General Questions
1. When can candidates apply for the Students with Disabilities (All Grades) certificate?
Individuals can apply for the SWD (All Grades) certificate in the TEACH system now. The certificate types, pathways, and requirements for this certificate title are listed on the Search Certification Requirements webpage.
2. Which ages/grade levels does the Students with Disabilities (All Grades) certificate cover?
The SWD (All Grades) certificate permits individuals to teach students with disabilities in pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 in New York State public schools. Teachers who hold this certificate cannot teach students with disabilities from ages 0-2 years, but can teach students with disabilities from ages 3-4 years (e.g., children in Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs).
3. If a candidate wants to teach students with disabilities (SWD) at the early childhood level, do they need to hold the SWD (Birth-Grade 2) or SWD (All Grades) certificate?
The SWD (Birth-Grade 2) certificate will continue to exist. Individuals who are interested in teaching students with disabilities from ages 0-2 years would need to hold the SWD (Birth-Grade 2) certificate. Individuals who are interested in teaching students with disabilities from age 3-grade 2 could hold either the SWD (Birth-Grade 2) certificate or the SWD (All Grades) certificate.
4. What is the timeline for phasing out the SWD (Grades 1-6) and SWD (Grades 7-12) certificates?
The Department will no longer issue certificates in the SWD (Grades 1-6) and SWD (Grades 7-12) certificate titles, other than for the Professional certificate and reissuance of an Initial certificate, with an effective date that begins after September 1, 2030. The Professional certificate and reissuance of an Initial certificate in these certificate titles will continue to be issued, holding harmless candidates who have a valid or expired Initial SWD (Grades 1-6) and/or SWD (Grades 7-12) certificate.
Individuals will continue to be able to apply for the SWD (Grades 1-6) and/or SWD (Grades 7-12) certificates through the individual evaluation pathway prior to September 1, 2023, and will be eligible for these certificates provided that they meet all requirements for the certificate prior to September 1, 2026.
5. Who is eligible for the extension to teach certain subjects to students with disabilities in grades 5-9 or grades 7-12, and when do the revised requirements for the extension go into effect?
Special education teachers who hold one of the certificates listed on the Subject Area Extension webpage are eligible for the extension. Eligible special education teachers will be able to obtain the extension by completing 12 semester hours in the subject area or passing the content specialty test (CST) in the subject area of the extension.
Practicing Special Education Teachers
6. Will a candidate that holds a special education certificate lose their certificate or be required to obtain the SWD (All Grades) certificate by NYSED?
No. Teachers who hold a SWD certificate in a grade band (Birth-Grade 2, Grades 1-6, Grades 5-9, Grades 7-12) or the Permanent Special Education certificate will not be required to obtain the new SWD (All Grades) certificate by NYSED, as those certificates will continue to be recognized in the future. They will not “lose” their certificate and can choose to pursue the SWD (All Grades) certificate, if they wish.
7. If a candidate holds a Students with Disabilities certificate in a grade band, will their certificate be automatically changed to the SWD (All Grades) certificate, or will they be automatically eligible for this new certificate?
No. The SWD (All Grades) certificate has different requirements than the SWD certificates in a grade band (Birth-Grade 2, Grades 1-6, Grades 5-9, Grades 7-12). Therefore, teachers who hold these certificates would not have their certificates automatically changed to the SWD (All Grades) certificate and would not be automatically eligible for this new certificate. Teachers wishing to obtain the SWD (All Grades) certificate would need to apply and pay the application fee for the SWD (All Grades) certificate. The fee reflects the time that Department staff would devote to reviewing the documentation submitted for the application. Please see FAQ #1 for information about the SWD (All Grades) certificate requirements and when the application is available.
8. If a candidate holds a Students with Disabilities certificate in a grade band, will they need to complete coursework and/or exams to obtain the SWD (All Grades) certificate?
Teachers who hold a SWD certificate in a grade band (Birth-Grade 2, Grades 1-6, Grades 5-9, Grades 7-12) will be able to apply for the SWD (All Grades) certificate through a variety of pathways that have different requirements. Applicants may or may not need to complete coursework or exams for the certificate, depending on the pathway through which they are seeking the new certificate. Please see FAQ #1 for information about the SWD (All Grades) certificate requirements and when the application is available.
For additional information, please visit the New York State Education Department website.