NYSTCE Certification Exam Waiver Process Now Available

At its February 2025 meeting, the Board of Regents adopted amendments to Section 80-1.5 of the Commissioner's regulations, establishing a waiver process for the content knowledge certification examination requirement. This applies to candidates seeking a certificate in the classroom teaching service, educational leadership service, school counseling, or an applicable extension under Section 80-4.3.

Candidates who score within 0.5 standard error of measurement (SEM) of the passing score on a required NYSTCE test may apply for a waiver.

Below is a list of eligible, current NYSTCE exams, their passing scores, and the 0.5 SEM eligibility threshold. Candidates may refer to this list to determine their eligibility. Please note that the NYSTCE Educating All Students test is not eligible for the waiver.

Eligible candidates should complete and submit the Request for NYSTCE Exam Score Waiver form provided by the Office of Teaching Initiatives to initiate the New York State Education Department's review process. More information can be found on the Office of Teaching Initiatives webpage .