Admission, Monitoring, and Exit Procedures

Special Education Program - Graduate Student Packet

Graduate students seeking degrees in the special education program should familiarize themselves with this document and the forms, which it contains. Questions concerning the procedures should be directed to your graduate advisor or chairperson of the department.

The following are Admission, Monitoring, and Exit procedures and requirements for all graduate students who enroll in the Graduate Special Education program at Bloomsburg University. The graduate 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 graduate student has the right to knowledgeable and effective academic advisement from a faculty member regarding the contents in this packet. It is the graduate 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, certification requirements, and program requirements.

Admission to the Graduate Special Education Program

Students must satisfy the following admission requirements prior to completing 15 credits of coursework:

1.General admission requirements of the School of Graduate Studies:

• A. A one-page letter of intent stating professional background, experience, and rationale for wanting to be admitted to the department.
• B.Two letters of recommendation.
• C.Resume/Vita (A sample resume format is attached.)
• An interview with the graduate advisor.
• An undergraduate cumulative QPA of 2.8. If average is below 2.8, the student may be admitted as provisional, which must be eliminated after completion of 6 semester hours in which a QPA of 3.0 or better is earned.
• No Cs may be earned during a probationary period.

*2.Documentation of valid Act 34 (Criminal Record) and Act 151 (Child Abuse) clearances. Clearances are valid for one year from the date of issuance. (Forms provided)

*3.Possession and documentation of a professional liability insurance policy is required. Three available sources to university students include, but are not limited to:

a) CEC,

b) PSEA, and

c) own personal policy.

4.Successful completion of the 5-Day Field Experience (forms provided) or documentation of valid field experiences. Documentation of clearances, professional liability insurance, and negative TB screening results (administered within the last two years) must be on file in the Department of Exceptionality Programs before completing this field experience.

5. Documentation of current Instructional I certificate (if appropriate). If the graduate student does not possess a PA Instructional I certification, the student must complete the Praxis I Series tests with passing scores before the completion of 12 credits for admission to Teacher Education. Graduate students not seeking educational certification are not required to take the Praxis Series Tests.

6.Submission of completed packet to graduate advisor. Advisor will review the packet, interview the student, and make a recommendation to the chairperson regarding admission to the program.

* All graduate students must have documentation of current clearances, professional liability insurance, and negative TB screening on file in the Department of Exceptionality Programs prior to enrolling in any special education courses.

Retention in the Graduate Special Education Program

1.Maintenance of a QPA of 3.0 as required for retention in the program. A maximum of two Cs is permissible. A "C minus" is not acceptable. If a C is earned in a practicum course, it must be repeated with a grade of a B or better within a time frame determined by the area of concentration.

2.Maintenance and documentation of Act 34 (Criminal Record) and Act 151 (Child Abuse) clearances.

3.Maintenance and documentation of professional liability insurance.

4.Demonstration of satisfactory performance as outlined in the program of study and

consistent with the Professional Competencies listed in PDE 354.33 and PDE Specific Program Guidelines.

5.Continuation of 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 graduate advisor.

Eligibility for Student Teaching

(For graduate students enrolled in the Master's plus certification program)

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.Submission of a current resume.

2.Possession of an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.

3.Completion of all required Special Education methods courses. All exceptions require the approval of the Department Chairperson and student teaching supervisor.

4.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.

5.Possession and documentation of valid Act 34 (Criminal Record) and Act 151 (Child Abuse) clearances. Clearances must be valid for the duration of the student teaching assignment.

6.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.

Exit

1.A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.

The following Exit criteria apply to students enrolled in the Master's plus Certification graduate program.

2.Demonstration of competency in Student Teaching as described by PDE 354 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.)

3.In order to receive Pennsylvania Department of Education Instructional Level I certification, candidates must successfully complete the following Praxis Series tests:

Praxis Series I:

Pre-Professional Skills Test: Reading (#10710)

Pre-Professional Skills Test: Writing (#20720)

Pre-Professional Skills Test: Mathematics (#10730)

Praxis Series II:

1)Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge (#30511)

2)Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (#30522)

or

Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (#30524)

3)Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge

(#20353)

If you plan on teaching in a state other than Pennsylvania, makes sure you are aware of the state's certification test requirements. It is suggested that you complete certification in Pennsylvania first. Reciprocal agreements exist with many other states. If you do not have the initial certificate there exists no agreement.

If you are currently certified in education, you only need to take the Praxis Specialty Area Test: #20353 - Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge.

Note: Achieving the Master of Science in Education is separate from teacher certification.

** Principles of Learning & Teaching, K-6 or 7-12, will no longer be required for graduates of a PA Teacher Education program, provided they have entered student teaching after 9/1/03.