students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class and are interested in pursuing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline are eligible to receive this full-time scholarship award to any State University of New York (SUNY) or City University of New York (CUNY) school. In addition, candidates must agree to work in a STEM field for five years after graduation.
- Teachers of Tomorrow (TOT): a program funded by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) intended to help recruit and retain eligible newly-hired teachers working in some of New York City’s highest-need schools. Eligible teachers may receive an annual $3,400 TOT award for up to four years.
Math Teaching Degrees in New York
Below we've listed all of the New York math teacher education programs in our database. We're constantly scouring the web to find new programs to add, so feel free to check back frequently.
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Fast Facts for New York Math Teachers
Educator Licensing
New York State Education Department
89 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12234
518-474-3852
Common Core
Common Core Standards adopted July 2010; implemented 2013-14. Learn more about math standards for New-york here.
Math Teacher Jobs
Professional Associations
Teacher Shortages in Math
None reported in 2014-15.Expenditure per Student: $19,523
New York’s public K-12 expenditures per student in fall 2012-13 enrollment totaled $19,523, or 176.4% of the national average. (Source: NEA)