Like admission to an Educator Preparation Program, admission to student teaching follows specific policies and procedures. Students apply for admission to student teaching by the deadline of the semester immediately prior to the semester in which they wish to student teach (i.e., spring deadline for fall admission, fall deadline for spring admission). Admission has many required criteria, and students are encouraged to begin the process well before the deadline. The Teacher Education Committee makes final decisions about admissions, incomplete applications are not considered, and there are no provisional admissions. Applicants who are denied admission to student teaching may reapply the next semester, if all prerequisites are met. By the time candidates are ready to apply for student teaching, they are very familiar with educational standards, and thus the process is aligned with the Kentucky Framework for Teaching, along which new teachers in the Commonwealth are assessed in their internship year (Kentucky Teacher Internship Program; KTIP). Requirements for admission to student teaching are below.
Demonstrate organization and professionalism [Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities].
a complete, electronic, application packet to student teaching;
a minimum of 200 field experience hours, with all data posted in Kentucky Field Tracking System (KFETS), and time verified through documentation signed by mentor teachers;
a current, clear criminal record verified by both a state-level and a national-level criminal background check, which is obtained through the district in which the applicant wants to student teach;
a current physical exam report, including a TB skin test (or x-ray);
verified liability insurance through the Kentucky Student National Education Association (SNEA).
Demonstrate content and pedagogical knowledge through academic achievement [Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 2: Classroom Environment, and Domain 3: Instruction].
cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 at the end of the semester prior to the semester of student teaching;
all courses passed in the Liberal Studies General Core;
all courses passed in educational pedagogy and content, with grades of C or above;
competent Phase II electronic portfolio aligned with Kentucky Teacher Standards or Kentucky Framework for Teaching.
official score report that verifies passing scores on all ETS Praxis II exams required by the EPP and Kentucky's Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB; (http://www.ets.org/praxis/ky/requirements).
Provide completed assessments from two educational professionals, such as the academic advisor, a university instructor with whom the applicant has completed a course, or a P-12 teacher with whom the applicant has completed field experiences [all four Domains].
Note: Student teaching is a demanding and strongly supported 70 school days of fully engaged, unpaid teaching in P-12 schools. Candidates may not be employed during the hours of student teaching (including before and after school day planning and meetings) or by a school in which they student teach. In view of the reality that student teachers are fully responsible for their own food, lodging, transportation, incidentals, etc., they are encouraged to think and plan ahead financially for their semester of student teaching.
In order to finish an Educator Preparation Program and graduate with an undergraduate degree, the teacher
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