Certification

OSSTF/FEESO has an internal system for providing Certification Rating Statements to its teacher members. These ratings are used to determine the pay rate for teachers by placing them in one of four possible groups. See the Related Attachments below to access the OSSTF Provincial flyer listing certification info such as where you start and how it works.

All teachers must complete an Application Form #1 for a Certification Rating Statement in order to receive their maximum salary.

Teachers are rated based on their academic backgrounds and trade records according to the Bylaws and Regulations governing the OSSTF/FEESO Certification Plan. 

Changes to these and other guidelines governing the placement of teachers in groups occur on a regular basis. Members should review the recent changes below to determine if a re-evaluation for a new Certification Rating Statement should be requested. 

Contract Teacher and Long Term Occasional Contract Teacher salaries are based on the member's OSSTF Certification rating statement.  

Recent Changes  - *See DBU #135 in the Related Attachments below for 2010-2011 Certification Changes.

Changes Effective September, 2009 

Two new policy interpretations of the Certification Regulations have recently been made by the Certification Council/Certification Appeal Board. These new interpretations take effect October 5, 2009 and are available for viewing on the provincial website at www.osstf.on.ca [Services/Certification]. These changes may produce positive effects on re-evaluations for some members.

All teacher and occasional teacher members should be encouraged to review these changes to ensure familiarity with new opportunities for upgrading their Group placement.
Members may see positive changes to their Group placements or their requirements for advancement under the new policies. Certification Application Form #2 must be completed in order to have an existing file re-evaluated.

The new policies are:

• Overseas degrees obtained in jurisdictions (e.g. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka) with less than 16 years of scholarity will now be accepted without the additional coursework that has been the requirement in the past.

• Courses in Educational Psychology and Philosophy of Education with EDUC labels, and not utilized in the completion of teacher-training, are now acceptable for a concentration in Social Science.

The Certification Regulations, their Policy interpretations, and some internal processes have changed significantly over time. Many members are missing out on opportunities for improved Group placement by failing to have their existing files re-evaluated.

All teacher and occasional teacher members who are not at Group 4 and have not requested a re-evaluation in recent years should submit Certification Form #2 found on the provincial websites at www.osstf.on.ca [Services/Certification] for a review of their existing credentials.

Certification Regulation 5 states:

5.2 It is the RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEMBER to be cognizant of the latest changes in Certification Regulations and to submit, using the current application form, to the Certification Department for a re-examination of their academic record based on announced changes.

Certification Form #1

Certification Form #2

• Re-evaluation for a new Certification Rating Statement
• Up-grading information
• Changing a provisional Certification Rating Statement to a permanent Certification Rating Statement
• Changing a Letter of Evaluation to a Certification Rating Statement
• Duplicate Certification Rating Statement
• Name change
• Address change
• Other

Certification Form #3

• Course Approvals for upgrading purposes 

Certification Form #4 - Letter of Appraisal

Questions and Concerns???

Questions and concerns regarding Certification can be emailed to your local District Rep at osstf@district22niagara.com.