Connecticut Interim Educator Certificate — Temporary and 90-Day Teaching Credentials Explained
Connecticut issues several temporary teaching credentials below the ten-year Initial Educator Certificate. Each one exists for a specific situation, and confusing them causes real problems — they're not interchangeable, and the transition rules differ.
The Interim Initial Educator Certificate
Who gets one: Applicants who meet most certification requirements but are missing specific coursework.
The most common trigger is the 36 clock-hour special education requirement under CGS § 10-145b(d). If you hold a degree, passed your assessments, and have an institutional recommendation — but your preparation program didn't include the mandatory special education course — the CSDE issues a one-year, nonrenewable Interim Initial Certificate.
This lets you teach while completing the missing coursework. Once you finish, the CSDE upgrades you to the full ten-year Initial Certificate. If you don't complete the requirement within the year, the certificate lapses.
Out-of-state applicants under the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement can also receive a three-year Interim Initial Certificate if the CSDE finds coursework or assessment gaps during their transcript review. The three-year version gives more runway for resolving deficiencies.
Under the October 2025 fee reform, both variants of the Interim Initial Certificate are issued at $0.
The Temporary 90-Day Certificate
Who gets one: Graduates of the state's Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) program who have secured a district teaching position.
After completing the 9-month ARC program, you need a job offer from a Connecticut school district to activate this credential. The hiring district's HR office submits Form ED 172 to the CSDE, and the state issues a Temporary 90-Day Certificate at no cost.
This authorizes you to teach full-time as a salaried educator for 90 school days. During that time, you're building your experience record and demonstrating classroom competence under district observation.
Transitioning to Initial: After 90 school days, the district superintendent signs Part III of Form ED 172A confirming successful service. You mail the original to the CSDE (this is a physical paper submission — no online option), and the state issues your ten-year Initial Educator Certificate.
The Resident Educator Certificate
Who gets one: Candidates enrolled in specific approved residency programs.
This is less common than the other two. It's valid for one year and can be extended once via Form ED 199. Like the other temporary credentials, it costs $0 under the current fee structure.
Resident educators participate in clinical mentoring integrated into their residency program, which partially overlaps with TEAM induction requirements once they transition to the Initial Certificate.
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Key Differences at a Glance
| Credential | Duration | Fee | Who Initiates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interim Initial (coursework gap) | 1 year (nonrenewable) | $0 | CSDE issues after file review |
| Interim Initial (NASDTEC gap) | 3 years (nonrenewable) | $0 | CSDE issues after transcript review |
| Temporary 90-Day | 90 school days | $0 | District submits Form ED 172 |
| Resident Educator | 1 year (extendable once) | $0 | Through approved residency program |
What Temporary Credentials Don't Do
These temporary credentials are not the Professional Educator Certificate. The Temporary 90-Day route transitions to the Initial Certificate after 90 school days, and the Initial pathway then leads into TEAM and the 50 school months used for professional advancement. However, districts can and do hire and pay you under these credentials.
Also, holding a temporary credential doesn't mean your salary is reduced. Salary step placement is determined by your local district's collective-bargaining agreement, not by your certificate tier.
For a side-by-side comparison of all five certification routes and how temporary credentials fit into each one, see the Connecticut Teacher Certification Guide.
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