Admission, Monitoring, and Exit Procedures

Teacher Education - Dual Certification: Special Education and Elementary Education

The College of Professional Studies, School of Education is offering Education students in the areas of Elementary Education and Special Education the opportunity to become dually certified. Due to limited faculty and course offerings, the number of students accepted into the dual certification program will be limited. To apply, students must submit a Dual Certification Application. Applications must be submitted by October 1 for the Fall Semester and March 1 for the Spring Semester. Students should have between 15-54 credits, and a Bloomsburg University GPA of 3.0 for Fall 2003 and thereafter. An admissions committee will review applications and notify students of their status.

Elementary Education and transfer students may need to submit additional dual certification requirements after being accepted into the Dual Certification Program. All additional requirements should be submitted before 65 credits.

Students desiring dual teacher certification in Special Education and Elementary Education should familiarize themselves with this document and the forms that it contains. Questions concerning the procedures should be directed to Dr. Darlene Perner, Special Education Program Coordinator, or to Dr. James Krause, Chairperson of the Department of Exceptionality Programs.

The following are Admission, Monitoring and Exit procedures and requirements for all students who will major in Teacher Education certification programs at Bloomsburg University. The student is responsible for the completion of each of the following sections. In setting these requirements, attention was given to all standards and criteria for teacher candidates as mandated by the State Board of Education of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Every undergraduate student has the right to knowledgeable and effective academic advisement from a faculty member regarding the contents in this packet. It is the student's responsibility to know and observe the academic policies and regulations of the university. These include, but are not limited to: scheduling, class standing, academic probation, academic dismissal, code of conduct, certification requirements, and program requirements.

Admission to Candidacy

Students must submit a completed application packet to the faculty advisor no sooner than the completion of 48 credits and no later than the completion of 65 credits. Transfer students with 48 credits or more must submit a completed application packet during their second semester at Bloomsburg University. The faculty advisor will review the packet, interview the student, and submit a recommendation to the department chairperson indicating that the student be admitted or not be admitted to the program. Enrollment in upper division teacher education coursework (300 and 400 level courses) is contingent upon admission to the teacher education program.

For admission to candidacy, students must:

1. Submit documentation of Pennsylvania Qualifying Scores for the Praxis I: Academic Skills Assessments (see Praxis requirements).
2. Possess an overall cumulative grade point average of: Fall 2003 and thereafter - 3.0
3. Possess a grade of C or better in all professional education courses and courses of specialization (C minus does not meet this criterion).
4. Complete 6 semester hours in college level mathematics.
5. Complete at least 6 hours in college level English Composition and literature (i.e., American, British, or European Literature).
6. Successful completion of the 10-Day Field Experience (forms provided). This must include the completion of: 5 full-days of observation in an elementary general education class, and 5 full-days of observation under the supervision of a secondary school special education teacher (Grade 7-12).
7. Submit two (2) recommendations from teacher education faculty at Bloomsburg University: your advisor and one other of your choice. (Forms provided)
8. Submit documentation of a current negative TB Screening administered within the last two years.
9. Submit documentation of professional liability insurance. The policy shall be a minimum of $1,000,000.00 per claim and $3,000,000.00 aggregate. Three available sources to university students include, but are not limited to: a) CEC, b) PSEA, c) own personal policy. Documentation is required.
10. Submit a resume that follows the sample format.
11. Submit documentation of current Act 34 (Criminal Record) and Act 151 (Child Abuse) clearances (see page 6). Clearances are valid for one year from date issued on the form.

HOLDS will be placed on student records every semester. Special education majors must meet with their faculty advisor every semester prior to scheduling of courses to ensure compliance with the above admission requirements. After this advisement meeting, the HOLD will be removed and the student will be able to schedule classes.

Monitoring

All teacher education students must:

Complete all Professional Education, Special Education, and Elementary Education courses (courses with a prefix of 60, 62, 70, and 79) and Communication Sequence (as specified on Program of Study Guides) with a grade of "C" or better.

Maintain an overall and area of specialization cumulative grade point average of: Fall 2003 and thereafter - 3.0

Any student falling below the appropriate criteria will be placed on probation for one semester. Probationary students have one semester to re-establish the required GPA, or they will be dismissed from the certification program. Students will remain in the department for one additional semester after dismissal from the certification program so that appropriate advisement is available.

Demonstrate satisfactory performance as outlined in the program of study and consistent with the Professional Competencies listed in PDE 345.33 and PDE Specific Program Guidelines (see page 6).

Continue field and clinical experiences as outlined in the curriculum and/or program of study. Student must update Student Field Experience Data Sheet during advisement meeting with faculty advisor.

Maintain and submit documentation of professional liability insurance. The policy shall be a minimum of $1,000,000.00 per claim and $3,000,000.00 aggregate. Three available sources to university students include, but are not limited to: a) CEC, b) PSEA, c) own personal policy.

Maintain and submit documentation of Act 34 (Criminal Record) and Act 151 (Child Abuse) clearances. Clearances are valid for one year from date issued on the form.

Maintain and submit documentation of negative TB test results current within the past two years.

Maintain contact with their advisors each semester. Close supervision is provided by advisor to ensure student teaching eligibility and to suggest counseling and/or remediation. Attend the class meeting held by the Special Education Program for the dissemination of information and general advisement.

Eligibility for Student Teaching

Eligibility for student teaching will be determined at the scheduling period prior to the semester of student teaching. Student teaching eligibility is contingent upon:

1. Completion of the admission to candidacy process.

2. Submission of a current resume.

3. Possession of an overall and area of specialization cumulative grade point average of:

Fall 2003 and thereafter - 3.0

4. Possession of a grade of "C" or better in all professional education courses and special education courses. A grade of C minus does not meet this criterion. All advanced sequence courses must be completed prior to student teaching. Exceptions require the approval of the Department Chair and student teaching supervisor.

5. Continuation and documentation of professional liability insurance. This policy shall be a minimum of $1,000,000.00 per claim and $3,000,000.00 aggregate. This policy must remain in full force and effect for the duration of the student teaching assignment.

6. Possession and documentation of valid Act 34 and Act 151 clearances. Clearances must be valid for the duration of the student teaching assignment.

Possession and documentation of a negative TB screening that will be valid through the student teaching assignment.

To maintain and to insure proper supervision for ALL student teachers, student teaching placements are limited to those areas specified on the student teaching application form and approved by the Special Education supervisory faculty. These areas include the following counties:

Columbia-Montour Counties

Lackawanna County

Luzerne County

Lycoming County

Snyder-Union Counties

Northumberland County

Schuylkill County

Students are responsible for obtaining their own transportation to and from student teaching placements.

Competency in Student Teaching

Demonstration of competency in Student Teaching as described by PDE 345 Standards and supported by:

• Written evaluations by cooperating teachers
• Written evaluations by university supervisors
• Grades of "C" or better (C minus does not meet this criterion.)

Exit

All special education students must have:

1. Completed the prescribed teacher education curriculum with an overall and area of specialization cumulative grade point average of: Fall 2003 and thereafter - 3.0
2. Demonstrated competency in student teaching with grades of C or better (C minus does not meet this criterion).
3. In order to receive Pennsylvania Department of Education Instructional Level I certification, candidates must successfully complete the Praxis Series tests as outlined on page 5.