General admission criteria

1. Can members with transitional certificates take AQ courses?

No. Under Regulation 176/10, Additional Qualifications are added to Certificates of Qualification and Registration. A transitional certificate is not a Certificate of Qualification and Registration and, therefore, cannot have an AQ added. Applicants must hold a Certificate of Qualification and Registration to be eligible for admission to an AQ course.

2. If a member has a condition to complete a particular Additional Qualification course, are they able to complete other courses prior to completion of their condition?

Yes.

3. When considering admission of recent grads to intersession courses (or to AQ programs from accredited Ontario programs that finish at other times of the year), what is acceptable as evidence of “have been reported to the College” for completion of pre-service? 

When considering admission of recent grads to intersession courses (or to AQ programs from accredited Ontario programs that finish at other times of the year), what is acceptable as evidence of “have been reported to the College” for completion of pre-service? 

Ontario providers determine and describe what constitutes acceptable assurance as part of their program governance. Frequently, a dean’s letter documenting successful completion and reporting to the College of the candidate has provided that assurance. 

Candidates must also have completed the application process for a Certificate of Qualification and Registration to be registered in an AQ, and they must be members of the College prior to the provider reporting them to the College for the additional qualification.

4. May a candidate who has failed the language proficiency test audit an FSL AQ?

Yes.

If members do not have the requisite level of language proficiency to enter the program, is this the best professional learning experience for them at this time? Might they profit more from a language class, rather than one presuming a level of proficiency and focused on pedagogy? As well, what impact will their presence have on the candidates who are actually taking the course to be reported, and who are engaged in learning with peers who have a similar proficiency level?

Having said that, members in these circumstances may audit the course under the following conditions: There needs to be a clear understanding that they did not have the language proficiency to begin the course; that they are auditing it; that they will not be reported to the College for the qualification at the end of the course; and that they will not be reported for this qualification at any future time unless they successfully complete the course (with you, or another provider) again. The audited course cannot be retroactively reported at some future date if the member gains the required proficiency. Providers may wish to have this understanding in writing, signed by the candidate, so that there is no misunderstanding at a future date.

If providers choose to admit auditors, it is suggested that they have a very clear understanding about the level of participation that is expected of the members. As they are auditing, are they expected to complete assignments, participate in group work or make presentations? If not, are they able to actually benefit from the experience?

5. May a bilingual candidate submit assignments in French for an English-language AQ program?

No.  If the provider is approved to offer qualifications in the English language, and it is an English-language AQ, English is the language in which the College will award the qualification. Candidates will need to fully participate in English, including submitting all assignments in English.

If the candidate’s basic qualifications and schooling are in the French language, providers may also wish to assess the candidate’s English-language competency prior to admission and/or early in the course as part of their quality assurance measures — and to establish a baseline.

6. May members retake an AQ course if they already have the AQ?

Yes. Members sometimes choose to retake AQs to update or refresh their knowledge and skills. When you report it to the College, use the new date. We will add the AQ and date to the record. The former AQ will remain on the record.

7. May people who are not members of the College take AQ courses?

Yes, You can admit applicants who are not members. However, they are not applicants to an AQ course but to a professional learning course. You should make this clear. We recommend you have them sign a waiver acknowledging they will not be reported to the College upon successful completion of the course, and they cannot be reported in the future if they become a member of the College.

In cases where applicants have been denied certification by the College and have been informed of the requirement to take an Additional Qualification course, you may admit these candidates to the program. When you report completion of the course, use the date of completion for the date of the report.

Please see the March 2013 AIMS announcement for additional information regarding provisions for new graduates pursuing intersession AQs.   

8. If members are suspended from the College for any reason, including non-payment of fees, can they still take AQ courses?

Yes, they can take the course and at the completion of the course, they may be reported to the College. The qualification will only be awarded by the College once the member is in good standing. Once they are reinstated, they must ask you to report the AQ.

General provider information

9. Who may be a provider of AQ courses?

Eligible providers for Schedule A, B and E Additional Qualifications and Primary and Junior Additional Basic Qualifications are faculties of education operating in Ontario that meet the permitted institution criteria listed in Regulation 347/02, 1(1).

The regulation defines permitted institution as:

(a)  a college, faculty or school of education in Ontario that is part of or affiliated with a university that is authorized to offer degrees under an Act of the Assembly, or

(b)   an entity authorized under the Postsecondary Education Choice and Excellence Act:

    (i)  to offer a program of professional education leading to a degree or

    (ii)  to operate or maintain a university.

Eligible providers for Schedule C, D and F Additional Qualifications are:

·    Ontario faculties of education

·    Ontario Teachers’ Federation and its affiliates

·    Ontario professional education associations and organizations    whose members hold a Certificate of Qualification and Registration issued by the Ontario College of Teachers

·   Ontario district school boards

·    established non-profit Ontario educational consortia whose members hold a Certificate of Qualification and Registration issued by the Ontario College of Teachers

·    Ontario Ministry of Education

·    Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

·    Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) in appropriate areas such as technological education, art and design, and business

·     Faculties or schools of Ontario universities without a college, faculty or school of education in appropriate areas of expertise

·     A comparable First Nation, Métis or Inuit education institution acceptable to the Registrar with established capacity providing education services.

10. Will the College accredit pre-existing courses not contained in the TQR?

No. The Ontario College of Teachers accredits specific professional development courses that lead to additional teaching qualifications for Ontario certified teachers. All accredited Additional Qualification (AQ) courses consist of 125 hours of approved coursework based on specific regulatory requirements for an additional qualification. All courses follow AQ course guidelines developed by the College.

The AQ courses that the College may accredit are identified within the schedules of the Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation.

11. Methods of delivery — Are synchronous video, Skype and Adobe Connect acceptable as face-to-face formats?

Yes.  Technologies such as Skype and Adobe Connect that engage candidates synchronously (in real time, present with one another and the instructor) are viable face-to-face modes of instruction from the College’s perspective. Including the use of one of these technologies to serve candidates in the North would not be considered a change to distance delivery of a course accredited for face-to-face format.

12. Is there a duty for providers to accommodate candidates (pre-service and AQ) with physical disabilities in terms of practicum, assignments, etc.? Who bears the obligation for any costs associated with accommodation?

Any candidates reported to the College must have a practicum experience that complies with the Accreditation Regulation. This includes ensuring that the following criteria are satisfied:

• observation and practice teaching in an instructional setting in schools or other situations that use the Ontario curriculum or in situations approved by the College
• minimum of 40 days of practical experience in schools or in other approved situations
• enables every student to participate in settings related to each division and at least one of the subject areas of the program that are relevant to the student
• an experienced teacher supervises the students and assesses their practicum
• a faculty member is appointed as an adviser for each student.

From time to time, faculties may need to make accommodations for teacher candidates in their program for various reasons. If the placement meets the minimum criteria highlighted above for a practicum, it would satisfy accreditation requirements. For example, a candidate may complete 80 half days of practicum experience.

13. Do we have a duty to accommodate members with physical disabilities in terms of practicum and assignments? Who pays?

The Ontario Human Rights Code applies to providers and the Ontario College of Teachers. We recommend you consult your legal advisor about your duty to accommodate and the documents you need to arrange for the accommodation.

14. May providers advertise AQ courses prior to their being accredited by the College?

Yes, if providers clearly identify that the course is not yet accredited — for example “Pending accreditation by the Ontario College of Teachers.” The onus is on providers to ensure that candidates do not begin courses that have not been accredited.

15. If an AQ course does not meet the standard that should be expected, what can a member do?

The College is responsible for accrediting the AQ programs offered by approved providers in Ontario. All accredited programs satisfy various quality assurance criteria set out in the Accreditation Regulation (Regulation 347/02, Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs), including standards for the course format and instructors.

All approved providers have quality assurance processes that support the continuous improvement of their accredited AQ programs. The first step is to communicate your concerns in writing to the AQ program co-ordinator. It is suggested that the member provide a copy as well to the course instructor. Providers should also have provided an opportunity for candidates to complete a course evaluation.

If after communicating with the course provider members have not received a satisfactory response, they may write to the Manager of Accreditation identifying concerns in as much detail as possible. This will enable the College to confirm whether the concerns are ongoing and related to an accreditation requirement within our authority.

Providers can find additional information at oct.ca/network/teacher-education-providers.  

Schedule A

16. Prerequisites for Schedule A: What are the College expectations for a faculty offering Schedule A courses regarding prerequisites?

While some schedules have very specific prerequisites set out in the Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation (TQR), this is not the case for Schedule A. The TQR simply states “holds an acceptable post-secondary degree or qualifications the Registrar considers to be equivalent to such a degree.”

Setting prerequisites for Schedule A courses is the purview of faculties of education as they are the only providers enabled to offer Schedule A courses. However, admission policies must reflect the providers’ commitment to quality assurance for accredited courses in their AQ programs. 

Schedule A courses do presume background in the subject area as they focus on preparing candidates to teach in a particular division and deal with pedagogical approaches specific to the subject.

Generally, faculties require similar prerequisites for Schedule A as those that are necessary for entrance into a comparable pre-service program. For example, if five undergraduate courses in English are necessary for entrance into pre-service I/S English, this is often the prerequisite for Schedule A Intermediate or Senior English.

Prerequisites for entrance to Schedule A qualification courses vary from faculty to faculty, and from subject to subject. Faculty websites identify these prerequisites. 

17. What does the College expect should be prerequisites for Schedule A courses?

An acceptable postsecondary degree or equivalent is what the Regulation sets out. Faculties, the only providers of Schedule A courses, set any additional prerequisites, which are usually similar to those needed to enter a comparable initial program. See oct.ca/additional_qualifications/prerequisites.aspx?lang=en-CA

Technological Education

18. Can a member who holds qualifications only in Technological Education be awarded additional qualifications?

Yes.  If members have qualifications in Technological Education subjects, their Certificate of Qualification and Registration permits them to complete a number of Additional Qualification courses, including any in Schedule C. 

If they hold a degree, they could complete an Additional Qualification in the Primary, Junior, Intermediate or Senior divisions with subjects from Schedule A. 

Technology teachers with any background could complete courses from Schedule B in any broad-based technology with certain provisions:

• If the program is for a Grade 9 and 10 AQ, they do not require any specific prerequisites beyond the technological qualifications they already hold.
• If the AQ is for a Grade 11 and 12 technology, they require one year of work experience and competence in that technology.

They could also complete selected three-session Additional Qualifications from Schedule D.

They are also able to complete additional courses in their technology area from Schedule F. 

In addition, teachers with technological qualifications who hold a degree can complete:

• Principal’s Qualifications providing they meet all the other prerequisites identified in the Regulation
• Supervisory Officer’s Qualifications providing they meet all the other prerequisites identified in the Regulation.

19. Can more than one Schedule C or D course identified in Section 28 (2) of Regulation 176/10 count as a prerequisite for an Honours Technology Specialist qualification?

No, only one Schedule C/D course can be used as an equivalent to a Schedule B qualification for entrance to Honours Technology Specialist.  If they are using a Schedule C or D course that appears on the list below in (2) 2. & 3 they can only use one, even if they have more than one of those listed.

20. Can work experience prior to obtaining a Certificate of Qualification count toward the five years needed for taking a Technological Education ABQ? 

Yes.

21. If a candidate holds a Schedule A qualification in Computer Studies, can it be recognized as an entry toward the prerequisite for the Honours Specialist in Technological Education?

Yes.  Currently section 28 (2) in the Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation identifies a number of courses that can be treated as equivalent to a Grades 9 and 10 entry in Technological Education for admission purposes. This list includes the qualification for the Intermediate division or Senior division in the Schedule A subject Computer Studies. This course may be used as an equivalent entry under subsection 28 (2).

22. What are the entrance requirements for Schedule B courses?

Additional Qualifications prerequisites for Schedule B are outlined at oct.ca/members/additional-qualifications/prerequisites. We recommend you verify members have the prerequisites even if they have taken a Schedule B course previously.

23. To take Kindergarten, Part 2, do members need Kindergarten, Part 1 (or Kindergarten) and primary basic qualifications?

Holders of the now discontinued Schedule C qualification, Kindergarten, can enter Part 2 of the new three-part Kindergarten AQ (Schedule D).

Ideally, candidates entering into Part 2 of the Schedule D qualification will hold teaching experience and/or primary basic qualifications, however, as the Schedule C qualification is deemed to be equivalent to Kindergarten, Part 1, you are not prevented from admitting those who hold the Schedule C qualification to Kindergarten, Part 2.

24. If members have an ECE Diploma and B.Ed. would they have their Part 1 in Kindergarten or Part 2?       

Check the public register to determine whether the candidate holds the qualifications.

25. May a member with Schedule C Kindergarten take ABQ Primary and Schedule D Kindergarten, Part 1 simultaneously?    

No. Members admitted to Part I of Schedule D Kindergarten must now hold a Primary division qualification as a prerequisite to take Schedule D Kindergarten, Part 1.

26. Does the degree of Juris Doctor (JD) meet the requirement for acceptance into the Principal’s Qualification program?

No. Neither the Juris Doctor (JD) nor its equivalent, the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), meets the requirement of a Master's degree as they are considered professional undergraduate degrees.

27. Can applicants for the Principal’s Qualification program who have a two-year Master’s degree that they used for their initial certification use the same degree for this program?

The Master’s degree has to be above and beyond the credits used initially. One year of studies in the degree meet the initial requirements. The remaining studies can be used for entry into the Principal’s Qualification program.

28. How do we decide if an applicant’s degree meets the requirements for admission to a Principal’s or Supervisory Officer’s Qualification course?

The College does not evaluate credentials for admission to programs or AQ courses. We can, however, help you when your research is inconclusive.

Send us an email at ProviderFAQ@oct.ca saying what research you have done.  For example:

• For a Master’s level degree, was the institution authorized to grant graduate degrees when members earned their credential or credits?
• According to the awarding institution, what type or level is the credential (i.e., Bachelor’s, Master’s)?
• What was the official duration of the degree program?
• Was the Master’s degree needed to meet initial certification requirements?

29. We have an official transcript showing completion of 24 credits toward a Master’s degree in economics. The degree has not been conferred as there are outstanding courses. How do we determine whether the individual has enough credits to meet the half Master’s requirement for PQP?

In order to determine the type/level of the credential, we would encourage you to refer to credential evaluation resources (see below) for general information about a country's education system and credentials. This will enable you to determine if a credential is a graduate degree in the country's education system and what the recognized duration of the credential is.

If the type and level of the program are determined to be acceptable, the next step would be to determine the degree completed was also the teacher education program. If it is determined that the degree was also the teacher education program, the next step would be to determine the number of credits completed within the program (duration) and whether they represent half the number of credits required for a Master’s degree program (or a minimum of 15 credits). 

If the assumptions above are correct — that it meets the necessary type and level, and that it is not the initial teacher education program, we can count all credits completed within this program (24 credits) toward the requirement of half the credits required for a Master’s degree. Based on this, the applicant would meet the requirements for PQP admission having one specialist + half the credits required for a Master’s degree.

30. Can a member who does not have a degree earn the Principal’s Qualification?

No. Please refer to Section 32 (1) (a) of Regulation 176/10. 

31. If a member holds a Master’s degree and meets all other admission requirements for the Principal’s Qualification, why is the College unable to award the qualification?

The most common reason is that since the Master’s degree is part of their teacher education program, there may not be enough credits beyond the 30 credits used for initial certification.

32. Can someone in the Principal’s Qualification program who is short three graduate credits complete the credits at any institution?

Yes, provided they are acceptable graduate postsecondary degree credits

33. May a PQP candidate complete a practicum at an international school?

Membership services has indicated that it is the College’s position that the provider may determine whether a proposed leadership practicum in a foreign setting would be similar to expectations for a PQP leadership practicum conducted in an Ontario setting.

Schedule D, E

34. Can we use teaching experience a member gained while holding a Transitional Certificate for entry into an AQ for Part 2 or Specialist?

Yes, however only holders of a Certificate of Qualification and Registration are eligible to enroll in AQ courses.

35. If members have a basic qualification in a subject area for which there is a Schedule D qualification, can they enter Part 2 of that Schedule D qualification?

Yes. Please refer to Section 26 (1) (iv) of Regulation 176/10.

36. May an AQ provider offer only the Specialist course of a Schedule D qualification?

 Yes.  There is nothing in the accreditation regulation that prevents a provider from submitting only one part of a Schedule D for accreditation. That being said, providers may find it difficult to solicit participation in a Schedule D Specialist without the candidate base that Parts I and II provide.

37. Is teaching experience a prerequisite for entering Part II and Specialist courses or for reporting them to the College?

Teaching experience should be completed prior to entry to the course. Please see oct.ca/~/media/PDF/Memorandums/reg_memo_e.ashx

38. May an instructor of an AQ (say Schedule D Dance) who does not hold the qualification, but who had other relevant background that led to being hired as an instructor, be reported to the College for the qualification as a result of teaching the course? Does the College grant AQ equivalency for individuals who have taught but did not take the course?

 Teaching a course does not lead to obtaining the qualification. Candidates need to take the actual course and do the coursework.

The College determines whether education courses are equivalent to Part 1 or Part 2 of an Additional Qualification course offered by Ontario faculties of education. To qualify for equivalent standing a course must:

• be beyond the teacher education program required for initial certification have been completed at an accredited teacher training institution or in an approved graduate program in teacher education
• match the content of the Additional Qualification course for which equivalent standing is being requested
• represent at least 125 hours of study
• contain a concentrated study of teaching methodology appropriate for curriculum in Ontario elementary and/or secondary schools.

There is a non-refundable fee of $49 for each equivalency assessment. Equivalency is not granted for academic (non-pedagogical) courses or experience of any kind. There is no equivalent standing granted for an Additional Basic Qualification, Part 3 of a three-part Specialist Qualification, an Honour Specialist Qualification, Principal’s Qualification or Supervisory Officer’s Qualification.

39. What is considered appropriate teaching experience for entrance into Schedule D Special Education Specialist?

 The College intends for candidates to enter the Specialist program with at least one year of successful experience teaching in the specialist area. This ensures that those identified as “specialists” have had some experience connecting theory and practice as a foundation to their coursework and future assignments as teacher leaders in the area.

However, the College recognizes that it is not always possible for some members to obtain a year of “discrete” teaching experience in a specialist area. For example, some school boards may not have any self-contained Special Education classroom assignments or provide opportunities to be assigned as resource teachers. For some subject areas, such as Special Education, supervisory officers (SOs) may consider experience teaching the specialist subject area in an integrated format, if the following criteria are met:

• there are limited opportunities to accumulate a year of “specific” experience teaching the subject, as the subject area is taught in an integrated format
• the member can demonstrate that significant program and instructional modifications were explicitly planned, implemented and reviewed in the teacher’s class.

For example, SOs might look for evidence that the teacher was responsible for developing plans, assessing students and reporting in the specialist area. For Special Education, the SO might consider whether there are resource teachers in the school who take lead responsibility for planning the IEP, or whether this is the classroom teacher’s responsibility. The SO might consider whether the teacher has modified programs for Special Education students vs. more generally accommodating or differentiating instruction to meet student needs.

This is outlined in detail in a Registrar’s memo at oct.ca/~/media/PDF/Memorandums/reg_memo_e.ashx.

Faculty Plus         

40. Can we resend a report through Faculty Plus with a revised date?

Please DO NOT send amendments through Faculty Plus. Instead, email us a PDF of a letter on your letterhead with a signature setting out the changes needed.

41. Can we submit a report containing a blank former surname field?

Yes.

42. How long does it take to process an uploaded file?

Ten to 15 business days, but it may take longer during peak times. If the report does not appear after this time frame, please do not resubmit the report. To check the status of your report, call Maria Nushis at 416-961-8800 (toll-free in Ontario 1-888-534-2222, ext. 690), or Lillian White at 416-961-8800, ext. 329 or email ProviderFAQ@oct.ca.

43. I am trying to send a report via Faculty Plus for a qualification completed a couple of years ago. I get “Invalid option code.”

Faculty Plus only accepts codes for current courses. If you are sending in a late report, please send us a letter signed by the registrar, dean or department head with the qualification you want to add. You can scan the letter and email us a PDF or JPEG.

44. I need to add one more record to the file I just submitted. Do I add the record and upload the whole file again?

No, please do not send a record more than once as it may create duplicate entries in a member’s file. Please upload the new record only.

45. I have tried several times to upload a report. Help?

There may be several reasons a report is not uploading. Please call Maria Nushis at 416-961-8800 (toll-free in Ontario at 1-888-534-2222, ext. 690), or Lillian White at 416-961-8800, ext. 329 or e-mail ProviderFAQ@oct.ca.

46. I just noticed a mistake with the report I sent you a few minutes ago. How can I fix it?

Please email us and we will advise you accordingly. Please do not send the report again as it may create duplicate entries in a member’s file. 

47. I want to report a Combined Honour Specialist AQ but I can’t find a code in the Reporting Schedule. How do I obtain the appropriate code?

Please contact one of our assistants: Maria Nushis at 416-961-8800 (toll-free in Ontario at 1-888-534-2222, ext. 690) or by email at mnushis@oct.ca, or Lillian White at 416-961-8800, ext. 329 or by email at lwhite@oct.ca for further assistance.

48. Will the system let me submit the AQ file without the general file?

Yes.

49. Could you look at the file I have prepared to let me know if I am doing things correctly before I upload it through Faculty Plus?

Absolutely. Contact Maria Nushis at 416-961-8800 (toll-free in Ontario at 1-888-534-2222, ext. 690) or mnushis@oct.ca, or Lillian White at 416-961-8800, ext. 329 or lwhite@oct.ca.

50. When does a qualification I have reported not appear on a file?

It can take up to 15 days for a qualification to appear on a member`s file. If the qualification does not appear after that time frame, it is likely there’s a discrepancy between the information the member submitted and the information in your report, or the individual is not eligible for the qualification.

51. We have a student from the US who is in the process of getting a social insurance number. Can we use just the date of birth? I do not have a College registration number.

No. Faculty Plus only accepts a record if it has a social insurance number or the College registration number. Please advise your candidate to apply online in order to obtain a registration number.

Reporting process       

52. Do you require the official letter to amend the file be sent by mail, fax or email? Who may sign the letter?

We accept all three submissions. The letter must be signed by the registrar, dean or the head of the department.

53. If I have reported a member for an incorrect qualification, how do I inform you of the error? Do we have to send the letter that tells you of a change in a member’s qualifications by mail, fax or email? Who can sign the letter?

Please advise the College in writing either by fax, mail or email. The letter must be on your letterhead and the registrar, dean or department head must sign it. If it’s an email, scan the letter and send us a PDF or JPEG.

54. In the past, we have sent a letter signed by the dean reporting the completion of AQ courses for internationally educated teachers; is this still the preferred practice?

Yes. Please note: admission to AQ courses is limited to members of the College or to individuals who have been reported to the College by an Ontario faculty of education for basic certification.  These are reported to the College through Faculty Plus. For those who are admitted prior to certification, they are not eligible for the AQ unless they become members before the AQ course is completed. If they become members after the qualification is completed, they will not be eligible for the AQ. The only exception to this is denied applicants who are taking a course to meet basic certification requirements. Reporting completion of AQ or ABQ courses for denied applicants may be done through Faculty Plus or by submitting a letter to the College advising us of the completion of the course. Denied applicants may also request a transcript to be sent to the College.

55. Does the order in which we report qualifications affect the order in which they appear on the certificate?

Qualifications are listed in date order. The date used is the date of completion of the course (reporting date). If two qualifications are reported for the same date, they will appear in alphabetical order on the certificate.

56. A member completed one part of her Combined Honour Specialist with us but the first half with another provider. How do we go about sending in the report?

You, as the current provider, send the report. Ask the member to ask the former provider to release the information about the first part to you.

57. I recently reported a candidate for a Specialist Schedule D qualification and realized that I forgot to send the Part 2 qualification last year.  Do I need to resend the specialist when I submit the Part 2?

No, we will have the specialist qualification on file. Please only submit a report for the Part 2 qualification. Naturally, the “specialist” will not appear on the Certificate of Qualification and Registration until the Part 2 is reported and recorded.

58. What date do I use for the completion of the course to insert in the “issue date” field?

You pick the date based on the date of course completion according to your course calendar.

59. If you notify us that you are not able to add a qualification we have reported because the person is not yet a member of the College, do you also notify the individual?

No. In many cases, we do not have contact information for non-members, so we can only notify you. Please note: admission to AQ courses is limited to members of the College or to individuals who have been reported to the College by an Ontario faculty of education for basic certification. These are reported to the College through Faculty Plus. For those who are admitted prior to certification, they are not eligible for the AQ unless they become members before the AQ course is completed. If they become members after the qualification is completed, they will not be eligible for the AQ.

60. How can I be sure that a candidate applying to take an AQ does not have a transitional certificate, and is ineligible to register?

Providers who use the public register to determine eligibility for entry to AQs should scroll to the bottom of the public register status history section to determine if the individual holds a transitional certificate or Certificate of Qualification and Registration.

61. A teacher who has 20+ years in the private school system, but none in the public/Catholic system, is inquiring if she meets the requirements for the PQP. Is there a general ruling on this or is it dependent on the school teaching Ontario curriculum?

Here's what the Teachers' Qualifications Regulation says about the teaching experience prerequisite for PQP:

“the candidate had at least five school years of successful classroom teaching experience in a school providing elementary or secondary education, verified by the appropriate supervisory officer or the appropriate supervisory official…”

The definition section of the Regulation defines the appropriate supervisory officer and appropriate supervisory official as:

“appropriate supervisory officer” means, in respect of a teacher, the supervisory officer assigned by a school board in accordance with the Education Act or by the Minister to provide supervisory services in respect of the performance by the teacher of his or her duties under the Education Act and the regulations under it (“agent de supervision compétent”)

“appropriate supervisory official” means a person who, in the opinion of the Registrar,

(a) has a role comparable to an appropriate supervisory officer with respect to,

(i) a school operated by a band or an education authority in Ontario that is authorized to provide education for Indians within the meaning of the Indian Act (Canada), or

(ii) a school in a jurisdiction outside Ontario, and

(b) is able to confirm whether a person has successful classroom teaching experience (“responsable de supervision competence”)

Assuming the individuals’ teaching experience is in a private school in Ontario, they would have to get their attestation of successful classroom teaching experience through the Ministry of Education. The candidates who are interested should contact their Ministry of Education District Office to determine how to obtain the attestation.