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The Initial Educator Certificate serves as a pathway for individuals who aspire to embark on a career as a school counselor in the State of Connecticut. To qualify for this certificate, applicants must fulfill specific criteria, including possessing a professional educator certificate or meeting the eligibility criteria for an Initial Educator Certificate. Additional requirements can be seen below.
The Initial Educator Certificate is valid for 3 years and holds the potential for renewal, a process open to eligible candidates who fulfill specific criteria. The renewal procedure offers flexibility, allowing applicants to utilize either the Connecticut Educator Certification System (CECS) online platform or opt for a traditional paper-based approach using the ED 183 application. No continuing education credits are required to renew an Initial School Counselor credential.
To be eligible for the initial educator certificate as a school counselor in the State of Connecticut, the following education or degree requirements must be met:
These requirements aim to ensure that candidates possess a well-rounded and practical understanding of the responsibilities.
The following are some of the specific experiences a future school counselor will be exposed to during their teaching or internship time:
Connecticut requires all candidates to pass the appropriate Praxis Subject Assessments for their certification area. You will need to pass the Praxis I Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST) and II tests to be certified in the content area. To learn more, call (860) 713-6969 (explore Connecticut’s page of the Praxis website).
By state law, each person formally admitted to a State Board of Education (SBE) approved teacher preparation program in Connecticut is required to take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) tests in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics or one of the other State Board of Education approved equivalent assessments (SAT®, ACT®, GRE®) to meet the state competency examination requirements.
A background check is required for certification in Connecticut to ensure the safety and suitability of individuals pursuing educator certification programs.
To meet the background check requirements, applicants must undergo state and national criminal history background checks. As part of this process, fingerprinting is mandatory. The background check must be completed within sixty days from the start of the student teaching experience.
A fingerprint-based check will cost $15 for the fingerprint fee plus $75 for the criminal records check if you go via the State Police Bureau of Identification. If you obtain a criminal background check using the DDS CTSAFEHIRE system, the applicant must be fingerprinted for a fee of $15. However, you will not be charged the $75 cost.
You can get further information from the Criminal Justice Business Applications Unit at the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of State Police.
Their address:
Department of Emergency Services and Public ProtectionYou can contact them by phone at (860) 685-8020 or by fax at (860) 685-8636.
The Connecticut State Department of Education (CTSDE) encourages applicants to complete their application online and provide personal information, details of colleges/universities attended, and employment history.
Do not submit supporting documents online. Mail supporting documentation through the U.S. Postal Service to the Bureau of Educator Standards and Certification or deliver it in person to the Department of Education drop box.
The application fee is $200, and debit cards are not accepted through the online portal. Payment options include VISA, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards, certified checks, or money orders. Certified checks or money orders (no personal checks) can be mailed to the Bureau of Educator Standards and Certification at P. O. Box 150471, Hartford CT 06115-0471.