Blind and Visually Impaired

Area of Study:              BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Semester of Entry:       FALL

Application Period:      JANUARY 1 - APRIL 30

Level of Study:            MASTER'S DEGREE

Program of Study:       A NEW YORK STATE-APPROVED BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PROGRAM

Required documents must be submitted at application filing.

• An unofficial or official transcript - Proof of a Bachelor's Degree conferred by June 30th of the current application year and proof of undergraduate G.P.A. of at least 3.0.
• Proof of U.S citizenship or permanent resident status (e.g., Birth Certificates, Passport, or Alien Registration Card).
• A completed College Acceptance Form from a participating college or university stating applicant has been accepted unconditionally as a fully matriculated graduate student.
• Two (2) reference letters.
• Payment of the non-refundable application fee of $75.00, due at application filing.

Scholarship Program entrants must sign a contract with the NYC Public Schools. In accepting the award, they accept the provisions of the contract, which include, but are not limited to, the following terms and conditions:

• Awardees must meet the standards of the college they attend and remain in good standing in their program.
• Awardees must complete a minimum of 18 credits per year with a grade of B or better in each course.
• Awardees shall serve as New York State certified Teachers of Blind and Visually Impaired two (2) years for every year the Scholarship is awarded or any part thereof. (i.e., the scholarship is awarded for one and a half years; the participant will owe four (4) years of service).
• An awardee who has failed to commence their service obligation will be required to repay the total year plus nine (9%) interest within two (2) years of the last award semester. A pro-rated repayment schedule shall be established for any awardee that completes only a portion of their service obligation within the specified period.

The following testing requirements are for candidates to obtain New York State certification:

• To meet New York State teaching certification requirements, participants are required to take and pass the Educating All Students Tests (EAS) during the first year of the scholarship program. 
  
• Participants are also required to take and pass the Visually Impaired Content Specialty Test (VI-CST) during the second semester of the scholarship.
  
• Additionally, participants are required to complete the Teacher Performance Assessment - Portfolio (edTPA) in Special Education. 
• Assessment completion normally occurs during the participant’s last year in the graduate program as part of their Student Teaching/Internship experience.

• Participants must receive at least a "B" or better in each degree-required course (all courses required to complete the approved program) subsidized by the Department until the Participant's degree requirements are completed. 
• Participants must also meet all attendance, academic, and all other standards of the college or university and program in which he/she/they are a matriculant. 
• The Department of Education will not pay for grades below "B" or for grades of Incomplete not made up by the midpoint of the following semester.
• Current pedagogical or clinical employees of the NYC Public Schools are not eligible to participate in the Scholarship Program.
•  Applicants who have already achieved New York State or reciprocal state certification are not eligible to apply.
  
• Applicants must not have benefited from or participated in any other incentive programs administered by the NYC Public Schools (i.e., Teachers of Tomorrow, Loan Forgiveness Program, Intensive Teacher Institute in Bilingual Special Education (ITI-BSE), New York City Teaching Fellows, Teach for America, I-Start, New Visions Urban Teacher Residency Program, Success Via Apprenticeship, Math for America, etc.).
  
• Applicants who have already completed a master's degree program in education are not eligible to apply.

• The NYC Public Schools will reimburse the college or university the cost of tuition through completion of the Master's Degree.
  
• Prerequisite and undergraduate coursework, other fees and expenses are NOT covered and are the responsibility of the student.