Certification Exam Waiver

Frequently Asked Questions: Certification Exam Waiver

At its February 2025 meeting, the Board of Regents adopted amendments to Section 80 of the Commissioner鈥檚 regulations, establishing a waiver process for the content knowledge certification examination requirement. This applies to candidates seeking a certificate in the classroom teaching service, educational leadership service, school counseling, or an applicable extension under Section 80.

Candidates who score within 0.5 standard error of measurement (SEM) of the passing score on a required NYSTCE test may apply for a waiver.鈥€�

Below is a list of eligible, current NYSTCE exams, their passing scores, and the 0.5 SEM eligibility threshold. Candidates may refer to this list to determine their eligibility.

Please note that the NYSTCE Educating All Students is not eligible for the waiver as this examination is not a CST pursuant to the definitions established in Section 80 of the Commissioner鈥檚 regulations.鈥�

If you believe you are eligible for a waiver, please complete the following steps:
Be sure you have a valid application for certification on file. To do this, log into your account, select Account Information and then select Applications. If that section is empty, you must apply for the certification that the waiver will be applied to. Check the score on your score report against the scores below to determine if you are within 0.5 SEM. If you have taken a particular exam multiple times, you can check each of the scores against the chart. Check your Bachelor's and/or Master's degree transcripts to determine if your overall GPA is 3.5 or higher. Note: The submitted transcript must show the conferral of a Bachelor's or Master's to be eligible for this waiver. Incomplete degree programs will not be considered for eligibility. If you find you have a 3.5 or higher GPA for either the Bachelor's or Master's degree, check your TEACH account under Correspondence to see that your most up to date transcripts are on file. If the transcripts on file are more than 5 years old, please request new official copies be sent. Note: If you earned your previous certificates through a college recommendation, the Office of Teaching does not receive copies of your transcripts. Please contact your college/university's Registrar's Office to request official transcripts be sent to the Office of Teaching. Please see our website for more information regarding transcripts: Submitting College Transcripts Once you have determined your score falls within the score range AND your GPA satisfies the waiver requirement, please complete and submit the Once you have submitted your form, please monitor your TEACH account for any changes. Once your request has been evaluated, one of two things will happen: The certificate in question will be issued, or You will receive a Notice of Uncompleted Requirements both to your email on file and to the Correspondence section of your TEACH account that indicates the deficiencies and how to resolve them.

If you believe you are eligible for a waiver, please complete the following steps:

Be sure you have a valid application for certification on file. To do this, log into your account, select Account Information and then select Applications. If that section is empty, you must apply for the certification that the waiver will be applied to.
Check the score on your score report against the scores below to determine if you are within 0.5 SEM. If you have taken a particular exam multiple times, you can check each of the scores against the chart.
Check your Bachelor's and/or Master's degree transcripts to determine if your overall GPA is 3.5 or higher. Note: The submitted transcript must show the conferral of a Bachelor's or Master's to be eligible for this waiver. Incomplete degree programs will not be considered for eligibility.
1. If you find you have a 3.5 or higher GPA for either the Bachelor's or Master's degree, check your TEACH account under Correspondence to see that your most up to date transcripts are on file. If the transcripts on file are more than 5 years old, please request new official copies be sent.
2. Note: If you earned your previous certificates through a college recommendation, the Office of Teaching does not receive copies of your transcripts. Please contact your college/university's Registrar's Office to request official transcripts be sent to the Office of Teaching. Please see our website for more information regarding transcripts: Submitting College Transcripts
Once you have determined your score falls within the score range AND your GPA satisfies the waiver requirement, please complete and submit the
Once you have submitted your form, please monitor your TEACH account for any changes. Once your request has been evaluated, one of two things will happen:
1. The certificate in question will be issued, or
2. You will receive a Notice of Uncompleted Requirements both to your email on file and to the Correspondence section of your TEACH account that indicates the deficiencies and how to resolve them.

NYSTCE	Test Code	Passing Score	0.5 SEM Score
Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills
Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills (ATAS)听听听听听听 (For testing through 7/27/2026)	095	220	215
Foundations of Classroom Support and Instruction听听听 (For testing 1/27/2026 and after)	519	220	212
Communication and Quantitative Skills
Communication and Quantitative Skills Test (CQST)听	080	220	211
School Leadership Assessments
School District Leader Part One	103	220	212
School District Leader Part Two	104	220	211
School District Business Leader Part One	105	220	211
School District Business Leader Part Two	106	220	212听
Revised (Sept. 2013) School Building Leader Part One (Acceptable for waiver until 9/1/2028)	107	520	511
Revised (Sept. 2013) School Building Leader Part Two (Acceptable for waiver until 9/1/2028)	108	520	508
Revised (May 2019) School Building Leader Part One	109	520	512
Revised (May 2019) School Building Leader Part Two	110	520	509
Content Specialty Tests
Agriculture	068	520	515
American Sign Language	130	520	511
Biology (For testing through 7/27/2026)	160	520	514
Biology (For testing 1/27/2026 and after)	818	240	236
Blind and Visually Impaired	117	520	511
Business and Marketing	168	520	514
Cantonese	120	520	512
Chemistry (For testing through 7/27/2026)	161	520	514
Chemistry (For testing 1/27/2026 and after)	821	240	236
Computer Science	194	520	514
Dance	164	520	514
Deaf and Hard of Hearing	063	520	511
Earth Science (For testing through 7/27/2026)	162	520	514
Earth and Space Science (For testing 1/27/2026 and after)	825	240	236
秘密研究所al Technology Specialist	071	520	513
English Language Arts	003	520	513
English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)	116	520	515
Family and Consumer Sciences	072	520	511
French	121	520	509
German	122	520	512
Gifted 秘密研究所	064	520	513
Greek	123	520	511
Health 秘密研究所	073	520	509
Hebrew	124	520	510
Italian	125	520	511
Japanese	126	520	511
Latin	119	520	513
Library Media Specialist	074	520	513
Literacy	065	520	513
Mandarin	127	520	512
Mathematics	004	520	512
For those seeking an exam waiver for the Multi-Subject exam: Please note, you must pass and/or meet the minimum score requirement for all three parts of the Multi-Subject exams. If you have not passed and/or met the minimum score requirement for all three parts, you are currently not eligible for the certification exam waiver.
Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grade 1鈥揋rade 6) Part One	221	520	512
Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood (Grade 1鈥揋rade 6) Part Two	222	520	514
Multi-Subject: Teachers of Middle Childhood (Grade 5鈥揋rade 9) Part One	231	520	511
Multi-Subject: Teachers of Middle Childhood (Grade 5鈥揋rade 9) Part Two	232	520	514
Multi-Subject: Secondary Teachers (Grade 7鈥揋rade 12) Part One	241	520	511
Multi-Subject: Secondary Teachers (Grade 7鈥揋rade 12) Part Two	244	520	515
Multi-Subject: Early Childhood Teachers (Birth鈥揋rade 2) Part One	211	520	512
Multi-Subject: Early Childhood Teachers (Birth鈥揋rade 2) Part Two	246	520	514
Multi-Subject Part 3: Arts & Sciences	245	520	515
Music	165	520	515
Physical 秘密研究所 (Testing on or after Dec. 2024)	192	520	511
Physics (For testing through 7/27/2026)	163	520	514
Physics (For testing 1/27/2026 and after)	822	240	236
Russian	128	520	511
School Counselor	193	520	512
Social Studies	115	520	515
Spanish	129	520	511
Students with Disabilities	060	520	512
Technology 秘密研究所	118	520	515
Theater	166	520	514
Visual Arts	167	520	515
Safety Nets
Safety Net 秘密研究所al Technology Specialist	971	220	213
Bilingual 秘密研究所 Assessments (BEAs)
叠贰础鈥擜濒产补苍颈补苍	045	220	214
叠贰础鈥擜谤补产颈肠	174	520	507
叠贰础鈥擝别苍驳补濒颈	185	520	507
叠贰础鈥擟补苍迟辞苍别蝉别	171	520	507
叠贰础鈥擣补谤蝉颈	038	220	214
叠贰础鈥擣颈苍苍颈蝉丑	085	220	214
叠贰础鈥擣谤别苍肠丑	175	520	507
叠贰础鈥擥别谤尘补苍	056	220	214
叠贰础鈥擥谤别别办	042	220	214
BEA鈥擥uyanese English Creole	086	220	214
BEA鈥擧aitian Creole	170	520	507
叠贰础鈥擧别产谤别飞	180	520	507
叠贰础鈥擧颈苍诲颈	035	220	214
叠贰础鈥擨驳产辞	059	220	214
叠贰础鈥擨迟补濒颈补苍	178	520	507
叠贰础鈥擩补辫补苍别蝉别	044	220	214
叠贰础鈥擪辞谤别补苍	176	520	507
叠贰础鈥拟补濒补测补濒补尘	053	220	214
叠贰础鈥拟补苍诲补谤颈苍	172	520	507
叠贰础鈥摈辞濒颈蝉丑	179	520	507
叠贰础鈥摈辞谤迟耻驳耻别蝉别	033	220	214
叠贰础鈥摈耻苍箩补产颈	046	220	214
叠贰础鈥搁辞尘补苍颈补苍	057	220	214
叠贰础鈥搁耻蝉蝉颈补苍	173	520	507
叠贰础鈥掷别谤产辞-颁谤辞补迟颈补苍	058	220	214
叠贰础鈥掷辫补苍颈蝉丑	169	520	507
叠贰础鈥掷飞别诲颈蝉丑	082	220	214
叠贰础鈥擳补驳补濒辞驳	051	220	214
叠贰础鈥擳补尘颈濒	081	220	214
叠贰础鈥擳耻谤办颈蝉丑	083	220	214
叠贰础鈥扩办谤补颈苍颈补苍	084	220	214
叠贰础鈥扩谤诲耻	177	520	507
叠贰础鈥擵颈别迟苍补尘别蝉别	049	220	214
叠贰础鈥擸颈诲诲颈蝉丑	184	520	507

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