Teaching Certification Question (NJ Standard Certificate)

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sdakota

Teaching Certification Question (NJ Standard Certificate)

Post by sdakota »

Hi all,

Some background, I've been teaching for four years (all international), and I have a regionally accredited Masters degree in Education, and I did a post bacc teaching program including student teaching in the United States.

I have two teaching certifications in my home state of Virginia: English 6-12, and History and Social Sciences 6-12. Because I wanted to have lifetime certificates without PD I successfully transferred these certificates to New Jersey and recently received Standard Certificates for both English and Social Studies.

I wanted to add an ELL certification as well but it appears this isn't possible through NJ directly, so I recently took and passed the English to Speakers of Other Languages (5362) Praxis and will add it to my VA license. Once I get that I will apply for the NJ Standard certificate.

Does anyone see why this wouldn't work? If the ESL certification doesn't go through, should I attempt for the CA CLEAR instead? I can always just keep my VA license current as well (but that would be a pain).

Basically what I'm looking for are three lifetime licenses without PD: English, Social Studies, and ESL.

Thanks for any and all perspectives!
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

You can apply to NJ for the standard endorsement in ESOL directly. However, the problem is that you will need to take a different professional exam. NJ requires the ACTFL in English and score of advance-low or higher, their approved provider is Language Testing International. You can then submit an application as you did for your initial credential. NJ doesnt have subject matter content preparation requirements for ESOL.
sdakota

Re: Teaching Certification Question (NJ Standard Certificate

Post by sdakota »

Thanks Psyguy. I should have asked before taking the Praxis test. Just to clarify do you think I will need to add the ESL certificate directly through NJ?

If I'm reading the NJ requirements correctly I should be able to simply send them my out of state Virginia endorsement in ESL and then add it on by receprocity?

Don't feel like taking another test but will if I have to. Thanks again for the info!
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@sdakota

Maybe, ESOL is one of those 'asterisk'/'exception' areas. In the past you could NOT have a NJ credential and another state credential; take a test to add an endorsement to the out of state credential and then reapply again for a NJ credential, effectively circumventing the subject matter content preparation requirement. It was actually a thing that NJ DTs would do because NJ has traditionally been an academic preparation state. It was a lot easier to use reciprocity from another state (such as FL) that allowed certification by examination from another state for both NY an NJ DTs to "add endorsements" through reciprocity. Of course it came down to coin, Unis that provided these preparation programs werent getting paid. NJ made a decision that once you held a category (such as a classroom/instructional credential) of a NJ credential you could no longer use reciprocity for obtaining another credential (endorsement) within the same category. You could still use reciprocity to obtain another category of credential such as leadership or edu services credential such as counselor or librarian. ESOL may be different though because there isnt any subject matter content preparation for it (you might also slip through the cracks) and NJ tends to care less about how an applicant is prepared when there isnt an subject matter academic component of the requirements. You can try, the worst your going to be out is some application and testing fees.

The issue is going to be that your not really applying for reciprocity anymore, you have a NJ instructional credential, youre in and a part of their system and on top of that youve already used the VI credential for reciprocity already and you have never taught in VI or anywhere else in the US. It woudnt be unreasonable for a credentialing officer/specialist to call shenanigans. They might also want to get out of the office for the day and just approve your application and issue the endorsement because what are they going to make a stink about, one test over another because thats what it comes down to and it hasnt been until recently that NJ finalized and executed its testing requirements.

The problem with CA is that 2019 saw some firmer clarifications on what is acceptable for reciprocity specifically for ITs whose experience is in IE. All of your experience is in IE and your IS HAS to be a regionally accredited (WASC, etc.) IS for the experience to count, they dont care if it is an IB, Ofsted inspected BS or some regionally MOE accredited IS anymore or the IS uses AP, etc. Maybe your ISs have and getting the letters isnt an issue. I would save CA though for the future in case you want to add one of those endorsement areas that really does require subject matter content preparation, as once your in the CA system you cant use reciprocity again, you woud have to go through a preparation pathway.

For me Id take the ACTFL exam and be done with it because waiting/processing time is more aggravating to me than the time spent testing and the coin for the test. ACTFL exams for native speakers are the easiest exam youll ever take (its a language test not a teaching test). This being you though and not me, Im interested if NJ will accept a second reciprocity application for an ESOL applicant or if they will accept PRAXIS as a substitute for another exam because PRAXIS is supposed to be their designated provider and the ESOL endorsement guidelines are from 2016.
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