New Pathways to Teaching in NJ: An Alternate Route to Teacher Certification Program

OVERVIEW
Please read this overview completely before contacting the office for more information. See the glossary at the end of this page if you are unfamiliar with the terminology. After reading the overview, if you have questions or would like to request an application, email Carol Clark or Ruth Beatty, or call 908-526-1200 (ext. 8377).

QUICK LINKS:

• Eligibility Requirements
• A Brief History of NPTNJ
• Applying to the RVCC NPTNJ Program
• How to Complete the Certificate of Eligibility (CE) Application
• How the CE Application Process Works
• Summary
• Glossary
• Request an NPTNJ Application

Raritan Valley Community College is collaborating with the other New Jersey community colleges and New Jersey City University (NJCU) to offer New Pathways to Teaching in NJ (NPTNJ). This alternate route to teacher certification program provides a process by which individuals who hold a bachelors degree can become licensed teachers without completing a traditional teacher training program. The program takes one year to complete, starting in June and concluding the following June.

 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor degree or higher
• 2.75 minimum GPA in an undergraduate or graduate degree, no exceptions to the minimum GPA.
• Hold* a Certificate of Eligibility (CE) in the subject area you plan to teach
• See below - How to Complete the Certificate of Eligibility (CE) Application:

Information Sessions

Raritan Valley Community College holds information sessions regarding the application process and admission to NPTNJ. If you are interested in learning more about NPTNJ after reading this overview, please plan to register for one of the upcoming information sessions:

NPTNJ NFORMATION SESSIONS:

Tuesday           September 23         CRN  11871
Monday             October 20               CRN  11872
Wednesday     November 11           CRN  11873
Thursday          December 12          CRN  11873

All sessions are from 7:00 -8:30PM, registration fee is $15.
Pre-registration is required register here.

 BRIEF HISTORY OF NPTNJ

NPTNJ is a yearlong, intensive, 225-hour program. The program starts once a year in early summer. Stage I, the summer module, is a 6-week program. Classes are held twice a week, and generally scheduled to start at 6:00PM. Stage II runs the remainder of the school year, September-June, once a week. There is no admission to Stage II without completion of Stage I.

All participating community colleges offer the same program for the same fee at approximately the same time. At the end of Stage I, students may transfer to another community college to complete Stage II of the program. Students may also complete Stage I one year and come back to complete Stage II the following year, however a lapse of only one year is permitted to complete the program.

Choose from two options:

• Graduate credit option offers 15 graduate credits through New Jersey City University (NJCU). The 2008-2009 tuition was $7,652 (subject to change).
• The noncredit option offers a certificate only. The 2005-2006 tuition was $3,300 (subject to change).
  

The course requirements and workload are identical for both options. Both equally fulfill the DOE requirements for the alternate route certification. Only the fees differ. 

The program is offered in two stages:

• Stage I – The 6-week, 45-hour summer course meets two nights a week, 6:00-9:20PM.   Additional Stage I 45-hour sessions may be offered on a different schedule; contact Carol Clark at cclark@raritanval.edu for information.  Additionally, 15 hours of observation in a K-12 school are required. New Jersey City University offers 4 graduate credits for Stage I.
• Stage II - This 10-month, 165-hour program runs from September-June. Classes meet one night a week. To progress to Stage II you must have acquired full-time employment as a teacher. NJCU offers 11 graduate credits.

 HOW TO APPLY to the RVCC NPTNJ Program

Submit the following information to RVCC to apply:

1. Fully completed Raritan Valley Community College NPTNJ application.
2. If applicant does not have a CE-
   • your completed NJ Dept of Education "Application for Licensure" with official transcript/s from all colleges attended
   • a clearly legible copy of the appropriate passing Praxis Scores
     
   • full payment for the application (money orders only, made payable to the "Commissioner of Education").
     note: As a registered RVCC Alternate Route candidate, your CE application process will be accelerated.
3. Two additional official transcripts from all colleges attended must be submitted to participate in the program.
4.  An additional clearly legible copy of your Praxis Scores.
5. Physiology and Hygiene requirement i.e.: qualifying health course/s noted in your transcripts or a test available to be taken at your county superintendent's office.

** Important ** You will need a total of 3* official transcripts from all schools, two for your NPTNJ application and one for your CE application (details below). You must request 3 official transcripts from each college you have attended and have those transcript/s mailed to: New Pathways to Teaching in NJ, Corporate & Continuing Education, Raritan Valley Community College , PO BOX 3300, Somerville , NJ 08876. RVCC will hold your CE application until all transcripts are received.
*if you currently have your CE only 2 official transcripts need be submitted with NPTNJ Application.

Your application is not complete until all items are received. Please understand that applying does not automatically mean admission to the program. The Certificate of Eligibility, issued by the Department of Education, is required to begin Stage I of the program.

Mail the completed RVCC NPTNJ application and, if required, your completed Certificate of Eligibility application to: New Pathways to Teaching in NJ, Corporate & Continuing Education, Raritan Valley Community College , PO BOX 3300, Somerville , NJ 08876.
Transcript/s requested by you should also be sent to this address.*

 HOW TO COMPLETE the Certificate of Eligibility (CE) Application:

1. Praxis Test: A passing grade on the Praxis test is required to obtain a CE. Take the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Praxis II test in the subject area you plan to teach (www.ets.org/praxis or 609- 921-9000). ETS will forward your Praxis score to you and to the Department of Education (DOE). Be sure to use the Praxis series code for the DOE Office of Licensing and Academic Credentials, code R7666, on the Praxis registration form. You must include your Social Security number on the application form.
   
2. CE Application: To request an "Application for Licensure" (this is the CE application) contact the office of your County Superintendent of Schools. Do not wait until you receive your Praxis score to apply for the CE through RVCC, we will review your Application's readiness and submit as soon as you submit a copy of your Praxis scores to us. In the top right margin of the application write AR–NPTNJ for submission to RVCC. Please note that the application says you should refer to the How to Apply for Licensure form. That form is not included. Instead follow the instructions below:
   
   Completed CE Application:
   · Signature on #17, page 2
   · Application must be notarized, signed, and dated
   · Non-citizens need notarized non-citizen oath and affidavit of intent form
   · All dots must be completely filled in with pencil
   · Social Security number Part A, #1 AND Part B, #1
   
   
3. Enclose a money order or certified check for the appropriate fee for each certificate requested, made payable to “Commissioner of Education.” No personal checks will be accepted.
   
   *IMPORTANT: Before mailing please make sure that you make a copy of your CE application for your own records.
   
   To check on the status of your application, you may call the DOE at
   (609) 292-4469 or log on to www.state.nj.us/education.
   On this website choose "CERTIFICATION APPLICATION CHECK STATUS" .
   

 HOW THE CE APPLICATION PROCESS WORKS

NJCU will check your application for CE for completeness and forward the application along with your transcript/s and money order to the DOE. The DOE will review your application and evaluate your college transcript/s.

• To qualify for a CE in Elementary Education: 60 credits in liberal arts or sciences are required.
• To qualify for a middle school CE: This is a new license and there are multiple requirements to qualify for this certificate.

1. You must have a CE in elementary education as mentioned above.
2. You must also have an Elementary with Specialization CE in one of the following areas: math, science, social studies, English/language arts, or a world language (Spanish, French, etc.). Your transcript must show 15 credits in the subject you hope to teach. If you do not have 15 credits they can be obtained at a community college. At this time no courses above the 200 level are required. There is a middle school Praxis II exam for all middle school specialization areas but world language. For any of the world languages you must take the subject area Praxis II test and follow the additional world language regulations.
3. If you hope to teach a subject in middle school that is not one of the five subjects mentioned above (such as Home Economics) you will need a subject area CE explained below.
4. Your transcript will also have to reflect a course that includes study of the characteristics of young adolescents. The course may be a psychology course or an education course that includes this content.

 IN SUMMARY

To teach middle school you need a CE in Elementary Education and a CE in Elementary Education with Specialization OR a single CE in a subject area. A subject area CE qualifies you to teach the subject K-12 but instead of 15 credits, 30 credits are required (a college major). For example, a subject area CE in math requires 30 credits. An elementary education with specialization in math CE require 15 credits. A subject area CE is the most versatile and gives you the most options in getting a job. See below for specifics.

Subject Area CE (often referred as a secondary school CE): To qualify for a CE in a subject area such as math, history, English, etc., 30 credits in the subject field are required. Though a subject area CE is often referred to as a high school or secondary CE, a subject area CE qualifies you to teach that subject K-12. The credits must be in a coherent sequence, 100-400 level, with a minimum of 12 credits at the 300-400 level and at least one at the 400 level. A subject area CE is the most versatile CE and gives you the most options in getting a job.

ETS automatically forwards your Praxis exam results to the DOE. With the CE you are now eligible to apply for a teaching job in the NJ public school system. As stated above, a CE is required for admittance to the NPTNJ alternate route program

RVCC Corporate & Continuing Education is not qualified to review your transcript or advise as to what you are qualified to teach or what credits might be missing. The DOE Office of Licensing and Academic Credentials is the only department that can do this. Only the endorsements (subject areas) you list in 5.A. on the CE application will be considered for transcript review and approval.

**Note: You will receive your CE from the Department of Education (DOE). Please understand that RVCC and the NPTNJ Program do not issue the CE and have no control over that process.

 GLOSSARY

DOE: New Jersey Department of Education

Certificate of Eligibility (CE): "Application for Licensure" Qualifies the holder to seek employment as a teacher. This is NOT a teaching license.

Provisional License: One-year license that allows first year teachers to begin working in the classroom and legalizes employment. Upon employment, the school enrolls you in the provisional program.

Provisional Teacher Program (PTP): The combination of training, support and evaluation required by the state of New Jersey for first year teachers.

Standard License: The permanent credential that allows the holder to serve without condition in all New Jersey schools.

 REQUEST FOR NPTNJ APPLICATION FORM
for 2008-2009 program

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