BBE CERT Extension

As the number of immigrant students and English Language Learners enrolled in schools nationwide continues to increase, the demand for teachers with bilingual extension certification is growing dramatically as well. Of the approximately 2.6 million public school students in New York State in 2016-2017, 8.8 percent were English Language or Multilingual Learners, with over 200 languages represented. (New York Basic Educational Data System)

The Advanced Certificate in Bilingual/Bicultural Education from Teachers College, Columbia University trains educators to meet the diverse needs of these multilingual learners, with an emphasis on multiculturalism and the ways that students and educators bring their own unique backgrounds, experiences, and assets to the classroom.

This 15-16 credit program is registered by New York State as a pathway toward the Bilingual Extension Certification. Upon completion of the Advanced Certificate, participants who pass the required New York Bilingual Education Assessment exam will be eligible for the Bilingual Extension.

Taught by leaders in the field of bilingual and bicultural education, the program is offered on-campus at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City and in a fully online format. The program is rigorous, but flexible to meet the needs of full-time teachers or students.

The online Advanced Certificate in Bilingual/Bicultural Education is registered with the New York State Education Department leading to the Bilingual Extension certificate in New York State for students who hold a valid base certificate in New York. Teachers College has made a reasonable effort to determine if the program meets the educational requirements for certification/licensure in other states, however, we have not made an official determination for other states at this time. Please note that many states do not have an equivalent certification to the New York extension certificate. If you plan to work in any other state and are considering enrolling in the online Bilingual/Bicultural Education program, please review the additional material provided on that state’s department of education website. Contact information for each state licensing agency is listed here. 

You may contact the Program Director, Sharon Chang, at scc2168@tc.columbia.edu for more information about certification requirements. She would be pleased to assist you in understanding the requirements for your state.

Teachers College makes every effort to provide current and accurate licensure/certification information. However, licensure/certification regulations change frequently, so it is highly recommended that you contact the licensing agency for the state in which you plan to work for the most up-to-date information.