Policies

Field Placement

In order to be out in the field with students must complete the following required components:

  • Personal Liability Insurance:  Students must have personal liability insurance while they are working in public school classrooms. This is usually obtained most economically with a student membership in Education Minnesota. Details can be found online at: Education Minnesota Liability Insurance
  • Background Checks:  Students are required to have a background check every two years during field experience/student teaching/volunteering in schools and agencies. Proof of a completed background check is required prior to any experience in public school and agency setting. Details regarding background checks can be found on the Field Placement Background Check website.

Program Progress and Completion Requirements

Degree Requirements & Catalog Year

The teacher licensure degree requirements are subject to change without notice to accommodate the requirements of licensure and accrediting agencies. Students are required to always follow the most current APAS catalog year for their major to ensure the curriculum aligns with the most current Professional Educators and Licensing and Standards Board approved program.

Admission to Blocks

Students are admitted to CEHSP as pre-majors. Admission to a major is contingent on submission of evidence that the student has completed prerequisite courses, earned a satisfactory GPA, taken appropriate tests, made plans for the rest of the academic program, and in some majors, participated in a personal interview to review these matters. The individual majors set standards for admission, and students should consult their adviser or department office for information. Once admitted, students remain in the program as long as minimum GPA requirements are maintained. Students who fall below the minimum are monitored by the department.

Maintenance Standards

To continue as education majors, students must make satisfactory academic progress and demonstrate acceptable professional performance in their field experiences. To be eligible for student teaching, a student must have a GPA that meets program standards for the major, and have no grades lower than a C- in required courses for the major.

Process of Dispositional and/or Academic Concerns

If faculty identify a concern regarding a student’s performance in courses, field experiences, and/or dispositions, the following process is used: 

  1. First, dispositional/academic concerns about any candidate are communicated by the faculty to the candidate and advisor.
  2. If dispositional/academic concerns warrant, a  Communication of Concern form is completed by faculty and emailed to the candidate, advisor, and department head and is linked to the Communication of Concern/Professional Development Plan Tracking form. If needed, the candidate is advised to seek UMD provided professional services (tutoring center, disability services, health services, counseling services, etc.)
  3. If a correction is not made by the candidate, a Professional Development Plan (PDP) is written to address the individual candidate’s issues, corrections, and means of assessing if the concerns are met. All parties meet, discuss and sign the PDP (candidate, faculty, advisor, program contact, and department head). If needed, the candidate is advised to seek UMD provided professional services (tutoring center, disability services, health services, counseling services, etc.). The PDP form is linked to the Communication of Concern/Professional Development Plan Tracking form. The cooperating teacher is informed of the PDP information.  The same group will meet again in a follow-up meeting to assess if the candidate met the conditions of the PDP. Again, this form is linked to the Communication of Concern/Professional Development Plan Tracking form.
  4. If the candidate is on a PDP entering into student teaching, the candidate must student teach locally, and the cooperating teacher is informed about the PDP. The candidate is carefully monitored throughout the student teaching process by the university supervisor.
  5. If the dispositional concern warrants, the candidate will be removed from student teaching. If needed, the candidate is advised to seek UMD provided professional services (tutoring center, disability services, health services, counseling services, etc.). The candidate will be counseled to pursue the Education Studies major. The Education Studies major provides an option for candidates to counsel themselves out of a teacher licensure program and also provides faculty a means to counsel candidates out of a teacher licensure program. The Education Studies major requires that the candidate successfully complete all of the coursework required in the specific major (STEP, IESE, UECH) except for student teaching. This allows candidates to graduate from UMD with a degree in Education Studies, but they are not eligible for a Minnesota teaching license

Teacher Candidate Appeals Policy

Teacher candidates may file an appeal regarding program decisions that impact the teacher candidates eligibility for license recommendation throughout the teacher education program via the appeals process. PELSB 8705.1010 Standard 18 (6).

Complaints/Grievance Practice

The Complaints/Grievance Practice outlines the unit's procedures for receiving and responding to complaints and grievances from candidates.  PELSB 8705.1010 Standard 18 (4)

Course Equivalency Practice

The Course Equivalency Policy outlines the unit's policy for substituting program requirements for prior learning experiences, coursework, teaching experience, and credit by examination. The policy must make clear that the unit will not substitute prior experience for student teaching requirements in Standard 11, item C, subitem (2), and Standard 12, item D, subitem (2); PELSB 8705.1010 Standard 18 (5)

Student Teaching

To be permitted to register for student teaching, students must meet the following requirements:

  • Grades of C- or better in all courses in the teaching major(s) and minor(s)
  • A GPA that meets program requirements

Students are required to apply for student teaching. This is done the semester prior to completing student teaching. The application process requires a program clearance packet (a review of all remaining requirements done in collaboration with the CEHSP Accreditation office) and a completed application submitted by the 4th Friday of the semester. This process is done with the Accreditation, Licensure and Field Experience Office, learn more about deadline and application on the Student Teaching website. Learn more about International student teaching online at: International Student Teaching website

Exit Standards

Before being recommended for licensure, students must demonstrate satisfactory performance outcomes required by the program and have acceptable ratings from both the classroom and University supervisors for student teaching performance. Students must pass all tests required by the Minnesota Professional Educators and Licensing and Standards Board in order to be eligible for license recommendation.

Effective August 1, 2023 the following teachers, who are applying for a Tier 3 or Tier 4 license, are exempt from taking exams (this will be most of our graduates):

1). Teachers who completed an approved teacher preparation program in Minnesota;
2). Teachers who completed an approved teacher preparation program in another state and passed those exams (if applicable); and
3). Teachers who were recommended for licensure via the portfolio process.

Please see this flow chart for common examples or scenarios that may lead to an exemption for exams. Updated Tier Licensure requirements infographic.  In addition to MTLE changes, note tier 1 exemptions from bachelor’s degrees. 

 

  • IESE performance outcomes: C- or better in all major coursework, 2.7 major GPA, meeting ALL expectations outlined on the program decision points, submission of cooperating teacher student teaching evaluations (midterm & final), submission of university supervisor evaluations (midterm & final), submission of student teacher documentation of dispositions (midterm & final), submission of edTPA (must receive a score), submission of the graduate exit survey
  • STEP performance outcomes: C- or better in all major coursework, 2.5 major GPA, meeting ALL expectations outlined on the program decision points, submission of cooperating teacher evaluation, submission of supervising teacher evaluation, documentation of dispositions, submission of edTPA (must receive a score), submission of the graduate exit survey
  • UECH performance outcomes: C- or better in all major coursework, 2.7 major GPA, meeting ALL expectations outlined on the program decision points, submission of cooperating teacher evaluation, submission of supervising teacher evaluation, documentation of dispositions, submission of edTPA (must receive a score), submission of the graduate exit survey.
  • SPED Post Bac (ABS Standalone) performance outcomes: C- or better in all major coursework, 2.7 major GPA, meeting expectations outlined on the program decision points, submission of cooperating teacher evaluation, submission of supervising teacher evaluation, documentation of dispositions, submission of edTPA (must receive a score), submission of the graduate exit survey.

Post baccalaureate Contracts

CEHSP has a Post baccalaureate Student Contract process for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree at UMD or at another institution and who wish to obtain licensure to teach in Minnesota. This process also can be used by persons who hold a teaching license in one area and wish to add a second license, and those who wish to upgrade a teaching minor to a teaching major.

Post baccalaureate contract students must apply for admission or readmission to UMD and must meet all admission requirements for the appropriate teacher licensure program. Upon completion of the requirements identified on the post baccalaureate contract, and passing the teacher license exams required by the state students are eligible for Minnesota licensure recommendation.

Post Baccalaureate Policies

Teacher Licensure

Requirements for obtaining a MN teaching license includes:

  • edTPA submitted and scores released prior to graduation.  NOTE: An error code will result in an incomplete in student teaching and require an edTPA re-submission.
  • Cooperating teacher and university supervisor evaluation submitted.
  • Completion of all required coursework with a c- or better that meets Minnesota Rules for Teacher Licensing, either with a UMD Degree (B.A.A., B.A.Sc., B.F.A., or B.M.) or on a post baccalaureate contract.
  • Graduate Exit Survey is submitted.
  • Completion of the required components for licensure application including Record Pre- Review and Notification of Minnesota License Application Google form submission.

Students apply for licensure online with the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing & Standards Board. Verification forms are submitted for signatures to the CEHSP Accreditation, Licensure & Field Experience office. Applicants must submit a completed application, required fees, evidence of completing all tests required by the Minnesota Professional Educators and Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check, finger printing, Record Pre-Check Google form, Notification of MN License Application Google form.  Then the Licensure Officer in the CEHSP Accreditation, Licensing, and Field Experience Office will review and email license recommendation to the teacher candidate. Details regarding the application process.

Effective August 1, 2023 the following teachers, who are applying for a Tier 3 or Tier 4 license, are exempt from taking exams (this will be most of our graduates):

1). Teachers who completed an approved teacher preparation program in Minnesota;
2). Teachers who completed an approved teacher preparation program in another state and passed those exams (if applicable); and
3). Teachers who were recommended for licensure via the portfolio process.

Please see this flow chart for common examples or scenarios that may lead to an exemption for exams. Updated Tier Licensure requirements infographic.  In addition to MTLE changes, note tier 1 exemptions from bachelor’s degrees.