Who needs to take the NYS CTLE Courses?

NYS CTLE courses are an important part of the continuing education of teachers and school officials. Continuing Teacher and Leader Education training is important because it ensures teachers and leaders in our classrooms and schools are trained and prepared to deal with the students who come in each year. From special needs like autism and behavioral delays to learning difficulties and other needs, this training ensures teachers have access to the latest tools and knowledge. This is essential to ensuring our children get the best education they can. Children with autism, behavioral issues, learning delays, and other special needs will often spend their adult lives with the same or similar problems. This means good education and assistance early on can help the later in life. “Considering the lack of adult services, it is in society’s best interest to educate our children using best practices. In order to do that, we need to have an expectation that teachers who teach kids with autism understand autism and that includes using autism teaching competencies to measure that knowledge…. An autism support teacher should have an “autism toolbox of learning” so to speak. If a child has severe behavior, then the teacher can pull out his/her tools about behavior, FBAs, sensory integration, positive behavior support plans, etc. If a child needs to work on social skills, the teacher can pull out his/her tools about teaching social skills, writing social stories or teaching theory of mind, etc.” (Psychology Today).

CTLE certificate holder requirements: According to NYSED, Continuing Teacher and Leader Education is an important requirement for teachers in the state. It is designed to ensure they are able to provide the best education possible for your children and for future generations. Certain teachers and professionals in the school system need the training offered by the CTLE classes. “A Registered holder of a professional classroom teaching certificate, educational leadership certificate, or Level III teaching assistant certificate is required to successfully complete 100 clock hours of acceptable CTLE during the registration period if they practice 90 days or more in a single applicable school district, board of cooperative educational services (BOCES) or non-public school that is providing instruction pursuant to Education Law §3204(2) located in New York State…”(NYSED).

Measurement of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE)

CTLE credit is granted for those who successfully compete the training and get certification that is awarded by a sponsor that has been approved by the Department. For credit-bearing university or college courses, each semester-hour of credit shall equal 15 clock hours of CTLE credit, and each quarter-hour of credit shall equal 10 clock hours of CTLE credit. For all other approved continuing teacher and leader education courses, one CTLE credit hour shall constitute a minimum of 60 minutes of instruction/education. These requirements are updated from time to time but as of the writing of this, these are the time requirements set forth by the state for NYS CTLE courses.

CTLE Recordkeeping Requirements

CTLE certificate holders are required by state law to keep an accurate and up to date record of completed NYS CTLE courses and hours. These records must include all of the following at a minimum: the title of the program, the total number of hours completed, the number of hours completed in language acquisition addressing the need of English language learners, the sponsor’s name and any identifying number, attendance verification, and the date and location of the program. Such records shall be retained for at least three years from the end of the registration period so they can be made available to Department officials upon request. Completion certificates are not to be submitted to the Office of Teaching Initiatives unless they are requested.

If you have questions about the NYS CTLE courses and the associated requirements and guidelines, feel free to contact us at your earliest convenience and let us help you through the process!