Does anyone have experience with getting an extension for an initial certification?

The teach online website doesn't exactly make things clear so I have a question I'm hoping someone can answer. If I get approved for the extension, the website says its for two years. But then what? If I still don't have enough teaching experience by then can I apply for another extension of my initial certificate? Or is that it?

I have about 2.5 years of the 3 years required for the permanent certification, but I'm not able to work right now due to being a new mom and not having anyone to watch our daughter. I had been subbing and taking on leave replacements to get the 2.5 years, but subbing doesn't pay well enough to cover the cost of daycare so its not an option right now.

It just makes me sad to think that after all that work and expense to get my initial certification that I could lose it all together. I really love teaching and would love to go back to it when my dd is a little older, but I don't know if that will be an option if my certification expires.

Re: Does anyone have experience with getting an extension for an initial certification?

I was in a similar situation but I did not end up needing the extension - I made it with subbing, my leave replacement, and my current full time job literally by days. I did ask about it, though, and it didn't sound like the process was a big deal. There was a fee, of course. I'm sorry I don't remember much more than that but I am sure someone on here has had to do it with this market.

What you really should do is contact your BOCES regional certification office. You get an actual human on the phone who will give you direct answers to your questions. They will even process your application for you for a small fee - so worth it. Don't mess around with the TEACH site or Albany. Someone very helpfully replied to an old post of mine with the link to the phone numbers. If you search for my username and the word BOCES it should come up.

HTH!

Does anyone have experience with getting an extension for an initial certification?

I got an extension for 2 years to finish grad school. I'm pretty sure you can only do it once, unless you happen to have another child during that time. But with the way the job market is they might give you another extension. I would call someone at BOCES like the above poster said.

Good luck!

Re: Does anyone have experience with getting an extension for an initial certification?

think you can get up to two extensions as long as you can claim hardship as to why you weren't working