Application, Issuance, and Renewal Procedures

On February 5, 2001, the New York State Board of Regents approved an amendment to section 135.4 of the Commissioner’s Regulations to establish a three-year renewable professional coaching certificate. The amendment becomes effective on Thursday, March 1, 2001.

The amendment allows non-teacher coaches to be issued a professional coaching certificate once they have met the following requirements:

• completed the first aid and CPR requirements set forth in section 135.4;
• completed the three course requirements established for coaching by the State Education Department (Philosophy, Principals, and Organization of Athletics in Education; Health Sciences Applied to Coaching; and The Theory and Techniques of Coaching); and
• a minimum of three years coaching experience in a specific sport in a New York State interschool athletic program

A professional coaching certificate will be valid for a three-year period, and may be renewed for an additional three-year period upon the submission of a renewal application in a form prescribed by the Commissioner.

A school district that employs an individual as a coach pursuant to a professional coaching certificate must ensure that the principal or athletic director responsible for supervision of that individual conducts an evaluation during each year in which the non-teacher coach is employed. This evaluation should occur at the end of the season for the specific sport.

The professional coaching certificate review and approval process will be conducted by each Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Teacher Certification Unit. The review and approval process related to non-teacher temporary coaching licenses remains the same. Any non-teacher coach who has not fulfilled the three State Education Department coaching courses and does not have three years coaching experience in a specific sport must continue to apply for a temporary coaching license at the BOCES through established procedures.

The following procedures for a professional coaching certificate will be conducted by non-teacher coaches at their respective BOCES commencing on March 1, 2001:

Application Process

• submit a completed Application for a Professional Coaching Certificate
• submit a payment of $50 for an application fee related to each specific sport. A money order should be made payable to the New York State Education Department. (i.e., one sport application fee is $50.00; two-sport application fee is $100.00); and
• after receiving the completed application and $50 fee, the BOCES will conduct a review and approval process for purpose of issuing a professional coaching certificate. The non-teacher coach must have completed first aid and CPR certification required in section 135.4, completed all three coaching courses, and must possess three years’ coaching experience in a specific sport; and
• if approval is granted, the professional coaching certificate will be valid for three years. (sample copy provided), Each certificate will be sport specific (i.e., football, field hockey, soccer, basketball, softball, track, etc.). Therefore, any non-teacher coach who meets all the requirements related to more than one sport will be issued a separate professional coaching certificate for each sport;

Renewal Process

A non-teacher coach may renew a professional coaching certificate at the conclusion of the three-year period, if he/she does the following:

• submits a professional coaching certificate renewal application and pays the $50.00 fee for each specific sport. A money order should be made payable to the New York State Education Department;
• completes first aid and CPR requirements set forth in section 135.4; and
• submits an evaluation prepared by either the principal or athletic director to be reviewed by the BOCES for each year coached in a specific sport.

Fingerprinting Requirement

Lastly, the legislation on Project SAVE (Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act) requires new school district employees (both certified and non-certified) as of July 1, 2001 to undergo fingerprinting and clearance for employment. The Teacher Moral Character Unit within the Office of Teaching is responsible for developing regulations for implementing this provision and is working with the Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this requirement.

The State Education Department will produce fingerprint packets that include two fingerprint cards, information, instructions related to legislation, fees, due process rights and where to get fingerprinted. These packets will be sent to school districts and to colleges and universities that prepare teachers.

Further information regarding the Project Save fingerprinting initiative is available at the Department’s web site at www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert or by contacting the Office of Teacher Certification at (518) 474-6440.