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Table of Contents

• Section 1: Introduction
• Section 2: Pre-Advanced Study Phase
• Section 3: Advanced Study Phase
• Section 4: Student Teaching Phase
• Section 5: Program Completer Phase
• Section 6: Academic Advising
• Section 7: Assessment and Accreditation
• Section 8: Regional Campuses
• Section 9: Professionalism and Academic Expectations
• Section 10: Teacher Education Coordinators
• Section 11: Graduate/Non-Degree
• Appendix A: Disposition Assessment – Education in a Democratic Society Version
• Appendix B: Disposition Assessment – Full Version
• Appendix C: Non-Academic Dimensions Rubric
• Appendix D: Faculty Advanced Study Deadlines Chart (Fall 2025–Summer 2026)
• Appendix E: Pre-Service Teacher Permit
• Appendix F: Request for Permission to Student Teach on the Job
• Appendix G: Undergraduate Petition for Exception to Student Teaching Requirements
• Appendix H: Student Teaching Evaluation
• Appendix I: Applying for Licensure 12 Months or Later After Program Completion

Introduction

• Mission Statement
• List of Undergraduate Programs
• List of Graduate Programs (Initial Licensure Only)
• Undergraduate Teacher Education Pathway
• Conceptual Framework
• Faculty and Student Resources
  • Advising and Clinical Experience
  • Canvas
  • Chosen Name
  • EHHS Portals
  • Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

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Mission Statement

We prepare high quality teachers to engage in transformative practices that foster inquiry-based, culturally appropriate, and individualized learning with P-12 students in diverse educational communities.

List of Undergraduate Programs

List of Graduate Programs (Initial Licensure Only)

Undergraduate Teacher Education Pathway

Please refer to the handbook sections associated with the phases for more information. 

• Pre-Advanced Study Phase
• Advanced Study Phase
• Student Teaching Phase
• Program Completer Phase

Conceptual Framework

I am a 51���� teacher candidate, therefore I:

Seek innovative teaching techniques | Adapt for individual needs | Solve problems | Create an engaging learning environment | Monitor learner progress | Understand discipline-specific pedagogy | Adopt multiple perspectives | Seek creative teaching techniques | Advocate for learners and families | Facilitate inquiry-based learning | Foster relationships | Know discipline-specific content | Think critically | Exemplify ethical standards | Engage in reflective practice | Integrate content across disciplines | Value professional development | Collaborate | Understand principals of learning | Teach with passion | Promote equal opportunity for all | Use research-based teaching methods | Incorporate real-world experiences | Value all learners | Utilize technology | Understand colleagues' roles | Know national and professional standards | Evaluate and modify teaching for all learners | Demonstrate leadership 

Faculty and Student Resources

Advising and Clinical Experience 

The Vacca Office of Student Services houses both the academic advising and clinical experience staff. The office is in 304 White Hall. Resources are available online: 

• Academic Advising
• Clinical Experience

Canvas

One of the ways we communicate with you is through Canvas. As a student in a teacher education program, you will need to use Canvas for more than coursework. For example, the Vacca Office of Student Services uses Canvas to communicate advising related information. Additionally, you will be added to a K-STEP page at the start of your student teaching experience. This page will provide information and resources on the K-STEP process. To sign onto Canvas, you may click the Canvas logo from your Flashline homepage. You may also visit the KSU Canvas website and sign on with your Flashline username and password. Canvas works best with Google Chrome (recommended), Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari browsers. 

• Tools for Students
• Tools for Faculty

Chosen Name

At 51���� and in the College of Education, Health and Human Services, we value the individual identity of each individual student, which includes respecting your chosen name. This means that where possible, we will use the name that you want us to use for advanced study interviews, field experience, student teaching, and general correspondence. There are certain times and places where we are required to use legal name and times where you will have the opportunity to let us know which name you want to use.  

You can designate your chosen name (first and middle name only) at 51���� and get more information on the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center website on Chosen Names. More information about changing your legal name can be found on the FBEC Forms & Requests page. 

We have outlined the places where your legal name will be used, where your chosen name will be used, and situations where it depends on how you designate it in the system. Please reach out with specific questions that you have!  Some examples of when you or we are required to use your legal name:  

• Background checks required for field experience and student teaching
• Licensure exams and standardized tests
• Licensure application
• Identification purposes at the school (policies may vary)
• Licensure Letter of Completion (you have a choice for the Graduation Letter of Completion, see information below)

Examples of when we will use your chosen name:

• Canvas Learning Management System
• Class rosters
• KSU Advising (advisor appointment scheduling)
• Advanced study application and interviews
• Automated communication (emails) sent to you through the student portal

Special notes and situations:

• Because Field Experience is tied to a course roster, your instructor will see your chosen name listed at the time the class roster is pulled. This will be used in communication to school districts unless you let us know otherwise that you want your legal name to be used. If you want your legal name to be used in communication to schools, it can be noted in the student portal.
• When you apply for Student Teaching in the one year in advance, the system will display the legal name and chosen name that we have on file for you. During the application process, you can let us know whether you want your legal name or chosen name to be used in communication with school districts. However, note that the class roster for Student Teaching and Inquiry Seminar will always display your chosen name.
• When requesting a Graduation Letter of Completion, if you have designated a chosen name, you will be able to choose whether you want the letter of completion to use your chosen name or your legal name (note this is different than a licensure letter of completion- see above).

EHHS Portals

Another key way to track your progress and communicate that progress to you is with the EHHS Portal. The EHHS Portal is used to collect scores on certain assessments, such as the Disposition Assessment and Student Teaching Evaluation. These scores are entered by a course instructor or university supervisor. Once they enter your scores, you will have the opportunity to review and sign-off that you have received your assessment scores. Program Coordinators can use the Portal to also view test scores for the OAE, K-STEP, as well as information on Student Teaching and Clinical Experience Placements. You will also use the student portal to submit the pre-service permit application and the pre-application for licensure. To sign  into the Portal, you will be asked to enter your Flashline username and password:

Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

51���� provides educator preparation programs the opportunity to collect and report on evidence of student learning in an assessment software system. What this means for you is that you may be asked to enter your assignments into this system. The level of involvement you may have varies by program. For more on your program requirements, refer to the Assistant Dean of Accreditation and Assessment, Dr. Michael Bell, mbell34@kent.edu. 

Pre-Advanced Study Phase

• Admission GPA/Declaring a Teacher Education Program for Undergraduate Students
  • Education Programs
  • Education Minors
  • Education Programs Outside of EHHS
• Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates
• Admission to Advanced Study
  • Requirements for Admission to Advanced Study
• Late Applications for Advanced Study
• Barriers and Roadblocks for the Pre-Advanced Study Phase
  • Professional Education Warning and Not Permitted to Continue
  • Education, Health and Human Services General Major
  • Failure to Complete Requirements
  • Disposition Assessments

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Pre-Advanced Study Phase

Admitted to KSU via admissions (as undergrad or transfer)

Admission GPA/Declaring a Teacher Education Program for Undergraduate Students

For you to be admitted to the College of Education, Health and Human Services as a teacher candidate, we look at your GPA after you have successfully completed a minimum of 12 51���� credit hours. As an undergraduate student, if you have not completed a minimum of 12 51���� credit hours, you will be evaluated for admission into programs based on your high school GPA if you are a new first year student, or transfer GPA for transfer students. Once you have successfully completed a minimum of 12 51���� credit hours, only your 51���� cumulative GPA will be considered for admission into a program. 

If you have completed 12 or more credit hours of previous college-level coursework, either at 51���� or at another accredited institution, you will need an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher to declare a College of Education, Health and Human Services major in teacher preparation programs. If you are a transfer applicant who has completed fewer than 12 semester hours of college-level coursework, you will be evaluated on your collegiate and high school records.

Education Programs

Admission to teacher education programs is selective, but with good reason--all children deserve the best possible education, delivered by teachers who care about their subject areas and about the well-being of their students. With this in mind, know that admission to the College does not guarantee admission to a major and/or admission to professional coursework for a selective admission program. For example, to be admitted directly into a teacher education program, it is required that new first-year students have a 2.75 high school GPA. If you do not meet the GPA requirements for your intended major, you may enroll into the EHHS General major until you have established a 51���� GPA of 2.75.

Education Minors

KSU offers an education minor that can be paired with specific KSU majors that have been approved by Ohio and where we can offer a license. Admission to the Education minor is selective and open to you only if you have a minimum 2.50 overall GPA and are declared in a program area for which the state of Ohio issues a teaching license. Those majors at 51���� are the following: 

• Biology
• Spanish
• Mathematics
• Earth Science
• American Sign Language
• Classics (Latin concentration)
• Teaching English as a Second Language
• French
• German

Education Programs Outside of EHHS

51���� offers two licensure programs outside of EHHS where candidates do not declare the Education Minor: Art Education and Music Education. GPA for admission is listed below:

• Art Education requires a 2.50 cumulative GPA
• Music Education requires a 2.50 cumulative GPA

Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates

Professional dispositions are the professional attitudes, values, and beliefs demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, faculty, and communities. We value these professional dispositions because they provide a vision for you to aspire to as you develop into your teacher identities throughout your program. The teacher education faculty believe the following dispositions support student learning and development. Therefore, throughout the program, we are optimistic and hopeful that you will demonstrate:

• Professional responsibility
• Communication and collaboration
• Fairness and safety
• Privacy and confidentiality

These dispositions are assessed at least three times in a candidate's program:

• Education in a Democratic Society course (see Appendix A)
• A methods course with a field component (see Appendix B)
• Student teaching (see Appendix B)

In addition, a disposition assessment may be completed by a faculty member at any time a situation calls for it when a teacher candidate may need extra support to successfully develop in one of these behaviors. A disposition is considered ‘acceptable’ if you do not have an outstanding Professional Development Plan (PDP) that requires improved performance in specified areas. Unfortunately, if you have an outstanding PDP, you may not progress through the teacher education program until it is resolved at the following three points: 

• Applying for advanced study: If you have an outstanding PDP at the time of application, you will not be able to apply for advanced study until the PDP is rectified.
• Prior to the student teaching semester: All outstanding PDPs must be completed and cleared prior to the start of student teaching. 
• End of student teaching semester: If you have an outstanding PDP during your student teaching semester you will not successfully pass student teaching.

Admission to Advanced Study

Admission to advanced study is required for students pursuing an undergraduate major that leads to teacher licensure. What does it mean to have Advanced Study status? Advanced study status means that you have taken certain courses that prepare you for more advanced courses. You achieve advanced study by completing coursework as determined by your program area.

• When do you apply for Advanced Study? In the semester or summer when all prerequisites for advanced study will be completed, and at least one semester prior to you beginning any coursework for which "Admission to Advanced Study" is stated as a prerequisite in the course description(s). 
• How do you apply for Advanced Study? You apply for Advanced Study through the College of Education, Health and Human Services’ which can be accessed through the Vacca Office of Student Services web page.

Requirements for Admission to Advanced Study 

Once you have completed the coursework required to apply, it is time to submit your application for Advanced Study. Faculty in our programs consider many facets of students' achievements as they make decisions for admission. Their goal is to select qualified applicants based upon your academic success (e.g., cumulative GPA) at 51����; non-academic criteria in which you are evaluated, and other specific program criteria. We want to make sure you are aware that reapplication may be necessary if you decide to postpone taking advanced study coursework or if you withdraw for one semester or more. Below you will find the requirements expected of you at the time you apply for advanced study.

College Writing

You are required to attain a minimum C grade in each writing course ( and or equivalent) (Integrated Language Arts majors must attain a minimum B grade).

Mathematics

The following courses (or equivalent) must be completed with minimum C grade for the majors Early Childhood Education, Middle Childhood Education and Special Education: 

The following courses must be completed with a minimum C grade for Integrated Mathematics majors:

• In addition, a minimum 2.60 overall GPA in math content coursework is required. 

Pre-Advanced Study Coursework

To be eligible for advanced study, you must earn a minimum C grade in and a minimum C grade in one of the following courses (please note that a minimum C grade must be earned in both courses for graduation):

Early Childhood Education majors must earn a minimum C grade in to be eligible for advanced study.

Middle Childhood Education majors must earn a minimum C grade in and complete at least 50% of content area coursework from each concentration (with a C or better) to be eligible for advanced study. Students should meet with their advisor for further guidance. 

Grade Point Average

You must show evidence of a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA, with additional conditions for the following majors:

• Adolescence/Young Adult Programs: A minimum 2.60 GPA in the chosen adolescence/young adult content area is required for admission to advanced study, student teaching and graduation. A minimum C grade is required in each course within the content area. The following majors are affected: Earth Science, Integrated Language Arts, Integrated Mathematics, Integrated Science, Integrated Social Studies, Life Science, Life Science/Chemistry and Physical Science. 
• Music Education in the College of the Arts must have a 2.50 cumulative GPA and a 2.75 major GPA.
• Art Education in the College of the Arts must have a 2.50 cumulative GPA and a 2.50 major GPA. 
• Education Minor: Students must achieve a minimum 2.50 overall and major GPA to declare the Education minor, be admitted to advanced study, participate in student teaching and be recommended for licensure. 

All GPA requirements must be met at the time of application.

Disposition Assessment/Professional Development Plans (PDPs)

You are required to have completed all professional development plans (PDPs) at the time of application to be eligible for advanced study. 

Teacher Candidate Acknowledgments and Legal Questions for Licensure 

As a teacher candidate, you are required to electronically sign five statements acknowledging that you have read and understand the following areas: pre-service teacher permit/background check requirements; professional dispositions; licensure application information; legal questions asked on the licensure application and the teacher education handbook. Statements can be found on the  

Teachers serve in loco parentis, Latin for "in the place of a parent.” Legally, this means that teachers bear a great responsibility for the care of children during their time in school. Because this is a responsibility to take seriously, teacher educators in your programs prepare students to adhere to the Ohio Revised Code as it relates to teachers. The investigative arm of the State Board of Education (SBOE), the , advises our policies related to criminal background checks and professional conduct. The Office of Professional Conduct investigates allegations involving criminal convictions or conduct unbecoming to the teaching profession and, if warranted, pursues disciplinary or remedial action against an educator’s credentials or application for credentials. See the for more information and details. 

Don't hesitate to contact the SBOE Office of Professional Conduct directly at 614-466-5638 if you have any questions about how your personal conviction(s) and/or background check might impact your ability to get a license. You may also refer to the to get further information.

Non-Academic Dimensions

As a teacher candidate, you will be evaluated on 5 identified non-academic dimensions, meant to give you feedback on items such as professionalism, feedback, and content/age group selection. Each program will evaluate candidates using the rubric located in Appendix C before admittance into Advanced Study. 

Late Applications for Advanced Study 

To ensure that faculty have adequate time to review all applicants, make every attempt to submit your application for Advanced Study on time, by the deadline (see Appendix D for an Advanced Study Deadline chart for AY 2025 – 2026). There is a process, however, for any student that is applying after the deadline. Here is what you need to do to request a late application for Advanced Study: (a) schedule an advising appointment to meet with your Academic Advisor if you have not recently met with them or (b) contact your Academic Advisor to follow up on a recent discussion about applying late for advanced study. For late applications to be considered for Advanced Study, you must meet all major specific requirements that have been set forth by your program area. These requirements are listed on the checklist that was provided to you by your Academic Advisor in the Vacca Office of Student Services. This request must be made within four days of the application deadline. If approved, you will receive information about the next steps in the review process.  

Barriers and Roadblocks for the Pre-Advanced Study Phase 

Professional Education Warning and Not Permitted to Continue 

While GPA is just one facet of understanding your preparedness of the classroom, it is one that provides some insight into your acquisition of both the content and pedagogical knowledge that is necessary to successfully conduct a classroom. As a student in a teacher licensure program, you are required to have a minimum 2.75 GPA to progress in your program and ultimately graduate. If your cumulative GPA drops below a 2.75, for the first time you will be placed on Professional Education Warning (PEW). You will have 2 semesters to bring your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 and must receive a term GPA of a 2.75 for every semester after being placed on Professional Education Warning. Unfortunately, if you fail to meet this requirement, you will be Not Permitted to Continue (NPC) in your major and will be required to change your major. You may opt to declare EHSG (see below) until you are able to raise your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 or may choose to declare another major in EHHS or in another college.

Education, Health and Human Services General Major

If you are not able to declare a major in a teacher education program upon admission to the university or as a change of major student, you are admitted into the non-degree Education, Health and Human Services General major (EHSG).  You are able to declare a teacher education major once you have established a 51���� GPA of a 2.75 or higher. Because a degree cannot be earned while in EHHS General, it is important that you declare a major before earning 45 credit hours to facilitate timely progress toward a degree. You will not be permitted to continue in EHHS General after accumulating 45 credit hours. 

Failure to Complete Requirements 

If you do not successfully complete the pre-advanced study requirements as identified above, you will not be permitted to apply for advanced study until the coursework has been completed or is in progress.

You can apply for advanced study while in progress with required coursework but will not receive a full approval until the conclusion of the semester when your coursework will be reviewed to ensure that you have successfully completed the required coursework. If you do not earn the minimum grades for your program, you will be denied admission into advanced study and will need to reapply when you have completed or are in progress with the courses once again.  We recommend that you check the specific grades required for each course within your program. You will need to obtain approval before you can repeat a course for the 4th time (except when it comes to courses with a field experience component. See Field Experience Courses for more information).

Disposition Assessments

As previously mentioned, you must have satisfactory disposition assessments on file to be able to apply for advanced study. If you have been required to complete a Professional Development Plan (PDP), you must have this resolved and signed before you are able to apply for advanced study.

Advanced Study Phase

• Course Requirements and Content GPA
• Field Experience Courses
  • Being Removed from Field Experience
  • Repeating a Field Experience
• Pre-Service Teacher Permit/Background Check
• Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates
• Modules
• Applying for Student Teaching/COST
• Applying for Graduation
• Barriers and Roadblocks for the Advanced Study Phase
  • Professional Education Warning and Not Permitted to Continue - Student in Advanced Study
  • Failure to Complete Course Requirements
  • Professional Studies and Other University Majors
  • Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates

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Advanced Study Phase

Admitted to professional courses/field experience phase

Course Requirements and Content GPA

Congratulations! You did it! Welcome to the Advanced Study phase of your program. In this phase, you will enroll in professional courses that include a combination of teaching methods courses, content courses, and field experience coursework. Professional coursework may be within the department itself or may include coursework from other departments or colleges. Please keep in mind, there are minimum grades required for these courses, generally a C or higher. In addition, many programs require a minimum major or content GPA that must be met to progress in the major. Please contact your instructor or advisor immediately if you start to struggle and do not think you will achieve the minimum grades. They can connect you with tutoring and coaching resources. The catalog for each program area outlines grade requirements for specific courses, a minimum major GPA (if applicable), and the courses that count toward that major or content GPA.

Field Experience Courses

We are excited to have you begin working in schools. During the Advanced Study phase, you will engage in a variety of field experiences (i.e., when you are out in schools or other educational settings) throughout your teacher education program. Field experiences may include observations, small group teaching, teaching an entire class and once in student teaching, teaching a full teaching schedule. These experiences also vary in the amount of time you are in the field: a full day, half day, class period or two, etc. The outcome of the Advanced Study phase is to fully prepare you for your own classroom. Your preparation depends upon your successful completion of field experiences. With that in mind, as stated in our attendance policy, all field experience requirements must be fulfilled to pass the course. 

Field experience placements are designed to give you the opportunity to experience different learning environments according to grade level, licensure area, content area, and type of school district. There are selected courses in each teacher education program that require completion of field work in assigned placements within P-12 schools. Selected field experience placements are arranged between the course instructor and KSU Vacca Office of Student Services

Please consider the following important conditions related to the field placement process:

• A pre-service permit (Appendix E) is required prior to your field experience placement.
• The course instructor or an automated email from Vacca Office of Student Services will inform you of your field experience placement once the placement has been confirmed.
• Teacher candidates may not coordinate their own placements.
• Teacher candidates may not change assignment placements with other candidates.
• Teacher candidates may state geographical preferences for field experience placement, but these requests are not guaranteed.
• Field experience placements normally are within a 50-mile radius of 51����.

As guests in schools and other educational settings, we believe it is best for you to practice your growing professional identity. The following will help to guide you in your site visits as teacher candidates and as representatives of 51����: 

1. As soon as you receive your confirmation of a placement, please contact the mentor teacher and plan for the visits. Please be considerate of the mentor teacher's schedule as we recommend that you do not wait to the last minute to fulfill your hours.
2. Teachers rely on your commitment and punctuality. If for some reason you are unable to attend the agreed upon times and days for your field experience, please contact the teacher or school/site office and your KSU course instructor to let them know of your absence. In case of emergency, please contact the school and leave a message the day the emergency occurs.
3. An important component within the teaching profession is networking with other teachers and administrators as they may provide recommendations for future employment. In addition to your ability to teach and connect with students, they will also observe your professional conduct and appearance. So, while we recommend that you follow the standards of professional conduct and appearance as specified by the school's teacher handbook or by the administrator in charge, we also want you to be true to yourself and who you are. If you have questions about how to balance your personal identity and the expectations of your school district, please reach out to your instructor, advisor, or supportive employee in the KSU teacher education community.
4. District handbooks often address length and style of hair, beards and moustaches, piercings, style of dress, tattoos, among other items, which may or may not be inclusive of all identities. We discuss this further in the Professional Attire section; however, if you feel the standards asked of you are unreasonable and you are unable to conform to these standards, please consult with your instructor, university supervisor, or the Assistant Director of Clinical Experience.
5. You are responsible for obtaining your own transportation to/from the schools/sites.
6. Whenever possible, please schedule a few minutes to meet the Building Principal. This offers you the opportunity to learn about the school’s expectations, meet teachers and address your specific goals. When observing, please find an area in the room away from the classroom activities and follow the teacher's lead for interactions and classroom involvement with the students.
7. Teachers and schools expect that KSU guests observe while in their classrooms. This means you will not engage in conversation with others, including other KSU students visiting the classroom with you, to not interfere with the learning environment.
8. When it is time to end the visit, please leave as quietly as possible. If the opportunity is there to thank the teacher for the visit, it is an appreciated and courteous gesture. 
9. If you write an observation report (as a course requirement), write what you saw or heard without recording judgment or criticism. Remember to omit names of teachers, children, other school personnel and the school name and district so as to maintain a professional policy of confidentiality. 
10. In your development as a teacher candidate, your fieldwork must be given first priority over other personal obligations and commitments. In addition, you must conduct yourself in a professional manner, including dress, speech, personal habits and overall courtesy. 
11. Any indication of drug and/or alcohol use will result in removal from the placement site.

Absences from Field Experiences

Time in the field is the heartbeat of our teacher education programs, and this policy reflects that importance. Extenuating circumstances are the only reasons accepted as excused absences from field experiences. If such a situation occurs, we respectfully request that you notify the mentor teacher and instructor/university supervisor prior to the absence. In addition, please inform both the mentor teacher and university supervisor/instructor about the date of return to the field when possible. Absences, late arrivals, and/or early departures from field experiences may result in additional time in the field or removal from the field experience. Extensive absences will be addressed on a case-by-case basis and may require a medical note. 

Passing Field Experiences and Courses 

Teacher candidates must meet the field experience requirements to earn a passing grade for the corresponding course. The following actions constitute a failing grade for a field experience: 

• Chronic tardiness or absences from field experiences
• Failure to meet the field experience time and work requirements set forth by the course instructor
• Participation in unprofessional behavior that would result in dismissal of a teacher from employment

Being Removed from Field Experience/Student Teaching

Quite often, prior to student teaching, a field experience component is included as part of a university course. If you are removed from a field experience site whether the school has asked for your removal or due to poor performance/dispositions, you will need to repeat the course the next semester the course is offered. Refer to the Student Teaching Phase section of the handbook for potential options if you are removed from a school site during student teaching. If a removal occurs, 51���� is not required to find another placement in the same semester for a teacher candidate if you were asked to leave a school site. If it is agreed upon that a new placement will be found in the same semester, a new BCI/FBI background check will be needed upon arrival at the new site.

Repeating a Field Experience 

Teacher candidates are permitted to repeat a field experience course once (see major requirements for specific courses). If a teacher candidate is unsuccessful in completing OR fails to earn the required grade in a field experience course the first time, the teacher candidate will receive a warning and will be required to work with a faculty advisor in their academic unit to develop a plan for continuation. The required grade is a C or better in a course that awards a letter grade, or Satisfactory (S) in a course that awards an S/U grade. The plan will include all actions necessary to continue in the current program, the opportunity to declare a different program, a timeline of when actions should occur, and next steps if actions are not followed. If the teacher candidate does not earn the required grade in the field experience course the second time, a hold will be placed on their account, preventing them from registering for classes until they change their major out of the education program.

Pre-Service Teacher Permit/Background Check

Once in advanced study, you will be required to complete a variety of observations, field experiences, and student teaching. As of July 1, 2024, any individual enrolled in a course that is part of an Educator Preparation Program AND who will be in a Pk-12 classroom as part of the course must obtain a Pre-Service Teacher Permit before you are allowed in schools for your field experience or student teaching assignments. The Pre-Service Teacher Permit is either valid for three years with a cost of $75.00 or for 1 year at a cost of $25 (see Appendix E for more information). 

The first step in obtaining a state issued Pre-Service Teacher Permit through the State Board of Education, is to complete both a BCII and FBI background check/fingerprinting evaluation. BCII and FBI background checks require current, state issued identification (driver’s license or a state identification card issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles) and must be paid for by check or cash. 

If you are a student on the Kent campus, background checks and fingerprinting can be completed in the Instructional Resource Center (IRC), Room 221 White Hall, during operating hours and by appointment. Contact the IRC to verify dates and hours of operation at 330-672-2353. 

Cost for the BCII is approximately $30.00, but is subject to change, and can be paid with cash or online credit card payments (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases.) Checks are NOT accepted.

Cost for the FBI fingerprinting is approximately $30.00 and can be paid with by cash or online credit card payments (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases.) 

If you are a student at a regional campus, you may contact your local Educational Service Center. 

You are required to bring current state issued identification (driver’s license or identification card). You are responsible for the payment of this fee at the time of service.

• Please request that both background checks are sent to the State Board of Education and mailed directly to you. Do not send the results of background checks to 51���� or the student teaching site. Both background checks are required when applying for initial licensure as well. Student teachers may need to update their background checks when applying for licensure.

Neither the Vacca Office of Student Services nor your faculty views these results. For any questions, you can review the Standards for Licensure and Employment of Individuals with Criminal Conviction concerning the results of background checks. This document can be viewed on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce website at education.ohio.gov. Locate “Teachers” in the topic menus bar at the top of the homepage, from there go to “Professional Conduct,” (located in a box to the right under State Board of Education). For additional help, contact the Office of Professional Conduct directly at 855-983-4868. For further questions regarding the directions or if you have any questions or concerns as to what may be or is found on your background check, please contact the Clinical Experience Office in the Vacca Office of Student Services at 330-672-2870 or email the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences at rbrow156@kent.edu.

Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates

During advanced study, you will continue to be assessed using the Professional Disposition Assessment for Teacher Candidates at 51����. If at any time there is an issue with professional dispositions, an instructor may complete a disposition assessment when a situation calls for it. In most cases where there are issues with professional dispositions, a professional development plan (PDP) must be created and completed before you continue through the program. A candidate may not progress through the teacher education program unless evidence shows that progress toward meeting the professional dispositions is underway. By the completion of student teaching, all disposition assessments must be rated as acceptable. A copy of the disposition assessment can be found in Appendix B.

Modules

As you progress through your teacher education program, you will be required to successfully complete a variety of learning modules that have been designated by the state of Ohio. These modules must be completed for you to be cleared for licensure. 

Modules are in the Sign in and click on the link for Teacher Education Modules. The modules that will be completed prior to graduation are:

1. Computer Science
2. Dyslexia*
3. Ohio Resident Educator
4. Ohio School Operating Standards
5. Ohio Standards for Professional Development
6. Opioid Use Prevention
7. Value-added

*If you are in the MCED or SPED programs, you will NOT complete the Dyslexia module.

Depending on your program, these topics/concepts will be expanded on in different ways. You can take these at any time; however, you will find that some programs will have you complete the module for homework and then have discussions or activities in class. All modules must be successfully completed before you apply for licensure.

Apply for Student Teaching/COST

Preparing for student teaching is a very exciting time. A year may seem far away; however, the year before you plan to student teach is when you will apply. Applications for the student teaching experience must be submitted to the Office of Clinical Experiences via the EHHS student portal.

• To find the application, go to the and log in. From the menu, choose “Clinical Experience”, then choose “Student Teaching Application” and follow the prompts. If you have concerns or questions about a portion of the application, contact Renee Brown, the Assistant Director of Clinical Experience at 330-672-0541 or rbrow156@kent.edu.

If a student is interested in student teaching overseas/COST

51���� students can student teach in overseas English-language schools through COST—The Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching. COST offers a world class cross-cultural and international professional educational experience while still meeting Ohio’s teacher education standards. Placements are available in such sites as Australia, Bahamas, Belize, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. For more information, visit the Gerald H. Read Center for International and Intercultural Education's website about COST. If interested, you need to attend a COST information meeting and work with Dr. Elizabeth Kenyon (ekenyon@kent.edu /330-673-2580).

Dates to submit application to Dr. Elizabeth Kenyon:

• Fall 2026 Applications due February 15, 2026
• Spring 2027 Applications due August 15, 2026

Applying for Graduation

Congratulations! You are nearing the end and ready to apply for graduation. The application for graduation is located online through FlashLine and must be completed by published deadlines. The online graduation application is used for all degree and certificate programs.

To access the online graduation application:

1. Log into FlashLine, then click on Student / Resources / Graduation.
2. Review and acknowledge the Important Information Concerning Your Graduation Application page.
3. Select and submit your curriculum.
4. Select and submit your graduation term.
5. Review your information for accuracy and submit your request.
6. Print the Graduation Application Acknowledgment page for your records.
7. View submitted graduation applications by clicking on the link at the bottom of your acknowledgment page or from the link on the Student Category/Resources Page/Graduation Section.
8. Once the information has been submitted, it will be reviewed and acted on appropriately by your college or Regional Campus office.
9. Any questions about applying for graduation should be referred to your advisor/advising office.

Barriers and Roadblocks for the Advanced Study Phase

Professional Education Warning and Not Permitted to Continue - Student in Advanced Study 

While GPA is just one facet of understanding your preparedness of the classroom, it is one that provides some insight into your acquisition of both the content and pedagogical knowledge that is necessary to successfully conduct a classroom. As a student in a teacher licensure program, you are required to have a minimum 2.75 GPA to progress in your program and ultimately graduate. If your cumulative GPA drops below a 2.75, for the first time you will be placed on Professional Education Warning (PEW). You will have 2 semesters to bring your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 and must receive a term GPA of a 2.75 for every semester after being placed on Professional Education Warning. Unfortunately, if you fail to meet this requirement, you will be Not Permitted to Continue (NPC) in your major and will be required to change your major. You may opt to declare EHSG until you are able to raise your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 or may choose to declare another major in EHHS or in another college.

If you are NPC in your major, you will be deregistered from any Advanced Study courses that you are enrolled in for the next term. You will be unable to take any Advanced Study courses until your GPA is back up to a 2.75 and you declare your teacher education major.

Failure to Complete Course Requirements

If you unfortunately do not successfully complete your professional coursework you likely will not be able to progress to the next set of courses in your major, depending on established prerequisites listed in the catalog. You will need to obtain approval from your advisor before you can take a course for the 4th time. Additional limits apply for courses that include a field experience (See Field Experience Courses for more information). 

In some cases, courses are required to be taken together in a set block of courses. If you pass some courses in the block but not all courses in the block, you will be required to repeat only the courses that did not earn the minimum grade before you can move on to the next block. 

If you have repeated courses several times and have not successfully passed, you may be encouraged to explore other majors, including Professional Studies or majors in Arts and Sciences or EHHS (i.e., an Integrated Social Studies major may want to look into the History major). 

To be permitted to student teach, you will need to complete all required courses for your program with the minimum required grades except for Student Teaching and Inquiry Seminar.

Professional Studies and Other University Majors

If you do not maintain the required GPA, or do not otherwise meet minimum requirements in your teacher education program, you are encouraged to explore the Professional Studies major. This degree completion program is a good option that allows you to maximize the use of credits you have already earned while allowing you to stay on track to graduate as planned. It is important to note that the Professional Studies major is a non-licensure program and does not qualify candidates to apply for a teaching license at graduation. In this program, you are able to create a self-guided major with your remaining coursework and are encouraged to add minors or certificates to help prepare you for career or graduate school goals. A 2.00 is required to declare and graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Studies.

You may also want to explore parallel majors in the College of Arts and Sciences (i.e., History for Integrated Social Studies, English for Integrated Language Arts majors). Note that additional requirements will need to be determined by an advisor for that program area.

Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates

At this point in your program, you must have satisfactory disposition assessments on file to qualify for student teaching. If you have been required to complete a Professional Development Plan (PDP), you must have this resolved and signed before you are cleared for student teaching.

Student Teaching Phase

• Student Teaching Placements
• Consortium of Overseas Student Teaching (COST) Program
• On-the-Job Student Teaching Placements
• Exceptions to Student Teaching
• Professional Conduct and Expected Behaviors
• Student Teaching Performance Evaluations
  • Midterm and Summative Student Teaching Performance Evaluations
  • Disposition Assessments Required for Student Teaching
  • Kent Summative Teacher Education Project (K-STEP)
• Modules
• Student Surveys
  • Ohio Resident Educators' Survey
  • EHHS Alumni Survey
• Barriers and Roadblocks for the Student Teaching Phase
  • Professional Education Warning and Not Permitted to Continue
  • GPA for Student Teaching
  • Challenges in Completing Requirements Before Student Teaching
  • Professional Studies and other Majors in Arts and Sciences
  • Professional Dispositions for Student Teaching
  • Incompletion of Student Teaching
  • In Progress (IP)
  • Withdrawal
  • Failing Grade in Student Teaching

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Student Teaching Phase

Culminating internship for teacher licensure

Student Teaching Placements

Before a student teaching placement will be arranged for you, you must maintain eligibility to student teach according to catalog policy. The eligibility criteria include coursework requirements, GPA, disposition standards, and any other criteria as specified by your Program Area Faculty and/or College. The following are important points to guide the student teaching placement process:

1. Prior to participating in your student teaching semester, you are required to enter the to complete the Student Teaching Application. Using the Clinical Experience link, you will complete the Student Teaching Application one year prior to student teaching. Importantly, Student Teaching Application deadlines are program specific. Information on program timelines is available each semester on the Clinical Experience website.
2. Please keep in mind that you are not permitted to student teach in the same school district where you are employed, your relatives are employed, your children are attending, or from where you have graduated within the last 10 years.
3. Generally, placements are made within a 50-mile radius of the Kent Campus and/or your residence. You are responsible for having reliable transportation to and from your placement site and for all other necessary travel that is a part of student teaching.
4. The Vacca Office of Student Services makes all arrangements for student teaching on the Kent Campus; therefore, any other attempts to make one's own student teaching placement is not allowed. Under no circumstances are you to contact any school district personnel with the intention of securing your own placement. 
5. The Clinical Experience Placement office reserves the right to change your student teaching placement site if it is deemed to be inappropriate, insufficient, or contrary to the expectations, policies, and practices of our teacher preparation programs.

Consortium of Overseas Student Teaching (COST) Program

There is an amazing opportunity where you may complete student teaching in a school abroad.  However, the same procedures for applying for student teaching apply, including applying for student teaching with the Vacca Office of Student Services (VOSS) one year in advance and completing all required trainings before the start of student teaching. You will need to submit an additional application to the Consortium of Overseas Student Teaching (COST) program to complete student teaching in another country. For more information on the COST program and deadline dates for application submissions, please visit the COST program website.

If you participate in the COST program, you will study abroad the last 8 weeks of the semester and will be placed in an Ohio school for the first 8 weeks so you can complete the planning, implementation, and recording of the K-STEP.

As expected, all professional conduct and expected behaviors for domestic placements for student teaching apply to all student teaching placements abroad.  In addition, you will be required to comply with all requirements of the school abroad. You should communicate with your supervisors and mentor teachers abroad before beginning your student teaching.

On-the-Job Student Teaching Placements

Student teaching is the culminating experience in the preparation of student teacher candidates. The expected student teaching experience includes coaching, mentoring, modeling, exploring, reflecting, and more. In very limited cases, when extraordinary circumstance(s) exist, if you are currently employed as a classroom teacher in the content area in which you are seeking licensure, you may submit a written application to complete the student teaching requirement ‘on-the-job’. We will examine each request on an individual basis based on the following criteria:

1. All program standards for eligibility to student teach must be met and the Student Teaching Application must be submitted to 304 White Hall. Registration in the appropriate student teaching course and seminar (if required) for the semester is mandatory.
2. Student teaching will consist of a full-time supervised experience, in accordance with the standard length of time as prescribed by your program area. You will complete all student teaching assessments and assignments, including the K-STEP, unless specified otherwise by the Program Coordinator or Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences.
3. The school principal and superintendent of your school district must endorse their support of your student teaching experience via formal letters addressed to Renee Brown, Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences, rbrow156@kent.edu, 304 White Hall, 51����. These letters should be attached to the Student Teaching Application. The principal and superintendent must also identify a classroom teacher employed in the school/school district with the same license/certification and at least three years of experience, who will serve as your mentor during the student teaching experience.
4. Your current teaching position must represent your intended area of license/certification. For example, if you are teaching Spanish at the high school level, then your license/certification request must be in that content area and with the appropriate age level.
5. A university supervisor will be assigned to you during your student teaching experience and will observe and evaluate your performance. The university supervisor will observe you in your classroom. All student teaching evaluation forms will be completed by the university supervisor and the mentor teacher, and submitted into the Faculty Portal by the end of the student teaching semester.
6. An ‘On-the-Job’ application (see Appendix F) must be submitted to the Assistant Director of Clinical Experience, along with the other forms and information listed above. The beginning and ending dates for your student teaching experience will be arranged by the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences, 304 White Hall, in coordination with your respective program faculty.

Any further questions or concerns should be addressed to the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences, 304 White Hall, email: rbrow156@kent.edu; phone (330) 672-0541, fax (330) 6726277.

Exceptions to Student Teaching

To participate in the student teaching experience, you must have met all of the program requirements in order to be fully eligible. This includes having an overall 2.75 GPA and having met the major GPA as required by individual programs. In addition, you must have completed all required courses and received a rating of “acceptable” on all program disposition assessments. In rare circumstances, exceptions may be made with the approval of the Director of Educator Preparation in the College of EHHS. Each program has identified these rare circumstances so please refer to your Program Coordinator for specific information on these exceptions. It is important to note that the Director of Educator Preparation will not approve any exception requests for taking more than one course during the student teaching semester or more than 2 courses after the student teaching semester. Students seeking approval for an exception must complete the appropriate Exceptions to Student Teaching Form (see Appendix G) and abide by the following:

1. We ask that you meet with a professional advisor to review graduation and student teaching requirements. The professional advisor will provide you with the link needed to request an exception to student teach and review the directions of this process.
2. We also require you to meet with a faculty advisor to review the situation. The faculty advisor will include comments and indicate whether they support the request for an exception to student teach on the Exceptions to Student Teaching Form.
3. Fully submitted applications should be sent to etesta@kent.edu for approval.
4. The Director of Educator Preparation will review the request, make the final decision to accept or reject the request, and notify you, the faculty advisor, the professional advisor, and the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences of the final decision.
5. The completed Exceptions to Student Teaching form will then be scanned into your KSU Advising file.

Appealing an Exceptions to Student Teaching Decision

There are times when a faculty advisor will deny your petition for exception to student teaching. If you want to appeal this decision, contact the Director of Educator Preparation, Dr. Lisa Testa at etesta@kent.edu with your application and an explanation as to why your exception should be approved. The Director will review this appeal, make a final decision, and inform you, the faculty advisor, and professional advisor.

Professional Conduct and Expected Behaviors

We would all agree that while working as a student teacher, it is important to always conduct yourself in a professional manner. In addition, there are several professional behaviors that are expected of you, as a student teacher. Please review the following guidelines that outline the professional expectations for all student teachers:

1. You should meet with the mentor teacher and university supervisor to cooperatively address problems as they arise. If needed, the Program Coordinator will be contacted by the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences for faculty advisement.
2. To be successful in student teaching, it is a collaborative effort. We want you to realize your responsibilities as learners, study the teaching-learning process, and as co-teachers, increase instructional responsibilities from day-to-day.  
3. In general, you will follow the same school policies and expectations that are followed by licensed teachers as written in the
4. As a student teacher, we expect that you will be punctual when arriving at school, attend scheduled classes, and attend meetings in accordance with school regulations.
5. We ask that you become familiar with and abide by school policies and maintain confidentiality about student or school personnel issues.
6. We expect that you will responsibly communicate with your university supervisor to inform them about your progress, problems, or any other matters that may need the supervisor's attention.
7. The teaching profession requires that its members possess high standards of personal conduct. You are asked to follow the common standards of professional conduct and the personal appearance standards as specified by the placement site’s teacher handbook or by the administrator in charge.
8. You are required to obtain the Pre-Service Teacher Permit before you begin student teaching. The Pre-service Teacher permit is valid for either 3 years or 1 year and requires current background checks to be sent to the State Board of Education at the time of application. When completing background checks, request that both, the BCII and FBI results, are mailed to you. NOTE: Do not send background check results to 51���� or the student teaching placement site.
9. You will be removed from a placement site if there is any indication of drug and/or alcohol use on school property or at school functions.
10. In case of illness or an emergency that will result in an absence from student teaching, you are to contact your mentor teacher immediately. The university supervisor must be notified as well, whether or not an observation is planned.
11. You are not permitted to administer medications to students.
12. The student teaching experience is considered a full-time job that requires your full commitment and professional dedication. Thus, you should not expect to be employed, nor compensated, by any other agency or institution during the regularly scheduled hours of your student teaching placement.
13.  For serious problems or problems that continue after a warning has been issued to you, a Professional Development Plan (PDP) will be established with the mentor teacher, university supervisor, KSU faculty, and you. The PDP describes the problem area(s) and an action plan to resolve this problem. The PDP will include a timeframe by which this problem must be resolved to pass student teaching. Documentation of all actions pertaining to the implementation of the PDP must be objective, accurate, and thorough. This documentation should be included under the Disposition Assessment in the and .
14. If for any reason the school placement site administration requests that you are to be removed from the classroom, the Vacca Office of Student Services will comply with this request.

Refer to the Student Teaching Handbook on the Clinical Experience webpage for additional information.

Student Teaching Performance Evaluations

Midterm and Summative Student Teaching Performance Evaluations

You will be evaluated on your performance during student teaching (see Appendix H for student teaching evaluation). The evaluation occurs at the midterm and summative phases of student teaching. The mentor teacher and university supervisor will complete these student teaching performance evaluations.

1. Use: This evaluation serves as both the midterm and final student teaching evaluation. On the final evaluation, all items must be assessed. The scores on this evaluation are utilized to determine whether you have met the expectations of performance for student teaching. The data are used for candidate evaluation, program improvement, and monitoring.
2. Content: The tool’s items are aligned with the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession, InTASC, CAEP, and other relevant elements identified by program faculty and P-12 stakeholders consulted when developing the tool.
3. Scoring: It is completed by both the mentor teacher and the university supervisor (based on in-class observations and conversations with you). It is important to note that you are only expected to achieve the “Meets Expectations” performance level for each standard. The “Exemplary” category is provided to inform you as to what behavior or achievement is above and beyond what is expected. Standards marked “Exemplary” will not be given any additional weight in point calculation—they are factored in at the same value as “Meets Expectations.” Furthermore, an “Exemplary” will not override an “Emerging” or “Below Expectations” of another standard. We advise mentor teachers and supervisors to use the “Exemplary” rating only when you meet all aspects of the performance standard. To achieve satisfactory performance on the assessment, you must have no fewer than 17 “Meets Expectations” standard ratings, with no items marked as “Below Expectations or Not Met” on the final student teaching evaluation.

Disposition Assessments Required for Student Teaching

A disposition assessment is completed numerous times throughout your teacher education program, which includes student teaching. In addition, a disposition assessment may be completed by a faculty member at any time a situation calls for it. By the completion of student teaching, all disposition standards must be rated as “Meets Expectations.” After a faculty member or university supervisor has completed the disposition assessment, an automated email will be sent to you indicating that the assessment form needs to be signed. We ask that you go into the to sign the form. If a Professional Development Plan (PDP) is needed, you will be directed through an email to create a PDP in the Student Portal. Without your signature (and completion of the terms of the PDP if one is required), successful completion of student teaching and graduation may be denied.

The Professional Development Plan (PDP) steps and procedures:

1. A PDP will need to be completed if you
   1. Receive an “Emerging or Below Expectations” on one or more of the disposition assessment standards
   2. Do not have the "Does Not Need to Complete a PDP" box checked by the evaluator on the disposition assessment form
2. You are to complete the PDP by entering what you will do to improve your performance on the assessment standards on which you received a “Below Expectations or Emerging."
3. The PDP is expected to be completed by the due date specified on the Disposition Assessment form assigned by the evaluator. We ask for you to be responsible for completing the PDP and arranging a meeting with your evaluator to have it approved. 
4. Along with your evaluator, you have access to modify the PDP until the evaluator electronically signs the document in the EHHS Faculty/Staff Portal.
5. Once the evaluator has signed the document, you will also need to sign it for the document to be considered complete.

Kent Summative Teacher Education Project (K-STEP)

During your student teaching semester, you will complete the Kent Summative Teacher Education Project (i.e., K-STEP) by the deadline set by the Director of Educator Preparation or your program (whichever is earlier). The K-STEP is designed to develop and evaluate your ability to plan for instruction, use instructional strategies, and assess student learning during your final student teaching experience. The passing score for this assessment will be submission and receiving a completion score, but the “meets expectations” performance level on the rubric is the target for each criterion. 

For this assessment, you will develop lesson plans and assessments that demonstrate your ability to prepare for instruction. You will also deploy assessments and analyze the resulting data for formative and summative assessments. Based on the teaching and learning from one lesson to another and based on data gathered from formative assessment, you will be asked to reflect upon and adjust your planning and instruction for the next lessons.

As you complete the tasks, you will respond to several narrative prompts. These prompts will ask you to explain your thought processes and decisions as you plan and deliver instructions and discuss your findings from the assessment data. Video recordings are a required component of the project, and several narrative prompts will require you to refer to the video submissions.

Materials for the K-STEP will be available online for all student teachers via Canvas (see the KSTEP Student Teaching page). In the early weeks of the student teaching semester, you will distribute a letter to inform students and families of the K-STEP process, including the video clips necessary for the portfolio. You will collect a consent form to obtain parent/guardian/student permission to participate in the K-STEP process. For all teacher education programs, the final deadline for K-STEP submissions is the end of the 10th week, however, if a program has an earlier due date specified by the Inquiry Seminar instructor, the earlier date is the due date for that program. 

The cost of completing the K-STEP is $150. This is the teacher education fee located on your student teaching semester bill. 

Completion of the K-STEP is one of the requirements for passing student teaching. A cut score of 39 is considered passing for student teaching. If you score below a 39, you will work with your Inquiry course instructor for opportunities to revise and resubmit.

Modules

Students in a teacher licensure program must demonstrate mastery of several topics that are legally mandated by the state of Ohio for all teacher education programs. While most of these topics are integrated into our programs, introductory modules have been created that will introduce you to additional topics required by law.

The following modules must be completed successfully by you before you can apply for licensure:

1. Computer Science
2. Dyslexia
3. Ohio Resident Educator
4. Ohio School Operating Standards
5. Ohio Standards for Professional Development
6. Opioid Use Prevention
7. Value Added

These modules are included in the requirements of various courses throughout each program and must be completed in the If all the modules are not completed successfully, you will not be able to complete the pre-licensure application as one of the steps to obtaining your licensure.

Student Surveys

Ohio Resident Educators’ Survey

To gather information on alumni satisfaction with the quality of preparation provided by their educator preparation programs, the Ohio Department of Higher Education administers a survey aligned with the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession (OSTP), Ohio licensure requirements, and elements of national accreditation. All Ohio Resident Educators who complete their preparation in Ohio receive an invitation to complete the survey in the fall semester as they enter Year 2 of the Resident Educator program (Ohio Educator Preparation Provider Performance Report: 51����, 2020). Survey results are reported as part of the state’s educator performance reports. are accessible online.

EHHS Alumni Survey

To gather information on job placement and alumni satisfaction with the quality of their educator preparation programs, 51���� distributes a survey to graduating students. This survey will be distributed to you via email.

Barriers and Roadblocks for the Student Teaching Phase

Professional Education Warning and Not Permitted to Continue 

While GPA is just one facet of understanding your preparedness of the classroom, it is one that provides some insight into your acquisition of both the content and pedagogical knowledge that is necessary to successfully conduct a classroom. As a student in a teacher licensure program, you are required to have a minimum 2.75 GPA to progress in your program and ultimately graduate. If your cumulative GPA drops below a 2.75, for the first time you will be placed on Professional Education Warning (PEW). You will have 2 semesters to bring your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 and must receive a term GPA of a 2.75 for every semester after being placed on Professional Education Warning. Unfortunately, if you fail to meet this requirement, you will be Not Permitted to Continue (NPC) in your major and will be required to change major. You may opt to declare EHSG until you are able to raise your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 or may choose to declare another major in EHHS or in another college.

If you are Not Permitted to Continue (NPC) in your major, you will be deregistered from any Advanced Study courses in which you are enrolled for the next term including Student Teaching and Inquiry Seminar. You will be unable to take any Advanced Study courses until your GPA is back up to a 2.75 and you declare your teacher education major.

GPA for Student Teaching

Before being approved for student teaching, you must have a 2.75 cumulative GPA and major/content GPA (where applicable) that is required for graduation as listed in the catalog. If you do not meet the minimum GPA for student teaching, you will be required to retake courses and reapply for students teaching for the next semester in which student teaching is offered for your program.

Challenges in Completing Requirements Before Student Teaching

You will be reviewed for eligibility for student teaching by the Vacca Office of Student Services (or equivalent for Regional campuses) immediately before student teaching. Due to extenuating circumstances, you may not have completed all required courses for your program expected prior to student teaching. Unfortunately, this would not allow you to student teach until you have completed all required courses for your program except for Student Teaching and Inquiry Seminar.

If you have missing requirements, your student teaching placement will be placed on hold and you will not be permitted to student teach until the missing requirement(s) has been resolved and addressed. This may mean that you will have to delay student teaching until the following semester. You can request to have an exception granted, which will allow you to possibly student teach with missing requirements. To make this request, students must meet with their faculty advisor and complete a petition for exception to this policy called an “Exception to Student Teaching.” Note that approval of these exceptions is extremely rare and only granted for extenuating circumstances.

Professional Studies and other Majors in Arts and Sciences

Sometimes students may struggle to maintain the required GPA or may face other challenges that keep them from successfully completing their teacher education program. Those students may be encouraged to explore the Professional Studies major. This degree completion program allows students in teacher education programs to maximize the use of the credits they have already earned while allowing a student to stay on track to graduate as planned. If you decide to change from your teacher education program to Professional Studies, you must inform the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences, your program coordinator, and meet with a professional advisor in the Vacca Office of Student Services. Professional Studies is a nonlicensure program and will not qualify you to apply for a teaching license upon completion of this major. In this program you are able to create a self-guided major with your remaining coursework and are encouraged to add minors or certificates to help prepare you for your career or graduate school goals. A 2.00 is required to declare and graduate with a degree in Professional Studies.

You may also want to explore parallel majors in the College of Arts and Sciences (i.e., History for Integrated Social Studies, English for Integrated Language Arts majors). Note that additional requirements will need to be determined by an advisor for that program area.

Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates

You must have satisfactory disposition assessments on file to pass student teaching. If you are required to complete a Professional Development Plan (PDP), you must have this resolved and signed before you are able to pass student teaching, graduate, and apply for a license.

Incompletion of Student Teaching

On rare occasions, students who start a student teaching placement are unable to complete student teaching. There are a variety of reasons for this, which can range from medical or personal circumstances to performance in student teaching. Each situation is reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis and there is the potential for a variety of outcomes.

In Progress (IP)

The University policy on IP Grades states: The mark ‘In Progress’ (IP) may be given to students to indicate that work is in progress toward a thesis, dissertation, research, individual investigation or a similar effort that requires additional time beyond a semester. A grade will be given when the work is completed. The IP mark can be utilized only in designated courses and remains a terminal mark if the student does not complete the requirements for the course. For courses required for a degree or certificate, a grade must be given before the credential may be granted. The IP mark is not counted in grade point averages.

An IP is granted when the student needs additional time to complete the requirements for a course but has otherwise been making progress toward completion and is in good standing in the course. Assignment of this grade is at the discretion of the instructor of the course and is not guaranteed. If an IP grade is submitted, the student will need to complete the remaining requirement in a subsequent term before a grade and credit can be earned.

Withdrawal 

The University policy on W grades states: The mark ‘Withdrawal’ (W) denotes that the student has withdrawn from the university or from any individual course without evaluation. For courses in the College of Podiatric Medicine, this mark is given to students who withdraw prior to midterm exams. The W mark is not counted in grade point averages.

A student may elect to withdraw from student teaching if they are within the withdraw period. In this case, you will not earn a grade or credit for student teaching. If approved, you will need to register and pay for student teaching a second time in a future semester. The decision to withdraw within the timeline allowed is up to you, but communication with the instructor is critical. We recommend that you talk with your faculty advisor about the potential for returning in the future to retake student teaching. Another option for you is to consider Professional Studies or another degree.

Failing Grade in Student Teaching

An instructor may assign a grade in student teaching of F (as well as SF or NF) indicating that student teaching was not completed successfully. The F grade counts into the major and cumulative GPA. If you fail student teaching, you cannot graduate with a degree program in teacher education. We suggest that you communicate with your instructor and faculty advisor to see whether the possibility of returning in a subsequent semester for student teaching is possible. If approved, you will need to register and pay for student teaching a second time in a future semester. Another option for you is to consider Professional Studies or another degree.

Program Completer Phase

• Applying for Licensure
  • List of Programs and Ohio Licenses
  • What Needs to be on File in 304 White Hall Before Applying for Licensure
  • When to Apply for a License
  • Fingerprinting Information
• Assessments Required for Licensure
  • Praxis II and OAE (Ohio Assessments for Educators)
  • ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)
• Letters of Completion
• Alumni Surveys
  • Ohio Resident Educators' Survey
  • EHHS Alumni Survey
• Applying for a License in Another State

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Program Completer Phase

Preparing for licensure

Applying for Licensure

Congratulations on completing your licensure program at KSU. Graduation/program completion is the first step toward eligibility for licensure, but there are important steps to follow to get your Ohio license. Please email licensure@kent.edu with any questions about this process.

To apply for an initial license in the State of Ohio:

1. Create an OH/ID Account: Before accessing the online licensure application, you must first let ODEW know who you are by creating an OH/ID account. This is a secure web portal account that allows users to access the ODEW in a secure and streamlined way.
   1. What is OH/ID?
      
   2. How to Create an OH/ID Account:
      
2. Licensure Pre-application: Once all final grades are posted for your licensure program and all licensure exams are passed, you are now ready to complete the online which, once complete, will link to the online licensure application on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce website. You must complete the pre-application before the Vacca Office of Student Services can review and process your licensure application.

List of Programs & Ohio Licenses

Please review this table to determine what license to apply for and its cost:

What Needs to be on File in 304 White Hall before Applying for Licensure?

• Completion of the appropriate teacher education modules based on the licensure in which you seek to obtain.
• Licensure Pre-application on the which, once complete, will link to the online licensure application on the State Board of Education’s website.
• Passing test scores (Praxis II, OAE, ACTFL) required for licensure.
• Copy of prospectus or plan of study (not a transcript) listing licensure course requirements for graduate and non-degree students.
• Principal applicants must provide a letter from your school district verifying a minimum of 2 years of employment and indicating the specific grade levels in which you have taught.
• Superintendent applicants must provide a letter from your school district verifying 3 years of employment.

Any of the above items can be uploaded through the online

NOTE: We cannot process your application if any of these items are incomplete or missing.

When to Apply for a License

The State Board of Education and the Vacca Office of Student Services always recommends that you apply for licensure immediately following completion, regardless of whether you have secured a job in Ohio. If you wait more than 12 months to apply for your license, you may be required to take additional coursework to meet any new state requirements that are in place. This means that students who apply after the 12-month deadline may have to take additional coursework if the content, methods courses, program requirements, or Licensure requirements have changed from the catalog.

If it has been more than 12 months since program completion, you must complete the Applying for Licensure 12 Months or Later After Program Completion form and forward it to the program coordinator (undergraduate or graduate) prior to applying for licensure.

If you do not apply for your license within 6 years, you are subject to any additional state licensure requirements and are also subject to additional coursework based on changes in areas such as content, age of coursework and changes in program requirements. A minimum of 9 credit hours will be required to apply for licensure after 6 years of program completion. (Please see the form under Appendix I).

Adding an Endorsement or Teaching Field to an Existing License

If coursework is completed to add an Endorsement to an existing license (e.g., Reading K-12, Transition to Work, Middle Childhood Generalist, etc.) or a teaching field within the same licensure area and grade levels as a current license (e.g., want to add a third or fourth concentration area to a Middle Childhood License), then complete the online Pre-application for licensure on the Student Portal which, once complete, will link to the online licensure application on the SBOE website. The Pre-application MUST be completed for processing and review of the licensure application. On the SBOE web site, click on ‘My Credentials’ (not My Applications). Then, click the check box on the right under ‘add an area.’ Choose the endorsement you are applying to add. The cost is $20 and the effective year matches the current license.

Applying for a Second License

If you are already licensed and applying for licensure in a different teaching area and/or grade level(s) from a current license (e.g., current license is an Early Childhood license and want to add Intervention Specialist, or Integrated Language Arts and want to add Library/Media), please review this chart to figure out the license and cost:

*If current license was renewed with the same effective year, cost is $20.

Complete the online Pre-application for licensure on the Student Portal which, once complete, will link to the online licensure application on the State Board of Education website. The Pre-application MUST be completed for processing and review of the licensure application.

Fingerprinting Information

First Ohio License: When you apply for your very first license issued by SBOE, a BCI and FBI background check report, completed within 365 days of the date your application is received, must be on file with the State Board of Education.

Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) Electronic Fingerprinting (for the State of Ohio)

• This can be done in the Instructional Resource Center (IRC) in room 221 White Hall during operating hours and by appointment only. For current hours, contact the IRC at 330-672-2353.
• The cost is approximately $30.00 and can be paid with cash or online credit payment (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases).
• You must bring current, state issued identification (driver's license or ID card).

The results will be mailed to the address you give at the time of fingerprinting. This is your only official copy of your results.  The IRC and the Vacca Office of Student Services do not have access to your results. You can obtain additional official copies for a fee from BCI (740845-2375). BCI electronic fingerprinting can also be done at any WebCheck location in Ohio.

FBI Electronic Fingerprinting (Federal)

• This can be done in the IRC in room 221 White Hall during operating hours and by appointment only.  For current hours, contact the IRC at 330-672-2353.
• The cost is approximately $30.00 and can be paid with cash or online credit payment (a 3% fee will be applied to all card purchases).
• You must bring current, state issued identification (driver's license or i.d. card).
• The State Board of Education does not accept BCI or FBI paper and ink fingerprints. All BCI and FBI fingerprint information must be submitted electronically. 
• On the SBOE website, there is a general and how they affect licensure.
• SBOE

Assessments Required for Licensure

Praxis II and OAE (Ohio Assessments for Educators) 

Licensure Requirement (not required for graduation): Candidates seeking Ohio licensure are required to pass specific assessments to apply for licensure. See the for more information on assessments specific to licensure type. 

Please pay close attention to the chart on the website - some licensure areas require Praxis II and/or OAE, or other test(s). Taking and passing the licensure tests prior to graduation is strongly encouraged (but not required).

ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)

If you are completing a licensure program for a World Language (e.g., Spanish, French, etc.), you are required to take a content knowledge test and a test on your education knowledge.  Your content test will be taken through ACTFL - a system of assessing and ensuring the spoken and written language proficiency of candidates for licensure to teach World Languages. Visit the for more information about World Language tests.  See above for information about the test for education knowledge (Praxis II and OAE).

Letters of Completion

The licensure approval process can take some time to complete. However, we want to make sure you can still move forward with your job search while waiting for the process to happen. Thus, we offer a Letter of Completion as a special service to our students which provides verification you have successfully completed all graduation requirements and/or your licensure application is currently under review at the State Board of Education.

There are four different types of letters:

1. Letter of Intent: If you need a letter verifying you are on the graduation list and intend to graduate in an upcoming term and year, the notification you receive from our office of being ON TRACK for graduation serves this purpose.
2. Degree Completion: This letter is for students who have received the ‘Cleared for Graduation’ email from the Vacca Office of Student Services and are awaiting the arrival of their diploma.  This letter is available in the student portal.
3. Licensure Completion: This letter will be available to students three weeks after the graduation ceremony. You can request this letter by completing the Pre-application for licensure and checking the appropriate box. The letter provides verification you have successfully completed all licensure requirements and that your licensure application is currently under review at the State Board of Education. To be eligible to receive a letter of completion you must meet ALL of the following criteria: 
   1. Cleared for graduation
   2. Passing licensure test score(s)
   3. Completed pre-application for licensure in the Student Portal and licensure application completed through SBOE.
      If you have already completed the Pre-application for licensure and DID NOT mark the box to receive a Licensure Completion letter, please contact the Vacca Office of Student Services at 330-672-2862 and you will be directed accordingly.
4. Early Letter of Completion: This letter is only if you have secured a substitute or full-time teaching position, prior to being cleared for graduation. To request this letter, contact Katie Kozak, kkozak2@kent.edu.

Alumni Surveys

After you complete your degree and obtain your licensure, there are a couple of surveys that we may send to you to gather feedback.

Ohio Resident Educators’ Survey

To gather information on alumni satisfaction with the quality of preparation provided by their educator preparation programs, the Ohio Department of Higher Education administers a survey aligned with the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession (OSTP), Ohio licensure requirements, and elements of national accreditation. All Ohio Resident Educators who completed their preparation in Ohio receive an invitation to complete the survey in the fall semester as they enter Year 2 of the Resident Educator program (Ohio Educator Preparation Provider Performance Report: 51����, 2020). Survey results are reported as part of the state’s educator performance reports. . 

EHHS Alumni Survey

To gather information on job placement and alumni satisfaction with the quality of their educator preparation programs, 51���� distributes a survey to graduating students. This survey will be distributed via email.

Applying for a License in Another State

We understand you may also look at other states for teaching positions. The process described above is only for your Ohio teaching license. Because each state has a different process and sets of requirements for licensure, you will need to research the requirements for each state individually. The first step is to go to that state’s Department of Education website for information and look for ‘out of state teachers. Each state is different in terms of what they require for licensure. Even if you intend to teach outside of Ohio, it is strongly recommended that you still apply for your Ohio teaching license upon program completion. This makes the process of applying out of state easier as well as if you decide to return to Ohio to teach in the future. Holding an Ohio teaching license may exempt you from another state’s licensure tests or additional coursework, but it will vary by state. 

Academic Advising

• Vacca Office of Student Services (VOSS)
• The Advising Partnership
• Transfer and Regional Campus Students
  • Transfer Students
  • Advising Regional Campus Students

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Academic Advising

Academic advising plays an essential role in helping you formulate educational and career plans based on your interests, abilities, and academic classification. We encourage you to routinely meet with your academic advisor, because meeting with them can help you transition to college life, choose a major or minor program of study, provide academic support referrals, assist with career exploration, and much more. Over the course of your college career, your relationship with your advisor is likely to grow from one of mentorship to one of professional connectivity and mutual respect.

Vacca Office of Student Services (VOSS) 

The Vacca Office of Student Services (VOSS) is located in 304 White Hall and at times, on-site locations in the Gym/MACC Annex and Nixon Hall. The office strives to provide the highest level of service and support to students, faculty, administrators, alumni and the larger community. As partners in the academic success of all our students, the staff strives to be responsive to your needs and at the same time uphold the academic standards and professional integrity of 51����, outside agencies, and accrediting groups. The office works together as a team to be knowledgeable, helpful, efficient, and consistent, yet understanding of the diversity of students served. We encourage you to actively engage with members of this office who care deeply about your success.

The office provides:

• Advising
• Field and Student Teaching Placement Coordination
• Licensure Information
• And more! Visit the VOSS website for more information.

VOSS is a multi-faceted office that serves a variety of needs for students in EHHS including: required specialized undergraduate advising, recruitment and retention, reviewing and monitoring students’ progress through entry into and completion of programs, placement of potential teachers and American Sign Language/English Interpreting students for field and final student teaching/practicum, clearing for graduation for all EHHS students across all campuses, licensure for all licenses under SBOE that the university provides, support of multiple EHHS led education abroad opportunities, programming and data management for the use of this office as well as applications used throughout the college, and support for undergraduate programs through curriculum development and advocacy at the college, university, and state levels.

Starting with your admission to the university through graduation, you will be required to meet with your undergraduate advisor each semester before you are able to register for classes. VOSS has a specialized advising model where one primary advisor is assigned to all students in their respective major. With the specialized model, the advisor can get to know you and establish professional relationships with you by getting to know your goals, strengths, and challenges. In addition, being a specialized advisor affords the opportunity to work closely with faculty within the program to gain a solid understanding of the major and concentrations, collaborate on student issues, and stay current on curriculum changes.

Your advisor will work to ensure your academic progress using the Graduation Planning System, GPS (which includes a Graduation Audit System and Academic Plans) and reviewing Kent Core, course sequencing, pre-requisite courses, and progression requirements. In addition, they will help you set academic, professional, and personal goals during each advising appointment. You will be coached to set short- and long-term goals as well as action steps toward achieving their goals.

Another important aspect of an advisor’s work occurs when they support students who are struggling academically. If you were to need these supports, your advisor could be instrumental in helping you learn how to receive academic interventions if you are issued Early Alerts, what to do if you are placed on Academic Probation, or where you can find tutoring if you are struggling at midterms. In addition, if you were to be placed on academic probation, your advisor would work with you to complete the required Academic Success Contract within the first 3 weeks of the semester.

The Advising Partnership

We view advising as a dynamic partnership between the student, professional academic advisor, and faculty advisor.

Role of Faculty Advisor

• Offers expertise in subject matter
• Provides career guidance and serves as a mentor for students
• Communicates and models a sense of ethical integrity and professionalism
• Guides students in career goals by providing referrals when appropriate
• Assists students in understanding and accepting their unique abilities, interests, skill sets and limitations within their chosen field
• Collaborates with Professional Advisor

Role of Specialized Primary Role Academic Advisor

• Assists students with the selection of Kent Core, pre-professional and major coursework
• Works with students on creating, updating, and maintaining their GPS plan
• Reviews academic policies, procedures, curriculum, and graduation requirements with students
• Teaches students about relevant resources, technology, and make referrals
• Provides students with information about major alternatives, program changes, and consequences of academic decisions
• Helps students assume ownership for their educational plans, decisions, and achievements
• Serves as a student advocate/ombud/liaison
• Collaborates with Program Coordinators and Faculty Advisors 

Shared Role of Faculty and Professional Advisor

• Assists students in the development of skills and abilities
• Provides a supportive environment to assist students in achieving their academic goals 
• Maintains advising records for students

Your Role as a Student

• Sets realistic goals and action steps each semester that align with your academic plan
• Is actively engaged in advising appointments each semester
• Learns about your program, policies, and procedures
• Utilizes the tools and resources to assist with academic planning
• Follows through with deadlines and referrals
• Comes to advising appointments prepared with a list of courses selected

Transfer and Regional Campus Students

Transfer Students 

If you are a transfer student from another college/university hoping to major in a teacher education program, you should complete an application for admission to 51���� online. Upon admission and after receiving notice of completion of a transfer evaluation, you should meet with an advisor in the Vacca Office of Student Services, 304 White Hall. As a transfer student, you will be assigned an advisor who will determine applicability of transfer credits to an education program and recommend course work for the upcoming semester. They will also explain the registration procedures and requirements for admission to Advanced Study. In some cases, you may be referred to the appropriate faculty member for a determination on specialized courses.

Advising Regional Campus Students

If you are a student attending a regional campus and are pursuing a teacher licensure program to be completed at the Kent campus, we strongly encourage you to meet with an advisor in the Vacca Office of Student Services, 304 White Hall early on in your program. If you plan to complete your program at the Kent campus, it is important to meet with an advisor in a timely manner to prevent delays in program completion and ensure a smooth transition. Likewise, if you plan to complete a teacher licensure program at one of the regional campuses, you should meet regularly with an advisor at that campus.

Assessment and Accreditation

• Accreditation
• Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs)
  • List of SPAs by Undergraduate Program
• Assessment of Candidate Performance - Unit Level
  • Unit Level Assessments
  • Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates
  • Student Teaching Evaluation
  • K-STEP

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Assessment and Accreditation

Accreditation

As a teacher candidate, it is important for you to know that you are engaging in a teacher education program that has accreditation status. This status means that your program is approved at the state and federal levels showcasing the quality of your program. 51����’s educator preparation programs are accredited through Spring 2030 by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). We were re-accredited in April 2023 under the following CAEP Standards:

1. Content and Pedagogical Knowledge
2. Clinical Partnerships and Practice
3. Candidate Recruitment, Progression, and Support
4. Program Impact
5. Quality Assurance System and Continuous Improvement

For more information on CAEP accreditation, please visit the College of EHHS website or .

As part of the accreditation process, the educator preparation programs are also reviewed by Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs), the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), and/or other accrediting agencies.

Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs)

SPAs outline content-specific standards that define and advance your profession. It is important to note, SPAs are not accreditors—they are program-specific bodies that extend recognition to programs that meet their standards. The recognition decisions are used as evidence of program quality for the CAEP accreditation process (specifically Standard 1). In order to meet SPA standards, program faculty design assignments and corresponding assessments that represent checkpoints of your learning. Much of the data yielded from these assessments are recorded in Student Learning and Licensure (SLL) and the EHHS Portal.

List of SPAs by Undergraduate Program

Assessment of Candidate Performance – Unit Level

As we prepare you to assess student learning of P-12 students, it is important that we also assess your performance as a teacher candidate. The Unit Assessment System is designed to collect, analyze, and evaluate data that informs the Unit about your qualifications and progress through your program. The assessment system is a changing, responsive body of work that adapts to changes in standards and the needs of educator preparation. The table on the next page summarizes the assessments common across all undergraduate, initial licensure programs. Graduate initial licensure programs use these same assessments; however, dispositions are evaluated using the same instrument within different courses.

Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates

Throughout this handbook, we have noted professional dispositions in numerous areas, such as applying for advanced study and successful completion of student teaching. As a reminder, professional dispositions are the professional attitudes, values, and beliefs, demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, faculty, and communities. These dispositions are assessed at least three times in your program: Education in a Democratic Society, a methods class with a field component, and student teaching. In addition, a disposition assessment may be completed by a faculty member at any time a situation calls for it. Based on policy, you may not progress through the teacher education program unless evidence shows that progress toward meeting the disposition standards is underway. By the completion of student teaching, all disposition standards must be rated as acceptable. After a faculty member has completed the disposition assessment, an email will be sent to you indicating the assessment form needs to be signed. It is your responsibility to sign the form by going to the Student Portal. If in the faculty judgment, a professional development plan is needed, you will be directed through an email to create one at the student portal address above. Without this signature (and completion of the terms of the professional development plan if one is required), application for advanced study, student teaching, and graduation will be denied.

In the case of two dispositions (see below), there are serious consequences you need to be aware of:

• Consistently protects students’, families’, and classroom teacher’s privacy, unless disclosure serves a professionally compelling purpose or is required by law..  Consistently protects identities when using audio recording, video recording, and still images of minors solely for course-related purposes after having obtained written consent from the parent/caregiver and the school/center.

If you do not comply with the above rules, it is a violation of university policy and may result in disciplinary action. Furthermore, if you do not adhere to these confidentiality rules, it may also constitute a violation of state and federal law.

Copies of the Disposition Assessment are available in Appendix A: Education in a Democratic Society Version and Appendix B: Full Version

Student Teaching Evaluation

Your student teaching semester is a very exciting time as you get the opportunity to teach for a full semester in the classroom/gymnasium with a mentor teacher. During your student teaching, you will be evaluated with the Student Teaching Evaluation (see Appendix H) – deployed as a mid-term and final evaluation – that serves as a performance assessment of your clinical experience and is completed by both the cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Scores are based on in-class observations and conversations with the mentor teacher, university supervisor, and you. To achieve satisfactory performance, you must have no fewer than 17 “Met” standard ratings and no “Not Mets”. “Exceeded” ratings are for information only and are counted the same as “Met” ratings for the purposes of evaluation. The “Exceeded” category simply describes a level of performance to strive for as an in-service teacher. The tool’s items are aligned with the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession, InTASC, CAEP, and other relevant elements identified by program faculty and P-12 stakeholders consulted when developing the tool. 

A copy of the Student Teaching Evaluation is available in Appendix H.

K-STEP

The K-STEP, a summative teacher education project, is designed to develop and evaluate your ability to plan for instruction, use instructional strategies, and assess student learning during your final student teaching experience. The passing score for this assessment a total score of 39, but the “meets expectations” performance level on the rubric is the target for each criterion.

Regional Campuses

• Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education Technology (AAS/ECET) and Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education (BSE/ECED)
• Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood Education (BSE/MCED)
• Transitioning from a Regional Campus to the Kent Campus

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Regional Campuses

As a student interested in a teacher education program, you may begin your Kent Core coursework for any of the teacher education programs at any of the regional campuses. Depending on the program of your interest will determine whether you would then transfer to another campus to complete your degree. To enter into advanced study courses, you must apply for advanced study via the

For you to apply for advanced study on the Kent campus, you must have the pre-advanced study coursework completed as well as other requirements designated by the various departments. Some licensure programs may be completed in their entirety at designated Regional campuses (e.g., Early Childhood, Middle Childhood).

Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education Technology (AAS/ECET) And Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education (BSE/ECED) | KSU Tuscarawas & Salem Campuses

We are very excited to offer the AAS/ECET and the BSE/ECED program that can be completed in its entirety at the KSU Tuscarawas and KSU Salem campuses. The organization of the program varies slightly since it is a 2 + 2 program.  If you enter this program, you are able to earn the AAS/ECET prior to applying for the advanced studies portion of the BSE/ECED program. The advanced study program is composed of 4 semesters of coursework where the Kent Campus has 3 semesters of the same coursework in a similar sequence.

As you seek admission into the Bachelor's degree Early Childhood Education program, it is important to know that it is selective and requires successful completion of the Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education Technology. Following the successful completion of the Associate Degree, you complete a four-block sequence of advanced coursework while gaining teaching experience.

Completion of the Associate degree in Early Childhood Education does not guarantee admission into the last 2 years of the baccalaureate program.  If you are seeking admission to this program, it is expected that you meet all professional requirements for admission to advanced study and have a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA in all previous undergraduate coursework. Faculty will select the most qualified applicants based upon the number of available student spaces, students' essay, interview, and cumulative GPA.

Applications are submitted in the spring and/or summer semester with a new cohort of students beginning each fall. Classes are sequential and only offered once each year.

Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood Education (BSE/MCED)

The BSE in MCED program may be started at any campus; however, you will need to transition to either the Stark, Geauga, or Kent campus to complete it. This usually happens during your 4th semester of coursework.

KSU Stark and Geauga Campuses

The BSE/MCED program may be completed in its entirety at KSU Stark or KSU Geauga. While it is possible to complete the degree program in four years by taking 16-18 credit hours each semester, it is more probable that 4.5 years will be needed for certain combinations of concentrations.

• You can apply to the Stark campus MCED Advanced Study program in the Fall and Spring for a Fall start only. The Stark campus MCED Advanced Study online application is available each Fall and Spring semester on the Stark campus MCED department site.
• Applications are due on the second Friday after the start of the term in which you are applying.
• The Stark campus MCED Advanced Study program will only consider Advanced Study applications during the summer cycle if seats are still available.

The MCED program has selective admission criteria. The faculty will review your application for admission to Advanced Study using the following criteria.  There are no minimum or maximum number chosen each year; only qualified applicants will be accepted.

• Overall GPA (minimum 2.75, but highest possible overall GPA is best – see the top of your GPS Audit for your overall GPA).
• Completion of Pre-Advanced Study coursework. 
• Taking most content area courses and Kent Core requirements. When faculty consider your application, they look to see how many courses you will have left after the Advanced Study coursework. Anything beyond a semester’s worth of coursework (15 hours) may result in you being advised to apply later when more coursework is completed. This is often decided on a case-by-case basis. We suggest you meet with an academic advisor to determine your eligibility.

*If you are a KSU Stark student interested in ECED, you also have the option to transition to the KSU Tuscarawas or Salem campuses. We recommend that you speak with an advisor at the Tuscarawas/Salem campuses as soon as you begin the program, as the sequence of coursework and timing for the application to advance study varies from the Kent campus and could delay your graduation with a BSE degree by 1 year.

Transitioning from a Regional Campus to the Kent Campus

If you are attending a Regional Campus and considering the Kent Campus in a future semester, there are many resources available to ensure a successful transition. There is no additional application required. To obtain the best possible foundation for academic success, it is recommended that you complete the following minimum academic achievements before transitioning to the Kent Campus: 

• Successfully complete any developmental coursework as prescribed by an academic advisor.
• Successfully complete 12 semester hours of coursework.
• Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.

If you are planning to transition from a Regional Campus to the Kent Campus, these steps may help ensure a smooth process:

1. Meet with Your Regional Campus Academic Advisor
2. Visit the Kent Campus
3. Meet with a Kent Campus Academic Advisor
4. Register for Classes
5. Apply for Financial Aid and Scholarships
6. Apply for On-Campus Housing 
7. Review Payment Options
8. Purchase a Parking Permit 

For admission, you are required to submit official transcripts from every post-secondary institution you attended. If you have fewer than 12 semester hours of college coursework, you should also submit an official high school transcript including ACT or SAT scores if applicable.

If you are interested in transitioning to the Kent campus, consider using the links below to learn more about making the transition to the Kent Campus:

• Transfer and Transition Visitation Program
• Academic Advising
• Housing
• Student Financial Aid

Professionalism and Academic Expectations

• Professionalism
  • Professional and Ethical Conduct
  • Expectations in Schools and Other Field Sites
  • Professional Dress Attire
• Social Media and Personal Communication
  • Personal Social Media Accounts
  • Social Media and Personal Communication Related to Students
• Attendance Policy
• Professional Warning and Not Permitted to Continue
  • Professional Education Warning
  • Not Permitted to Continue
• Academic Complaints

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Professionalism and Academic Expectations

Professionalism 

Your professionalism is critical for your success as a teacher candidate and soon-to-be licensed teacher. Examples of professionalism may include: skills, competencies, knowledge, your presence and how you present and carry yourself. In this section, criteria will include expectations of when you are in schools and other field sites, dress attire, and overall professional and ethical conduct.

Professional and Ethical Conduct

Throughout your teacher education program, you are expected to consistently demonstrate appropriate professional and ethical conduct. To gauge the appropriateness of your conduct, we assess teacher dispositions a minimum of three times throughout the program to help guide your development (see Full Disposition Assessment in Appendix B). These dispositions are expectations that are specific for pre-service teachers. However, alignment with the State Board of Education’s , will also be expected of you when you are in field experiences. The first six principles also apply to teacher candidates when they are working with school districts. These 6 principles are outlined below, along with some specific actions that would be considered unprofessional and/or unethical conduct in relation to the first 2 principles:

1. Educators behave in a professional manner, realizing that one’s actions reflect directly on the status and substance of the profession.
   1. Disparaging a colleague, peer, or other personnel while working in a professional setting (e.g., teaching, coaching, supervising or conferencing) on the basis of race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, political or religious affiliation, physical characteristics, age, disability or English language proficiency.
   2. Using technology to intentionally host or post improper or inappropriate material that could reasonably be accessed by the school community.
2. Educators maintain a professional relationship with all students at all times, both in and outside the classroom.
   1. Committing any act of sexual abuse of a student or minor or engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a student or minor.
   2. Committing an act of cruelty to children or an act of child endangerment (e.g., physical abuse, mental injury, or emotional abuse).
   3. Soliciting, encouraging, engaging or consummating an inappropriate relationship with a student or minor.
   4. Disparaging a student on the basis of race or ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, political or religious affiliation, physical characteristics, academic or athletic performance, disability or English language proficiency.
   5. Using inappropriate language, gestures or signs at any school-related activity such as racial slurs, biased, lewd or lascivious expressions.
   6. Provoking an altercation between students or provoking or engaging in a physical altercation with students, that is not for the purpose of ensuring the health, safety and welfare of students.
   7. Failing to provide appropriate supervision of students, within the scope of the educator’s official capacity, which risks the health, safety, and welfare of students or others in the school community.
   8. Knowingly contributing to or knowingly failing to intervene in the harassment, intimidation or bullying of a student.
   9. Using technology to promote inappropriate communications with students.
3. Educators accurately report information required by the local board of education or governing board, state education agency, federal agency or state or federal law.
4. Educators adhere to federal, state, and local laws and statutes regarding criminal activity.
5. Educators comply with state and federal laws related to maintaining confidentiality information.
6. Educators serve as positive role models and do not use, possess or unlawfully distribute illegal or unauthorized drugs.

In addition to the dispositions and principles listed above, there are other ways that you need to demonstrate an appropriate professional and ethical conduct. For example, it is important to not engage in plagiarism when creating unit and lesson plans. Cite references and resources when ideas and content are being used.

Collectively, these expectations are for pre-service and in-service teachers; however, these also include coaches and extracurricular leaders. For those of you holding such a position or role, The Office of Professional Conduct has created ‘’ for appropriate professional behavior and social media use.

Expectations in Schools and Other Field Sites

All individuals associated with 51���� and in particular, teacher education, are guests in the schools and other sites we use for our field experiences. As a guest, you must follow the guidelines and policies at the school/site in which you are attending, which may include a dress code, time of arrival/departure, social media, due dates for unit and lesson plans, etc. It is your responsibility to learn about the field sites’ expectations. It is important to note each time you walk into a field experience site, you are representing 51���� and your teacher education program. How you demonstrate your professionalism matters.

In addition to the field sites’ expectations, KSU teacher education programs also expect you to comply with the following:

• Dress appropriately and professionally (see dress attire section below).
• Arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of school or your expected time to teach. 
• Sign in at the front office and receive a visitor’s pass each time you are in a field site.
• Provide the front office your Pre-service Teacher Permit. Have them make a copy and retain your original.
• Introduce yourself to the administrative staff, administrators and other support staff, especially if you are student teaching or at the site for an extended period. The administration and staff should know who you are.
• Be prepared for your teaching lessons, which includes having unit and/or lesson plans completed by the due date, all copies made, materials gathered, classroom space is set-up and ready for each lesson.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with your mentor teacher, university supervisor, other schoolteachers and potentially parents and families. It is your responsibility to ask your mentor teacher the best modes of communication – email, text, phone call and to which number(s) and during which times (e.g., before 10pm and after 6am). If you will not be able to be at the school or will be late, you are to communicate with your mentor teacher and university supervisor immediately.
• Engage and build rapport with the students. Demonstrate that you want to be a teacher and enjoy being at the field site working with the students.
• Discuss with your mentor teacher the timeframe of when you will observe, when you will begin teaching (e.g., to a small group, one class period) and their expectations of you during each phase of your experience at the school. Even when observing, it is important to still engage and interact with the students when appropriate (e.g., one-on-one assistance during work time, asking students questions about their work, etc.).
• Take initiative. It is important to learn as much from your mentor teacher as possible, but it is also important to bring new ideas to the teacher and students – whether that be for a teaching lesson, classroom design and organization, resources available to students, etc.
• Your departure time is established by the school at your field experience or no earlier than 15 minutes after the end of the school day. Prior to leaving, make sure all materials and equipment are put away and you have discussed the next observation/teaching day with your mentor teacher.
• Respond positively to constructive collaboration with your mentor teacher and supervisor and demonstrate a commitment to professional development. Practice active listening to demonstrate that you understand what is being asked of you. Ask for clarification respectfully without a defensive tone.

Professional Dress Attire

In this section we provide suggestions regarding your professional dress attire since how you dress will leave an impression on the teachers, administration, students, and staff. Yet, we also know that how you dress varies based on your identity and does not indicate your potential and effectiveness as a teacher. As previously stated, we are guests in the schools and other field sites so we recommend adhering to their dress code if and when possible. We understand that certain dress policies may not be inclusive of all identities. If this impacts you, please contact the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences (rbrow156@kent.edu) or Director of Educator Preparation (etesta@kent.edu). With this in mind, we aim to promote belonging and well-being and recommend the following:

• Professional clothes may include: dress pants, dress shirts, khakis, suits, skirts, dresses, button-down or polo shirts, sweaters, etc. (*physical education teacher candidates may wear athletic attire).
• Unless necessary to accommodate for a disability, casual clothing, such as jeans, hoodie sweatshirts, t-shirts, or clothes with tears or holes in them, should not be worn. For assistance accessing professional dress, please visit the KSU Career Closet.
• No revelation of undergarments or exposure to private body parts, including when bending forward or raising arms above the head.
• Acceptability of hair, facial hair, and hair coverings that is appropriate to your cultural and/or religious identity.
• If tattoos are allowed to be revealed, imagery that is considered patently offensive, discriminatory, or obscene must be concealed. 
• Fragrances should be kept to a minimum to be sensitive to individuals with environmental sensitivities.

Social Media and Personal Communication

Forms of social media, such as X, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. are pervasively being used by adults, teenagers, and some children of a younger age. Although social media has some benefits, we must be cautious in how we are using such mediums to communicate publicly with others. In this section, guidelines will be provided for faculty, staff, and teacher candidates to consider when using personal and/or professional social media forums.

Personal Social Media Accounts

As future teaching professionals, it is important for you to have a professional image – both in person and on social media and the Internet. As you enter a teacher education program, we highly recommend you engage in the following:

• Google yourself. Learn what ‘comes up’ when you are Googled. Most school districts will Google you before they accept whether you can come to their school for a field experience/student teaching. Other audiences with whom you might not be aware are teachers, parents, and even students. In the very near future, you will be looking to be employed as a licensed teacher and do not want unprofessional social media use to be the reason why you do not get hired.
• Remove all images and posts that may be misconstrued or considered ‘unprofessional.’ For example, pictures of you drinking alcohol, use or bad language, posts that are harmful to a group of individuals, etc.
• Research which images and posts that you are tagged in or somehow connected with your ‘friends’ or ‘followers,’ because even if you did not post or tweet the image/comment, but someone else did and linked you to it, you will still be identified with that image/comment.
• Censor your posts/tweets/comments so that they are not discriminatory, obscene, or patently offensive.
• Do not use social media while in the schools or other field experience sites, unless you are asked to do so as part of your educational duties (e.g., to promote school events).
• As a future professional that will serve the public, we suggest you conduct yourselves with integrity in all situations. You never know who could be taking pictures or video of your behavior that may be exposed to KSU, a school district, or other prospective employers.

Social Media and Personal Communication Related to Students

In your teacher education programs, you will learn about the importance of getting to know your students and building rapport with them. This, of course, takes time and an ethic of care. It is important to remember that you want to be friendly with your students, but to not become friends, especially for those of you who will only be a few years older than your students. We have outlined behaviors and actions that should not occur when working with students:

• Do not become ‘friends’ or accept ‘following’ requests from students on any social media or video gaming networks.
• Do not post pictures of students on your personal social media. If a school uses social media and you have received permission to post/tweet on their social media site, then that is acceptable.
• Never give out a personal phone number or email to students.

Attendance Policy

As a teacher candidate, you are expected to attend all classes and field experiences. If an emergency occurs or you are ill, you need to contact your mentor teacher, instructor and/or university supervisor immediately. It will be up to your instructor/coordinator to determine if the absence is deemed ‘excused.’ Unexcused absences, in accordance to the course syllabus, can lower your course grade or disallow you from completing the required number of hours in your field experience. If you do not complete the field experience in its entirety and at a passing level, you may have to retake the course. 

Excessive absences while student teaching may result in a) having to make up the number of days to meet the state requirement in the current placement, b) receiving an In Progress (IP) to complete the requirements later or c) removal from the placement and failure of student teaching.

Student Code of Conduct or Statement of Students’ Responsibilities

College can be one of the most exciting, yet one of the most demanding experiences of your life. This is particularly true for students with teacher education majors or minors at 51����. Because of State licensing standards and accreditation guidelines, our students are subject to rigorous admissions criteria, coursework, and professional requirements. Our programs are complex and multi-faceted. Although numerous faculty and staff are prepared to assist you with your program of study, you are responsible for meeting all requirements and deadlines. Specifically, you are accountable for:

• Knowing and satisfying degree requirements
• Meeting regularly with your professional academic advisor and faculty advisor
• Meeting the required deadlines

For more information, refer to the

Professional Warning and Not Permitted to Continue

Professional Education Warning 

While GPA is just one facet of understanding your preparedness of the classroom, it is one that provides some insight into your acquisition of both the content and pedagogical knowledge that is necessary to successfully conduct a classroom. As a student in a teacher licensure program, you are required to have a minimum 2.75 GPA to progress in your program and ultimately graduate. If your cumulative GPA drops below a 2.75, for the first time you will be placed on Professional Education Warning (PEW). You will have 2 semesters to bring your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 and must receive a term GPA of a 2.75 for every semester after being placed on Professional Education Warning. Unfortunately, if you fail to meet this requirement, you will be Not Permitted to Continue (NPC) in your major and will be required to change major. You may opt to declare EHSG until you are able to raise your cumulative GPA up to a 2.75 or may choose to declare another major in EHHS or in another college.

As a student in a teacher preparation program in the College of Education, Health and Human Services, you are required to maintain a cumulative 2.75 grade point average to progress in your program and to be eligible to student teach or complete final practicum. If your cumulative GPA falls below a 2.75, then you are placed on Professional Education Warning in accordance with the professional education warning policy stated in the Undergraduate Catalog. To remain in the program, you must meet the following TWO conditions:

1. For next semester and every semester thereafter, a term grade point average of 2.75 or above must be achieved.
2. A 2.75 cumulative grade point average must be achieved within two semesters of receiving the professional education warning.

If you do not meet one of the two conditions listed above, you will be designated as "Not Permitted to Continue" in your declared program. Please note, if you are declared in a non-degree program and do not meet either of the conditions listed above, then you would no longer be considered degree-seeking and may not be eligible to receive financial aid. See below for more information. We ask that if you are on professional education warning to maintain regular contact with your advisor in the Vacca Office of Student Services, 304 White Hall. An appeal of this decision is directed to the Interim Associate Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

Not Permitted to Continue

Undergraduate students not progressing academically in their selected academic program will be deemed Not Permitted to Continue based on criteria established by their program area. The criteria set forth by each program area can be found under the program section of the University Catalog. Students enrolled in a program that has Not Permitted to Continue criteria will be notified upon entrance to the program. Prior to being deemed Not Permitted to Continue, students will receive a minimum of one warning and will be required to work with an advisor in their academic unit to develop a plan for continuation. The plan will include all actions necessary to continue in current program, the opportunity to declare a different program, a timeline of when actions should occur, and next steps if actions are not followed. Students who have received a warning the previous term will be reviewed during end-of-term processing to determine their status regarding continuation in their current program. Students deemed ineligible to continue in their current program and who have not identified and declared a different program within two weeks after grades post will be required to change their major outside of a teacher education major.

Students may change their major to EHHS General which is intended for students who are exploring majors within the college or trying to raise their GPA to meet requirements of their intended major. The EHHS General major is not a degree granting major and university requires that all students are in a degree granting major by the time they have accumulated 45 KSU earned hours. Please note students declared in a non-degree program are no longer considered degree-seeking and may not be eligible to receive financial aid. Once a cumulative grade point average has been raised to a minimum 2.75, a student may change their major back to their intended major. Students are expected to maintain regular contact with their advisor in the Vacca Office of Student Services, 304 White Hall and take advantage of available resources, such as the Academic Success Center and the Counseling Center, amongst others. An appeal of this decision is directed to the Interim Associate Dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

Academic Complaints 

The University policy and procedure is established to provide an appropriate framework and method to resolve student complaints of an academic nature. 

• Administrative Policy and Procedure for Student Academic Complaints (4-02.3)
• Student Ombuds

Teacher Education Coordinators

• Quorum for Voting

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Teacher Education Coordinators

Teacher Education Coordinators (TEC) is a standing committee of faculty and staff charged with oversight of individual teacher education licensure programs within EHHS. The Director of Educator Preparation serves as chair of this committee. TEC meetings occur once a month to:

• Develop policies and procedures related to teacher education for initial licensure.
• Review and implement practices that align with CAEP.
• Review state and national policies and discuss their impact on our teacher education programs.

Quorum for Voting

Voting members of TEC include coordinators from all initial teacher education programs on the Kent and Regional campuses, along with a representative from the Cultural Foundations program. A 3-year average is taken on attendance to identify the quorum for voting on policies and procedures related to teacher education. The current quorum is 13.

Graduate/Non-Degree

• Pre-Admission Phase
  • Evaluation of Prior Coursework
  • Enrollment to Complete Content Area Coursework and/or Prerequisite Coursework
  • Advising for Pre-Admission
  • Advising Individuals Seeking Alternative Licensure
• Admission Phase
  • Online Graduate Application Process
  • Barriers and Roadblocks for the Admission Phase
• Program Phase
  • Advising
  • Plans of Study
  • Exceptions to Student Teaching
  • Applying for Graduation (for initial licensure programs resulting in a degree)
  • Barriers and Roadblocks for the Program Phase
• Program Completer Phase

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Graduate/Non-Degree

Pre-Admission Phase

The College of Education, Health and Human Services offers a graduate pathway for degreeholders, outside the field of education, to seek initial teacher licensure in the State of Ohio.  These programs are specific to license type with each licensure program having their own program format (degree, non-degree/licensure only), application requirements, admission review deadline, and required coursework. For those candidates who are uncertain of the age level/subject area/student population they wish to teach, it is recommended that they first explore teacher licensure through job shadowing and/or substitute teaching prior to initiating a teacher licensure program.

Evaluation of Prior Coursework 

We highly recommend that prospective graduate initial teacher licensure candidates request an evaluation of prior coursework before submitting an official graduate application for admission. This is done to pre-determine program eligibility for admission review (cumulative GPA and prerequisite coursework). Several initial teacher licensure programs require completion of content area (subject the candidate wishes to teach) coursework and/or prerequisite coursework at the undergraduate level prior to admission to the graduate teacher licensure program. 

Note: The exception to this is the Graduate Non-Degree Special Education Licensure Preparatory programs. These programs typically do not require an evaluation of prior coursework nor any undergraduate content area coursework and/or prerequisite coursework. Candidates for these programs can directly apply for graduate admission provided they meet the admission requirements to the program. 

Please keep in mind that non-completion of the required content coursework and/or prerequisite coursework can result in denial to admission to a graduate teacher licensure program.

To request an evaluation of prior coursework, please email transcripts (of all institutions attended) and indicate licensure area/program of choice to the Graduate Academic Advisor in the EHHS Office of Graduate Student Services (ogs@kent.edu). Please be aware that due to the high demand of transcript evaluation requests for teacher licensure programs, it can take 2-3 weeks to complete/return an evaluation upon receipt of transcripts.

Enrollment to Complete Content Area Coursework and/or Prerequisite Coursework

To enroll at 51���� to complete required undergraduate content coursework and/or prerequisite coursework, candidates to graduate teacher licensure programs must apply for admission as a “post-undergraduate non-degree” student or as an “undergraduate guest” student through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.  Post-undergraduate non-degree candidates are required to submit official transcripts and an application fee but are potentially eligible for financial aid. Undergraduate Guest students are limited to a maximum of 18 undergraduate credit hours and not required to submit official transcripts nor an application fee for admission, however; students under this admission status are not eligible for any financial aid.

Advising for Pre-Admission 

It is recommended that candidates working on undergraduate content coursework and/or prerequisite coursework for a graduate teacher licensure program meet or communicate regularly with the Graduate Academic Advisor in the EHHS Office of Graduate Student Services to monitor content course progress, GPA, and to discuss application deadlines and the formal admission process to the chosen teacher licensure program. 

A minimum grade of “C” or better is required in each content area course applied (Secondary MAT and Graduate Non-Degree Middle Childhood Initial Licensure Preparatory program) and a minimum content area GPA of 2.6 (Secondary MAT) is required for admission to the teacher licensure program and for licensure in the State of Ohio. 

In addition, any teacher licensure candidate interested in taking content coursework/prerequisite at another fully accredited institution must seek pre-approval of coursework from the Graduate Academic Advisor in the EHHS Office of Graduate Student Services to ensure course equivalency and/or applicability to the chosen content area.

Advising Individuals Seeking Alternative Licensure 

The College of Education, Health and Human Services does not provide advising guidance for alternative licensure programs. Although ODE may refer candidates “to a University” to find coursework for your program, we (the Universities) are not the ones recommending you for the alternative licensure (SBOE is the recommending agency) and thus have no control over what SBOE will or will not accept as appropriate coursework for alternative licensure. Because of this, and our need to devote our resources to students enrolled in our State-approved licensure programs, KSU will not be able to provide advising guidance nor be able to assist alternative licensure candidates with selecting coursework. 

Alternative licensure candidates are welcome to take coursework at 51����. However, these candidates are responsible for researching the University catalog and the Schedule of Classes to determine what courses are being offered and what coursework might match the needs for ODEW. Please be aware that many education courses are restricted to those enrolled in KSU teacher licensure programs. It would be the responsibility of the alternative licensure candidate to navigate this. Many programs have selective admissions for the advanced coursework.

Our programs of study are designed so that our teacher candidates are extremely well prepared to lead a classroom. Our initial licensure programs are rigorous and robust – including but not limited to multiple courses on how to teach, understanding students in the age range of the license, content as appropriate to the license, early field hours, and student teaching.

Admission Phase 

Graduate admission to all teacher licensure programs in the College of Education, Health and Human Services is selective and all applicants are evaluated based upon both past academic performance and potential for continued achievement. Applications are reviewed holistically and both academic and non-academic dimensions are assessed. All graduate applicants, including teacher licensure candidates, are required to have a minimum cumulative GPA (total undergraduate GPA) of 3.0 to be considered for unconditional admission. In addition, graduate teacher licensure programs assess candidates through written communication skills, recommendations from faculty and/or colleagues, relevant work experience, grades in content coursework/prerequisite coursework (if applicable) and in some instances, an in-person interview.

Program-Wide Graduate Teacher Licensure Minimum Admission Requirements: 

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university for unconditional admission
• Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale for unconditional admission
• Official transcript(s) from all institutions in which 8 or more semester hours were attempted
• Statement of Professional Goals or Admission Essay explaining desire to teach
• Questions in Anticipation of Licensure form
• Two letters of recommendation

Please consult the for additional program-specific admission requirements.  Program-specific application deadlines can be found on each program website.

Online Graduate Application Process

The graduate admission process is handled completely online. All graduate applications are processed by the Division of Graduate Studies, 51����’s centralized graduate admission office:

Cartwright Hall
650 Hilltop Drive
51����
Kent, OH 44242
Phone: 330-672-2661 | Toll Free: 855-277-6952
Fax: 330-672-6262 | Email: gradapps@kent.edu

Applications and all required admission documents should be completed and submitted at least 6-8 weeks prior to the program deadline to allow Graduate Studies adequate time to process the application and required documents. Please keep in mind that application files will NOT be forwarded to the College of Education, Health and Human Services for review until all outstanding application requirements have been completed and processed.

Barriers and Roadblocks for the Admission Phase

Conditional Admission 

Some graduate teacher licensure programs may consider candidates for “conditional admission” with cumulative GPA (total undergraduate GPA) of 2.75-2.99 if the rest of the application is strong, including an upward progression of academic performance on most recent transcripts. Conditional admission candidates are required to complete the first 9 hours of graduate coursework with grades of “B” or better in order to remove the conditions of admission for continuation in the program.

Non-Completion of Content Area and/or Prerequisite Coursework (if applicable) 

Applicants to graduate teacher licensure programs may be denied admission due to noncompletion of content area coursework and/or prerequisite coursework.  All required undergraduate content area coursework and/or prerequisite coursework (as determined by an evaluation completed by the Graduate Academic Advisor in the EHHS Office of Graduate Student Services) must be completed no later than term prior to the program start date.  Applicants may be in-progress with final content area coursework at the time of the application deadline.  The only exception to this rule is the Master of Arts in Teaching 2-year program.  Applicants with 30 or fewer hours remaining in their chosen content area are eligible for admission review to the MAT 2-year program. If formally admitted, these students can “carry in” any remaining undergraduate content hours into the MAT program, however, they are subject to graduate tuition rates for all coursework.

Content Area Coursework Grade Requirements and Content Area GPA (if applicable) 

A minimum grade of “C” or better is required in all applied content area coursework.  In addition, a minimum content area GPA of 2.6 is required of candidates of the Master of Arts in Teaching-Secondary Education program.  Please keep in mind that failure to meet this threshold may result in admission denial to the program.

Program Phase

Advising

The relationship between graduate students and their advisors is an important factor in graduate student success. The advisor provides academic and professional guidance to graduate students throughout their program of study.  

Once formally admitted to a graduate teacher licensure program, students will be assigned a faculty advisor who will inform them of program requirements during the first academic year of enrollment in graduate study. Faculty advisors acquaint students with the requirements and regulations guiding their program and help in developing a student’s Plan of Study (prospectus). 

The Graduate Academic Advisor in the EHHS Office of Graduate Student Services is a professional advisor but not a faculty advisor.  The role of the Graduate Academic Advisor is as follows: to assist candidates with exploration of EHHS teacher licensure program options; evaluate prior coursework and GPA to determine a candidate’s eligibility for a teacher licensure program; advise candidates on content coursework and/or prerequisite coursework (if applicable); inform candidates of program application deadlines, admission requirements and assist in the navigation of the online graduate admission process.  Once formally admitted to a graduate teacher licensure program, students should then meet regularly with the assigned faculty advisor (especially the term prior to the student teaching experience) until completion of the teacher education program.

Plans of Study

Once formally admitted to an EHHS degree program or EHHS non-degree licensure program, it will be your responsibility to make an appointment with your assigned faculty advisor to prepare a Plan of Study (prospectus) to be filed with the EHHS Office of Graduate Student Services, Room 418 White Hall, by the end of the second enrolled semester. Students will be blocked from course registration for the third semester after admittance (including summer) until this requirement is met. The Plan of Study document is available through the program area. If revisions are made to the Plan of Study after submission, it is advised that the student/faculty advisor submit a NEW Plan of Study to the EHHS Office of Graduate Student Services through the Plan of Study upload links available on the OGS Forms page (the student must initiate the request). The semester in which you plan to graduate or complete your licensure/endorsement program, your Plan of Study will be audited against your student transcript to clear you for graduation or program completion.

Exceptions to Student Teaching

To participate in the Student Teaching experience, you must have met all the program requirements in order to be fully eligible. This includes having a minimum graduate degree/licensure program GPA of 3.00 and having met the content GPA as required by individual programs (if applicable). Furthermore, you must have completed all required courses and have received a rating of “acceptable” on all program disposition assessments.  In rare circumstances, exceptions may be made with the approval of the Director of Education Preparation in the College of EHHS. Each program has identified these rare circumstances so please refer to your Program Coordinator for specific information on these exceptions. It is important to note that the Director of Educator Preparation will not approve any exception requests for taking more than one course during the student teaching semester or more than 2 courses after the student teaching semester. Students seeking approval for an exception must complete the appropriate Exceptions to Student Teaching Form (see Appendix G) and abide by the following:

1. We ask that you meet with your faculty advisor to review graduation and student teaching requirements. The faculty advisor or your professional advisor will provide you with a link to the ‘Exceptions to Student Teaching’ form. The advisor will review the directions of this process. On the electronic form, the faculty advisor will include comments and indicate whether they support the request for an exception to student teach on the Exceptions to Student Teaching Form.
2. The Director of Educator Preparation will review the request, make the final decision to accept or reject the request, and notify you, the faculty advisor, the professional advisor, and the Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences of the final decision.
3. The completed Exceptions to Student Teaching into your file in the Office of Graduate Student Services, 418 White Hall.

Refer to the Student Teaching Phase section for information on student teaching placements, overseas student teaching, on-the-job student teaching placements, professional conduct and expected behaviors, student teaching performance evaluations, and modules.

Applying for Graduation (for initial licensure programs resulting in a degree)

Students applying for graduation should complete the online graduation application available through FlashLine by published deadlines. 

To access the online graduation application: 

1. Log into , then click on the Student / Resources / Graduation.
2. Review and acknowledge the Important Information Concerning Your Graduation Application page. 
3. Select and submit your curriculum.
4. Select and submit your graduation term.
5. Review your information for accuracy and submit your request.
6. Print the Graduation Application Acknowledgment page for your records.
7. View submitted graduation applications by clicking on the link at the bottom of your acknowledgment page or from the link on the Student Category/Resources Page/Graduation Section.
8. Once the information has been submitted, it will be reviewed and acted on appropriately by the Office of Graduate Student Services, 418 White Hall.
9. Any questions about applying for graduation should be referred to the Office of Graduate Student Services, 418 White Hall. 

Barriers and Roadblocks for the Program Phase

Degree/Licensure Program GPA 

As a graduate student, you will be expected to maintain a minimum 3.00 grade point average (GPA); please keep in mind that falling below this threshold could subject you to dismissal from the program.  Any graduate student who receives more than 8 credit hours of grades lower than B (3.00) or who receives more than 4 credit hours of grades lower than C (2.00) is subject to dismissal. Please note that courses taken for satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) grades are counted toward completion of degree requirements. Grades of S (satisfactory) are awarded credit hours, but do not affect the GPA. Grades of U (unsatisfactory) are recorded as attempted hours and are counted as F (0.00) grades in computing GPA. Grades below C (2.00) are not counted toward completion of requirements for any advanced degree but are counted in computing GPA. Courses taken for audit (AU) are not counted toward fulfilling minimum degree requirements, and do not affect GPA. Grades of IN (Incomplete), IP (In Progress) and W (Withdrawal) are not used in computing GPA. Undergraduate course credits are not counted toward completion of any advanced degree.

GPA for Student Teaching 

Before being approved for student teaching, you must have a 3.00 cumulative GPA and a 2.60 major/content GPA (where applicable) that is required for graduation/program completion as listed in the catalog. If you do not meet the minimum GPA for student teaching, you will be required to retake courses and reapply for students teaching for the next semester in which student teaching is offered for that program.

Incomplete Requirements Before Student Teaching 

Unfortunately, you will not be permitted to student teach until you have completed all required courses for your program except for ADED 68198: Research in Secondary Education (MAT students), and Inquiry Seminar. It is your responsibility to meet with your assigned faculty advisor the semester prior to student teaching to ensure that all program requirements have been satisfied or in-progress. 

If you are missing requirements, you will have your student teaching placement on hold and will not be permitted to student teach until the missing requirement(s) has been resolved and addressed. If the remaining requirements are not completed prior to student teaching, you will need to delay student teaching until the following semester. If who wish to have an exception granted to be allowed to student teach with missing requirements, you will need to submit a petition for exception to this policy called an ‘Exception to Student Teaching’ after meeting with your faculty advisor. Note that approval of these exceptions is extremely rare and only granted for extenuating circumstances.

Professional Dispositions for Teacher Candidates  

You must have satisfactory disposition assessments on file to pass Student Teaching. If at some point you were required to complete a Professional Development Plan (PDP), you must have this resolved and signed before you are able to pass Student Teaching, graduate, and apply for a license.

Incomplete Student Teaching 

On rare occasions, students who start a student teaching placement are unable to complete student teaching. There are a variety of reasons for this and can range from medical or personal circumstances to performance in student teaching. Each situation is reviewed and evaluated on a case by case basis and there is the potential for a variety of outcomes.  

In Progress (IP) 

University policy on IP Grades: The mark In Progress (IP) may be given to students to indicate that work is in progress toward a thesis, dissertation, research, individual investigation or a similar effort that requires additional time beyond a semester. A grade will be given when the work is completed. The IP mark can be utilized only in designated courses and remains a terminal mark if the student does not complete the requirements for the course. For courses required for a degree or certificate, a grade must be given before the credential may be granted. The IP mark is not counted in grade point averages. An IP is granted when the student needs additional time to complete the requirements for a course but has otherwise been making progress toward completion and is in good standing in the course. Assignment of this grade is at the discretion of the instructor of the course and is not guaranteed. If an IP grade is submitted, the student will need to complete the remaining requirement in a subsequent term before a grade and credit can be earned.

Withdrawal 

University policy on W grades: The mark W (Withdrawal) denotes that the student has withdrawn from the university or from any individual course without evaluation. The W mark is not counted in grade point averages.

A student may elect to withdraw from Student Teaching if they are within the withdraw period. In this case, a student will not earn a grade or credit for Student Teaching. If approved, the student will need to register and pay for student teaching the second time. The decision to withdraw within the timeline allowed is up to the student but communication with the instructor is critical. The student should talk with their faculty advisor about the potential for returning in the future to retake student teaching. Students may also want to consider Professional Studies or another degree.

Failing Grade in Student Teaching 

An instructor may assign a grade in student teaching of F (as well as SF, and NF) indicating that student teaching was not successfully completed. The F grade counts into the major and cumulative GPA. A student who fails student teaching is not able to graduate with a degree program in teacher education. Students should communicate with their instructor and faculty advisor to see whether the possibility of returning in a subsequent semester for student teaching is possible. If approved, the student will need to register and pay for student teaching the second time.

Program Completer Phase 

Refer to the Program Completer Phase section for information on applying for licensure, assessments required for licensure, letters of completion, student surveys, and out of state verification.

Appendix A: Disposition Assessment – Education in a Democratic Society Version

Professional Responsibility

Communication and Collaboration

Fairness and Safety

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Appendix B: Disposition Assessment – Full Version

Professional Responsibility

Communication and Collaboration

Fairness and Safety

Privacy and Confidentiality

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Appendix C: Non-Academic Dimensions Rubric

Directions for Holistic Non-Academic Dimensions (NAD) Rubric

Below is the non-academic dimensions rubric for evaluating teacher education candidates in the selective admissions process for advanced study. The rubric provides criteria for assessing candidates based on the following dimensions: Content/Age Group Selection, Resiliency, Professionalism, Receptiveness to Feedback, and Equal Opportunity. Review the descriptions carefully and select the level that best matches the evidence presented.

This holistic rubric aligns with CAEP's standard R3.1 that requires EPPs to provide evidence of recruiting high-quality candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and diverse populations that align with their mission.

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Appendix D: Faculty Advanced Study Review Deadlines Chart

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Appendix E: Pre-Service Teacher Permit

Any student enrolled in a course that is part of an Educator Preparation Program AND who will be in a PK–12 classroom as part of the course must obtain a Pre-Service Teacher Permit before they are allowed in schools for their Field Experience or Student Teaching assignments.

New for Fall 2025: 

All candidates going into a classroom as part of a course in an Educator Prep Program are required to apply for and obtain the Pre-Service Teacher Permit even if they already hold another State Board of Education credential and even if they are already enrolled in Rapback.

Candidates will not receive their Student Teaching and Field placements until they have been issued the Pre-Service Permit from the State Board of Education.

Step 1: Get your BCI and FBI background check ASAP

• Use code 3319.291 for both BCI and FBI background checks.
• You can schedule a background check on the second floor of White Hall in the Instructional Resource Center (IRC) by visiting their website or going to any other location that does background checks.
• Have your background check sent electronically to the State Board of Education. We recommend you have a copy sent to yourself for your records.
• You are not required to get a new background check if you have had one done within 1 year of the date that the pre-service permit is issued and if an electronic copy of that background check was sent to the State Board of Education at the time you got the background check. If your background check is nearing expiration, it may expire before issuance of the pre-service teacher permit.

Step 2: Create an OHID account and apply for your Educator State ID Number

• First, register for your . Select 'Create OHID Account.'
• Once you have your OHID, click on the 'App Store' icon at the top of the page.
• On page 3 of the App Store, you will see the 'Educator Licensure and Records (CORE)' App. Select 'Request Access.'
  • If you do not already have the CORE App added to your account, it will say 'Request Access' not 'Open App.'
• Once you have been given access to the CORE App, you will see it when you log in under 'My Apps.'
• Once you have been given access to the CORE App, open the app to apply for your Educator State ID Number.
• This link will take you to the CORE Applicant User Manual which will guide you through the process of getting your Educator State ID Number.

Step 3: Complete the pre-permit application on the EHHS Student Portal

• You must register on the so that we can approve your application.
• Once you have registered for the pre-service permit, you will be directed to apply through the State Board of Education website to complete Step 4.

NEW: 1-year or 3-year permit options available

Let us know if you will be applying for a 1-year permit ($25.00) or a 3-year permit ($75.00). If your permit expires before you have completed your program, you may need to apply for additional 1-year permit(s) until you have completed your program.

Step 4: Complete the Pre-Service Teacher Permit application through your OHID account

• Once you have completed the pre-permit application through the EHHS Student Portal, you can apply for your Pre-Service Teacher Permit through the State Board of Education.
• Log in to your OHID account.
• Open the CORE app.
• Select 'Apply for a NEW Credential,' then select 'Teachers' and 'Pre-Service Teacher Permit - 1 and 3 year.'

Additional Information:

• If you completed a background check but did not have it sent electronically to the State Board of Education, you will need to get a new background check completed.
• If you are unsure, check in your OHID account to see if the state has received a copy.
• You can check the status of your application in your OHID account. you cannot begin any field experience or student teaching placement until your permit is approved and issued.
• Please see additional from the State Board of Education.

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Appendix F: Request for Permission to Student Teach on the Job

Application for Student Teaching on the Job

Please return this application and the two letters of support from your district administration along with a copy of your transcript to the Vacca Office of Student Services, Clincal Experiences, 304 White Hall, Kent, OH 44242.

• Student Teaching Semester
• Year
• Name (Last, First, MI)
• Local Address (Street, Apartment #, City, State, Zip)
• Phone Number
• Previous Address (Street, Apartment #, City, State, Zip)
• Phone Number
• KSU Email Address
• KSU Status (Undergraduate or Graduate)
• Program Area
• Teaching Majors
• Rationale for requesting to student teach on the job
• Attach copies of transcripts

Information 51���� Your Employment Site

• School District
• Superintendent
• School
• Principal
• School Address (Street, City, State, Zip)
• School Phone
• Grade Level
• Content Area
• Mentor Teacher's Name
• Grade Level
• Content Area
• Student Teacher's Signature
• Date

The Vacca Office of Student Services will complete information below:

• Student Teaching Eligibility Checked: Yes / No
• Superintendent Letter Attached: Yes / No
• Principal Letter Attached: Yes / No
• Copies of Transcripts Attached: Yes / No
• Student Teaching Request: Approved / Denied
• Assistant Director of Clinical Experiences
• Student Notified by: Letter / Phone / Email

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Appendix G: Undergraduate Petition for Exception to Student Teaching Requirements

Undergraduate Petition for Exception to Student Teaching Requirements

In order to student teach, the teacher candidate must have met all of the requirements in order to be fully prepared: 2.75 GPA, content GPA as required by individual programs, all courses completed, and a rating of "acceptable" on all items in the disposition assessment. In rare circumstances, exceptions may be made subject to approval by the Director of Educator Preparation in the College of Education, Health and Human Services. Exceptions are never made for the cumulative GPA.

Process for completing the form:

1. Teacher candidate meets with professional advisor to review graduation and student teaching requirements. Advisor gives student form and reviews directions.
2. Teacher candidate meets with faculty advisor to review situation. Faculty advisor includes comments and indicates whether they support the request.
3. Teacher candidate returns the form to 304 White Hall.
4. Advisor review the teacher candidate's situation and adds comments as appropriate. 
5. Director of Educator Preparation reviews the request, makes the decision, and notifies the teacher candidate, the faculty advisor, the advisor in VOSS, the Licensure Specialist, and the Director of Clinical Experiences of the decision.
6. This form will then be scanned into the student's KSU Advising file.

Directions for Teacher Candidate:

Complete the form below in consultation with your professional advisor and arrange a meeting with assigned faculty advisor to discuss your petition. Submit the signed form to 304 White Hall. Please be aware that graduation will only occur when all course and degree requirements have been met.

• Name
• Student ID
• Date
• Cumulative GPA
• kent.edu e-mail
• Phone
• Major/Minor/Concentration

I am petitioning that the following requirement for student teaching be waived for the reason cited below. (Be specific and detailed)

• Reason for Request
• List course(s) below to be approved for Exception
  • Course Number and Title / Semester course will be taken

I understand that this exception, both to student teach prior to coursework being completed AND the list course(s), may not be granted and that the final decision will be made by the Director of Educator Preparation.

• Student Signature / Date

Faculty Advisor Comments:

I support/do not support my advisee's petition. Comments:

• Faculty Advisor Signature / Date
• Printed Name

Director of Educator Preparation Comments:

I approve/do not approve the teacher candidate's petition. Comments:

• Director of Educator Preparation / Date

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Appendix H: Student Teaching Evaluation

Instructions:

Based on your observations, please indicate the extent to which the teacher candidate (i.e., student teacher) exhibits behaviors consistent with Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession and CAEP Standards as identified in the rubric below. Information can and should be gleaned from both observations of teaching and learning in various forms of instructional delivery and intentional follow-up conversations with the teacher candidate and mentor teacher. Teacher candidate performance should be evaluated based on delivery mode, acknowledging differences in virutal environments. Items requiring conversation with the teacher candidate and/or mentor teacher are marked with an asterik, but conversations can be used to collect evidence for all items and criteria.

Scoring:

The "Met Standard" level is the expected level of performance. Teacher candidates in their final clinical experience are not required to meet the "Exceeded" category. The exceeded category is included to indicate performance above and beyond the standard, which can help teacher candidates envision ways to grow in the future. No additional points will be awarded for exceeded ratings; it is for feedback only and should be selected only if the performance truly exceeds the standard and meets the description provided.

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Appendix I: Applying for Licensure 12 Months or Later After Program Completion

Applying for Licensure 12 Months or Later After Program Completion

Download the Applying for Licensure 12 Months or Later After Program Completion Form (PDF)

Instructions:

• Students must apply for licensure within 12 months of program completion to meet current licensure standards.
• If it has been more than 12 months since program completion at 51����, the student must complete this form and foward it to the undergraduate or graduate program coordinator prior to applying for licensure.
  • For a list of undergraduate program coordinators, visit the Undergraduate Program Coordinators page on the EHHS website.
  • For a list of graduate program coordinator, visit the Graduate Program Coordinators page on the EHHS website.
• Once form is signed by the program coordinator and the necessary requirements specified on this form (if applicable) are complete, this form must be uploaded or emailed to Katie Kozak at kkozak2@kent.edu. The student can then apply for licensure by proceeding to the Licensure Pre-Application in the

Licensure Candidate: Fill out this box then forward the form to the program coordinator (see above).

• Name
• ID#
• Licensure Program was Complete: (Date)
• Licensure Area/Major

Program Coordinator: Student's transcripts must be reviewed to make sure all current state licensure requirements (Part 1) and current program requirements (Part 2) have been completed.

Part 1: Review of coursework based on current ODE State Licensure Standards

• Yes, additional coursework is required (see below for specified courses)
• No additional coursework is required
• Coursework Required

Part 2: Review of coursework to determine adequacy of content and methods based on current program requirements (complete this part only if it has been 6 years or longer since program completion).

• Yes, additional coursework is required (see below for specified courses)
• No additional coursework is required
• Coursework Required
• Total hours required for KSU to recommend student for licensure
• If coursework is required, contact the Registrar's Office at 330-672-3131 to reactivate your student file to register for coursework at 51����.
• Program Coordinator / Date
• Licensure Candidate / Date
• This form is valid for 12 months from your date of signature. All signatures are required for this form to be valid. After the 12 month period, a new form must be completed.

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