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Governing Ourselves informs members of legal and regulatory matters affecting the profession. This section provides updates on licensing and qualification requirements, notification of Council resolutions and reports from various Council committees, including reports on accreditation and discipline matters.
Q) How can I find out what AQ courses are available in Ontario?
A
) Information on all Additional Qualification (AQ) courses offerings can be found using the Find an AQ search tool at oct-oeeo.ca/1iOweMR.
Q) How can I get a copy of my certificate that shows I have completed an AQ?
A) You can download a copy of your certificate with your updated AQs through the members section (oct-oeeo.ca/1MsHOGJ) of the College website. If you don’t see an earned qualification on your certificate within eight to 12 weeks of completing the course, please contact the provider to confirm they have reported the information to the College.
Q) How do I find out who is offering a certain AQ?
A) Information on all AQ course offerings can be found using the Find an AQ search tool.
Q) What is the difference between the Schedules of AQs?
A) The Teachers’ Qualifications Regulation organizes a number of AQs by schedules according to their purposes. You can learn more about these schedules and the different purposes in the College’s Professional Advisory — Additional Qualifications (oct-oeeo.ca/1Vd39WT).
Q) How is successful teaching experience calculated for admission to certain AQs?
A) Teaching experience for AQs is verified by supervisory officers, and the calculation of experience is described on the Statement of Successful Teaching Experience form (oct-oeeo.ca/1iyPVax).
Q) I completed studies that I think are equivalent to an AQ. How do I get these recognized on my record?
A) You can submit an Application for Equivalent Standing (oct-oeeo.ca/1PybZgj), along with a fee. To be considered, your courses need to be completed at an approved teacher education institution (that is, completed at a faculty of education of an approved post-secondary institution), be in addition to your initial teacher education program required for certification, consist of at least 125 hours, and contain a concentrated study of teaching methodology appropriate for Ontario curriculum in elementary and/or secondary schools.
Q) How can I get a copy of my tax receipt?
A) You are no longer required to include a copy of your tax receipt with your return. You can simply enter the amount of your annual fee payment on line 212 under Professional Fees.
You can print tax receipts for membership fees you’ve paid to the College through your private Members section account at oct.ca if necessary.
Client Services can also provide you with copies of tax receipts. Call 416-961-8800 or 1-888-534-2222 (toll-free in Ontario). The College will mail or fax the first copy of your current tax receipt to you free of charge, but you will be charged $9 for any further requests or receipts for previous years.
Q) How do I access the Members section of the College’s website?
A) Go directly to the Members’ area (oct-oeeo.ca/1MsHOGJ) to open an account. Simply answer a few questions and you will be given a password to access your account. If you have used the site before but have forgotten your password, you can have your password emailed to you (oct-oeeo.ca/1OVxh9N).
Members can use the following links to get access to the proper browser encryption:
If you’re having trouble, call Client Services directly and we can help you through the process.
Q) How do I update personal information that appears on the public register?
A) Please use the Request to Update Registry form to update registry information (oct-oeeo.ca/1Wlk8sI).
Q) How do I renew my College membership if I’ve been suspended for not paying my fees?
A) You can reinstate your membership online anytime by paying the annual membership fee (oct-oeeo.ca/1Js8jaM) and the reinstatement fee (currently $130). You can email, mail or fax your signed Membership Reinstatement form (oct-oeeo.ca/1OwI6zJ) to renew your Certificate of Qualification and Registration. Please allow up to four weeks from the time we receive the document to return your membership status to good standing. You can check your status on the public register of our website.
Email, mail or fax your completed form to:
Ontario College of Teachers
101 Bloor St. West
Toronto, ON M5S 0A1
Fax: 416-961-8822
Email: info@oct.ca
Q) When are College membership fees due and how do I pay?
A) Annual membership fees (oct-oeeo.ca/1NWQmsJ)are due January 1 each year and payment must be received before April 15 to maintain your good standing status. Teachers in good standing whose fee is not deducted automatically from payroll and who have not remitted their fees will receive a reminder invoice either by email or by mail in mid-February. It’s not necessary to wait for an invoice before paying.
You can pay your fee through web/ telephone banking by adding Ontario College of Teachers as a payee to your bill payment listing with your financial institution or by Visa, Mastercard or American Express, either on our website or by phone. You can also mail a cheque or money order payable to the College. (Please do not postdate the cheque. Write your registration number on the back and ensure we have your current contact information.) Your fee payment must be received by April 15 or your membership status will be changed to Suspended Nonpayment of Fees.
Q) If I do not pay my fee now, will I receive another notice before April 15?
A) No. This is the only invoice you will receive. The onus is on individual members to ensure their membership fee is paid by April 15.
Q) What period does [the] $150 fee cover?
A) Your annual membership fee covers the current calendar year from January 1 to December 31, 2015, and is not pro-rated.
Q) What should I do if I am retiring or leaving the profession?
A) You should fill out the electronic Notice of Retirement form found in the Members’ area (oct-oeeo.ca/1MsHOGJ) of our website. If you do not pay your fee and we have a Notice of Retirement form, your status on the public register will be changed to Retired.
If you do not pay your fee and you do not submit an electronic Notice of Retirement form, your status on the public register will be changed to Suspended Non-payment of Fees.
If you are going to continue to teach, you will need to pay your annual membership fee and your status on the public register will remain in good standing. You cannot continue to teach occasionally with a status of Retired.
Q) What will happen if my membership fee is not paid by April 15?
A) To teach in a publicly funded school in Ontario, you must be a member in good standing with the College. If payment is not received by April 15, your membership in the College will be suspended for non-payment of fees.
This means you lose the right to teach in a publicly funded school in Ontario and lose the Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) status. To reinstate your membership, you will have to complete the Membership Reinstatement form and pay a $130 reinstatement fee, in addition to the annual fee of $150.
You can also email, mail or fax your signed Membership Reinstatement form (oct-oeeo.ca/1OwI6zJ) to renew your Certificate of Qualification and Registration. Please allow up to four weeks from the time we receive the document to return your membership status to good standing. You can check your status on the public register of our website. To pay your annual membership fee, please visit oct.ca or oct-oeeo.ca/1Js8jaM.
Q) Can I ask to remove an Additional Qualification from my record on the College’s public register?
A) The College cannot delete an Additional Qualification that you have earned, just as a university would not revoke a degree because the individual no longer feels current in the subject knowledge that was demonstrated to earn the degree initially.