TITLE

Alternate Post-Baccalaureate Certification Program - Elementary Education(Grades 1-8)

HISTORY

March 1995. (Mandatory September 1, 2000)

MOTIVATION

Teacher shortage.

GRADE LEVELS AND/OR SUBJECT AREAS COVERED

Grades 1-8.

WHO OPERATES

IHE

REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER PROGRAM

A bachelor's degree.

An overall grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This program provides opportunities for individuals with non-education degrees to become certified public school teachers.

Certification requirements are

General education - The general education component of the candidate's baccalaureate degree must meet the state minimum requirements.

Specialized Academic Education -- The candidate must have a degree with the major in the area of certification or meet the state minimum requirements. A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution will satisfy six hours of the specialized academic education requirements of Bulletin 746.

Professional Education -- 24 semester hours of coursework in pedagogy (professional education) as prescribed by the school/department/college of education. The professional education component should include courses in theories of teaching and learning, student achievement and evaluation, human growth and development, methods of instruction, reading diagnosis and remediation, and expectations of children or at-risk children.

Student teaching or a one-year internship in the area(s) of certification with supervision provided by faculty in the College of Education.

The applicant must have attained scores on the Praxis/NTE (National Teacher Examinations) that meet state requirements for certification.

NUMBER OF CREDIT HOURS TO COMPLETE

Varies individually.

WHO EVALUATES

IHE.

LENGTH OF TIME

Not specified

OTHER

NOTE: No final grade below a "C" will be accepted for student teaching or any professional or specialized academic education course which is required for certification. In addition, no final grade below a "C" will be accepted for any other course specified as a deficiency under this plan.

The State Department of Education, Certification, and Higher Education unit, has the authority to waive the student teaching upon verification of three years of successful teaching experience in the area of certification.