Feeling incredibly defeated and discouraged. Help?

[rrr]

Thank you! Here's what it says is approved and not approved:

What type of academic credit qualifies for the various differentials?
There are several ways employees may earn credits toward their differentials. Credits may include those earned:

• At an accredited college or university (domestic or foreign)
  
• Via tests offered by the College Board’s College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  
• Note: A CLEP exam used to obtain a salary differential cannot be a duplication of earlier coursework for which you have been granted course credit (undergraduate or graduate).
  
• Via in-service courses offered by the NYC DOE’s After School Professional Development Program
  
• Via in-service courses offered by NYSUT—a federation of local education-related unions
  
• Via the Success Via Apprenticeship (SVA) internship program offered jointly by the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and NYC DOE (trade teachers only)
  
• Via in-service courses offered by the NYC DOE’s After School Professional Development Program (Only Professional Development coursework taken through this program is acceptable.)
  

What type of academic credit does not qualify for the various differentials?
The following types of courses are not acceptable:

• Courses that are a duplication such as CLEP examinations
  
• Note: The Office of Salary Services makes the determination as to whether a CLEP exam duplicates earlier coursework.
  
• Correspondence courses
  
• Continuing education courses
  
• Video courses
  
• Courses offered by business ventures or third parties (i.e., courses offered by organizations other than regionally accredited colleges and business schools registered by the New York State Education Department [NYSED])
  
• Online/Internet courses with the following exceptions:
  
• Only distance education (online) programs that are offered by accredited New York State institutions and approved by NYSED are accepted. An individual who enrolls in a program offered in New York that is not NYSED-approved may not be eligible for state or federal student financial aid and thus cannot use that program to qualify for New York State teacher certification or other professional licensure or New York City salary increments.
  
• The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) is unacceptable for a salary differential.
  
• Professional development coursework taken outside of the NYC DOE’s After-School Professional Development Program is unacceptable.