New Jersey Department of Education

Teachers

Please read the following overview before going to our specific requirements page.

If you don’t need the overview, click here for a listing of all the areas for Teacher certification and their specific requirements.

TEACHERS’ OVERVIEW

What types of certificates are available?

• CE - The Certificate of Eligibility (CE) is a credential with lifetime validity issued to an individual who has NOT completed a teacher preparation program, but who has met the basic requirements for certification including academic study and applicable test requirements. The CE authorizes an individual to seek and accept employment in NJ public schools requiring certification.
• CEAS - The Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) is a credential issued to an individual who HAS completed a teacher preparation program and has met the basic requirements for certification including academic study and applicable test requirements. The CEAS authorizes an individual to seek and accept employment in NJ public schools requiring certification.  The CEAS is issued to an individual who does NOT hold a NJ Standard certificate or has NOT completed two years of full-time teaching under a valid out-of-state instructional certificate.
• Provisional - This two-year certificate is requested by the employing school district for a newly hired teacher after an individual obtains a  CE or CEAS and a full-time teaching position. This certificate legalizes employment. Both mentoring and supervision and evaluation are required under this certificate. Alternate route teachers will also be required to complete formal instruction. Please visit the Provisional Teacher Program (PTP) page for more details. Note that an individual cannot apply for this certificate. Rather, it is the employing district that applies for this certificate on behalf of the applicant. For 2017-2018 candidates obtaining CE's and the CE preparation programs  click here.
• Standard - This is a permanent certificate issued to an individual who has met all requirements for state certification. This certificate is issued to an individual who has successfully completed the PTP program, holds a previously issued NJ instructional certificate, or holds a valid out-of-state instructional certificate equivalent standard instructional certificate and has at least two effective years of teaching that were completed within three consecutive years within the last four calendar years.  
• Non-Citizen Standard - A five-year certificate issued to an individual who has met all requirements for state certification, but is not a US citizen. This certificate can be renewed by showing progress toward US citizenship. Copies of official documentation from the INS would be required for an additional renewal.
• Name Change –If you have not done so already, create an account on the NJEdCert portal. Once in the portal, request a name change through the customer service options located on the right-hand panel of selections.
• Substitute Certificates – Please click here for  more details. The substitute credential is intended only for a person acting temporarily in replacement of a fully certified and regularly employed classroom teacher when the supply of properly certified teachers is inadequate to staff the school. This is the contact information for  county offices.
  

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page.

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