How to Report Your CTLE Hours in the TEACH System: A Step-by-Step Guide for NY Educators

Quick answer: You do not send CTLE certificates or transcripts to NYSED. Instead, when your five-year registration period ends, you log in to your TEACH account, complete the re-registration questions, and attest that you finished your required CTLE hours (100 for most educators). You must keep your own records for at least three years in case the Department asks for them. The whole process takes about 10 minutes—if your paperwork is in order.

Below is the full walkthrough, including where to find your expiration date, what the attestation actually asks, and what to do if you haven't finished your hours yet.

Do I need to submit my CTLE certificates to NYSED?

No. NYSED is explicit about this: "Educators will not send documentation of their CTLE hours to the Department for the re-registration process." Reporting is done by self-attestation in the TEACH online system. However, your documentation must be available upon request by the Department, so treat your certificates of completion as audit-ready records.

Step 1: Find your registration expiration date in TEACH

1. Log in to your TEACH account at the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives site.
2. Click "Account Information" under the Inquiry Links heading.
3. Look under "Registration Information" for your registration period and expiration date.

Your expiration date is the last day of the month before your birth month, in the final year of your five-year registration period. For example, if you were born in March and your period ends in 2027, your deadline is February 28, 2027.

Not sure how many hours you still need? Use our New York CTLE Hours Calculator first.

Step 2: Start re-registration (up to six months early)

TEACH lets you begin re-registration six months before your expiration date. From the same "Registration Information" section, click the re-registration link ("click here" in the sentence about your registration expiring). You'll land on an information page—click Next to proceed.

Step 3: Answer the CTLE questions and attest

1. TEACH displays questions about your practice during the registration period (where you worked and whether CTLE applied to you).
2. The system then shows your required total CTLE hours and your required language acquisition hours (15% for most educators; 50% for Professional ESOL certificate and Bilingual extension holders).
3. Choose your path: attest that you completed the requirement, or request conditional registration if you haven't (more on that below).
4. Answer the moral character questions.
5. Select active (practicing in a NY school) or inactive status and submit.

To confirm it worked, return to "Account Information"—your new registration status and period should be displayed.

What if I haven't finished my CTLE hours yet?

Request conditional registration during the same TEACH flow. It gives you one additional year from your expiration date to finish your CTLE hours, and you can request it for any reason. If you're short on hours, the fastest fix is asynchronous coursework from an NYSED-approved sponsor: SOLVED's online CTLE course library offers 100+ self-paced courses—several of them free—each worth 1 CTLE hour with an instant printable certificate. For the full picture of penalties and catch-up plans, see what happens if you don't finish your CTLE hours.

What records do I need to keep (and for how long)?

Keep documentation for at least three years from the end of the registration period in which you completed the hours. For each activity, your records should show:

• The title of the activity
• Total number of hours completed
• Hours by category: content, pedagogy, or language acquisition
• The approved CTLE sponsor's name and sponsor number
• Your identifying information as listed on the activity
• Attendance verification (your certificate of completion)
• Date and location of the activity

A well-formed certificate of completion from an approved sponsor covers all of this—one reason to favor providers that issue certificates instantly and let you re-download them any time, as SOLVED does.

Common TEACH reporting mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for a reminder. NYSED doesn't chase you—the deadline is tied to your birth month, and it's on you to check TEACH.
• Confusing certificate expiration with registration expiration. Professional certificates are continuous; it's your registration that renews every five years.
• Counting non-approved PD. Only activities from approved CTLE sponsors (or your district/BOCES) count. When in doubt, check what counts as CTLE.
• Tossing certificates after attesting. The three-year retention rule starts at the end of your registration period.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I enter each CTLE course in TEACH?

You don't enter individual courses. TEACH only asks you to attest that you completed the total required hours. Individual course records stay in your personal files.

Can I re-register before my expiration date?

Yes—TEACH opens re-registration six months before your registration period expires.

How do I check how many CTLE hours I need?

Most educators practicing in NY public schools or BOCES with a Professional certificate (or TA Level III) need 100 hours per five-year period. TEACH shows your exact requirement during re-registration, and our CTLE hours calculator can estimate it in a minute.

What happens after I attest?

Your status updates to "Registered" for a new five-year period. Verify it under "Account Information" in TEACH.

Need hours before you attest? SOLVED Consulting is an NYSED-approved CTLE sponsor with 100+ self-paced online courses—start with the free ones and earn instant certificates at solvedconsulting.com/ctle.