New York State Education Department Office of the Professions Teacher Certification Cards

Microfilm is labeled Volume 1 and Volume 2, and reels are numbered sequentially. Volume numbers may refer to no longer extant registers or indexes. Microfilmed cards are arranged alphabetically (with some misfiling), and a complete alphabetical range is included in each volume. Dates in each volume are also concurrent.

The Office of the Professions, acting for the Regents, examines (or otherwise reviews qualifications), licenses, and registers members of legally recognized professions (except for law). It also investigates and prosecutes alleged instances of professional misconduct, maintaining an office and hearing rooms in New York City. Use of punch cards for processing professional registration records began in 1941; automated filing equipment was acquired in 1967. Computerization of professional licensing and registration functions began in 1975.

Since 1982 data from Teacher Certification Cards have been entered into the department's Teacher Certificate Database. Cards entered in the early and mid-1980s were retained and are filed in a separate drum. After individual cards are used for reference purposes, they are entered in the database and refiled with the previously entered cards. Cards that have been entered into the database are scheduled to be retained by the Archives for 40 years, after which time the database will have been checked for accuracy and accessioned; the entered cards will then be destroyed

This series consists of 34 rolls of microfilm of teacher certification cards that provide summary information about individuals certified to teach in New York State. Information provided includes name; date of birth; gender; social security number; college(s); degrees; date awarded; type (permanent or provisional); field; issuance date; where sent; and date sent. The cards (both active and inactive) are filed alphabetically by last name of teacher in four massive rotating card file "drums."

The microfilm was created in the 1950s. The cards were considered inactive at the time of filming and were destroyed after microfilming. Cards that were considered active at the time were retained. Exact documentation concerning the microfilming no long exists.

Series A4197 Registers of Teaching Certificates Issued also contains information on recipients of teaching certification.

Series 20533 Teacher Certification Cards also contains information on recipients of teaching certification.

The original 1997 accession consisted of approximately 720,000 3" x 5" cards and 34 rolls of microfilm. In 2000, the original paper teacher certification cards were returned to Office of the Professions for microfilming. The State Education Department retains the original cards and use copies of the additional microfilm produced later.

Microfilm is restricted due to fragility. Use with assistance of archivist.