Emergency Certification Guidance

Announcement

Emergency Certification Portal: Revised Opening Date & Transition to OECS 2.0

The emergency portal will open mid-May for 2026-2027 requests as part of the launch of OECS 2.0, our fully modernized certification system. We will post an update as soon as the launch date is confirmed.

We recognize that the adjusted timeline affects your planning, and we appreciate your patience. This transition represents the most significant upgrade to the certification system in over 16 years, and it will bring meaningful improvements to how districts and educators manage every stage of the application process.

To support the transition, live training webinars and downloadable user guides will be available at launch, and the Teacher Certification Customer Service team will be ready to assist throughout the rollout.

In the meantime, districts should ensure they have collected all documentation of progress (i.e. test score reports) from teachers who will be renewing their emergency certification for the upcoming school year. As a reminder, renewal applications must be submitted no later than June 30. New emergency certification requests will continue to be accepted after that date.

We are confident that OECS 2.0 will make the certification process faster, clearer, and more manageable for districts and educators alike. Thank you for your continued partnership, and we look forward to sharing more details soon.