Please see the most up-to-date information regarding Relay New York's COVID-19 response for current students below. If you have questions please contact us at support@relay.edu.
Certification Changes
Emergency COVID 19 Certificates
Due to COVID-19, many candidates may not be able to complete the certification requirements. The Emergency COVID-19 certificate is available for candidates seeking a Transitional B certificate, Initial certificate, or a Professional certificate. Candidates must apply on the TEACH website for the Trans B, Initial, or Professional certificate they are in pursuit of and the emergency COVID-19 Certificate extension sought on or before September 1, 2022. There is no fee for the Emergency COVID-19 certificate and the certificate is valid for up to one year.
Emergency COVID-19 Certificate Eligibility Requirement: Candidates must have completed all requirements (e.g., workshops) for the certificate sought, other than the exam requirement(s) (e.g., CST, edTPA), on or before September 1, 2022. Candidates must have a valid non-emergency application on file for the COVID-19 Emergency Certificate for which they are applying.
For example, if you are seeking an Initial Adolescent 7-12 Mathematics certificate, you must have already completed the DASA, Child Abuse, and School Violence workshops, as well as completed your fingerprinting and paid for your non-emergency certificate on TEACH, to be eligible for the Emergency COVID-19 certificate.
Testing Center Updates
Some testing centers have reopened in some areas in NYS. You can elect to take required certification exams (including the ATS-W) now by reviewing testing center guidance and registering here. That said, Relay and the NY State Department of Education are aware that many New York City-based Pearson VUE-owned test centers remain closed. We recognize that some candidates may not feel comfortable or safe testing at a test center, or that there may be limited availability at test centers near you. If you are currently unable to test we recommend that you take advantage of the Emergency COVID-19 certificate by the September 1, 2022 deadline. If you have already registered, need to reschedule, or cancel your exam, see this Support Center article.
ATS-W Exam
Teacher candidates who will complete their Relay program in Spring or Summer 2022 are eligible to take the ATS-W exam rather than complete the EdTPA portfolio. Teachers who are eligible for the ATS-W must take and pass the exam by September 1, 2024. You can read more about NYSED’s policy here.
Current Instruction and Assessment
Online Instruction:
Relay New York has pivoted to online instruction in response to the evolving COVID-19 outbreak and to ensure student learning is not interrupted. All coursework and Relay events are currently online until further notice.
Capstone and Masters Defenses :
We have made the difficult decision to cancel the oral presentation component of the program capstone for CO2022 MAT students in all majors and programs. The written component of the capstone has been adapted to include deeper reflection and analysis of student and teacher growth and observations of student learning. Faculty will be sharing details of the revised prompts for the paper in the spring term of your second year at Relay. We believe this adaptation to the program completion requirements will allow teachers to focus on the act of reflection and effectively prioritize given their current needs.
Assessment Adjustments:
Since our program assessments are based on teachers’ clinical experience, we made significant changes to our assessment requirements. Our faculty teams are working to adjust assessment details to ensure they are flexible enough to meet the new and evolving realities of teachers in New York while ensuring they meet the competencies of our teacher preparation requirements. Your adviser will be the best point of contact with specific questions about course assessment requirements. Please reach out to your adviser with questions about your assessments.