Program overview
The Central New York Alternative Teacher Certification (CNY ATC) program is a fully grant-funded program that offers a pathway to New York State Initial Teacher Certification. It is designed for individuals who have completed at least 40 college credits and are currently working in classroom settings. The CNY ATC program is fully online and is structured to allow participants to continue working full-time while completing their certification.
Led by Governor Hochul and funded by a grant the New York State Office of Strategic Workforce Development, the CNY ATC program brings together higher education and regional BOCES in a coordinated effort to address the teacher shortage across Central New York.
Visit our Apply page to learn more about the application process and take the next step toward teacher certification.
Accepted Student Expectations
Students accepted into the program will:
- Begin classes in Summer or Fall 2026
- Take at least one course per semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
- Enroll in a teacher preparation program and complete any required introductory or prerequisite coursework
- Maintain a minimum C average
- Complete all required field observations and student teaching
- Take and pass all required New York State certification exams
- Graduate within four years
Partner Institutions
CNY ATC partners with leading educational organizations, including:
- SUNY Cortland
- SUNY Empire State
- Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3)
- Onondaga Cortland Madison (OCM) BOCES
- Tompkins Seneca Tioga (TST) BOCES
- Center for Instruction, Technology and Innovation (CiTi)
