Teaching and Educational Studies

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Overview

The Department of Teaching and Educational Studies offers undergraduate degree programs in elementary education, secondary education, early childhood education, special education, and has a partnership with the College of Arts and Letters for the degree in music education. 

The Department of Teaching and Educational Studies offers the following program areas:

Program Outcomes

  1. The Teacher Candidate applies evidence-based professional and pedagogical knowledge that supports students’ social, emotional, behavioral and academic development.

  2. The Teacher Candidate has a deep and flexible understanding of content that supports students’ social, emotional, behavioral  and academic development in authentic learning environments.

  3. The Teacher Candidate strategically uses assessment for instructional planning and evidence-based instructional practices to make goal-directed decisions that support students’ social, emotional, behavioral and academic development.  

  4. The Teacher Candidate displays the professional dispositions that support students’ social, emotional, behavioral and academic development.

Joe and Pauline Kent Center for Student Success

Mona Heern, M.Ed., Field Experience Coordinator

Jamie Webster, Ed.D., Undergraduate Advising Coordinator

The Joe and Pauline Kent Center for Student Success provides assistance to students through recruitment, advising, clinical experience, and teacher certification. The Kent Center also provides resources to prospective and current students and alumni. 

Instructional Materials Center

Shu-Yuan Lin, Ed.D., Coordinator

The Instructional Materials Center (IMC) serves as the state repository for curricular materials currently under adoption in Idaho. The Center also houses varied collections of other materials including teaching manipulatives, video and audiotapes, computer software, theses and dissertations, and other professional materials. These collections are maintained to serve students and faculty in the College of Education, the entire campus community, and area in-service educators.

Admission to Teacher Education

Candidates must make a formal application to Teacher Education following the completion of at least 12 credit hours of college work. Candidates may not register for courses that require admittance to Teacher Education or register for courses that have prerequisites that require admittance to Teacher Education until admission is achieved. Candidates who have been denied admittance may reapply when qualification criteria have been met; however, they must meet the standards for admission in place at the time of their reapplication for admission.

Criteria for admission include the ­following:

1. A 3.0 overall grade point average including all transfer credits or credits earned in a previous degree program.

2. A successful background check (see below in Background Checks and Fingerprinting).

3. Copy of current DegreeWorks or unofficial transcripts.

Declaration of Major/Program

Candidates seeking teacher certification must choose from among the teaching concentrations that result in endorsements, and must choose the teaching option of their degree program. Declaration of major/program must be accomplished by the time a candidate has completed 58 credits of coursework. Prior to admission to Teacher Education, prospective teacher candidates will be classified as PreProgram in their respective degree programs.

Teacher Education Degree and Certification

Teaching degree programs that lead to certification are offered through the College of Education. They have been designed to meet the Idaho standards and requirements for initial certification as approved by the Idaho State Board of Education. The College of Education has the responsibility for preparing teacher candidates in accordance with IDAPA 08.02.02.016-030. Preparation for endorsements is conducted in collaboration with the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Science and Engineering, the College of Technology, and the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences for teacher education programs. The programs specified in this catalog comply with the current State of Idaho standards and requirements for certifications and endorsements. Idaho certification ensures reciprocity with the certification standards and requirements of most states. The teacher education programs described in this catalog have been approved by the State Board of Education as required for program completers to be eligible for certification. Approved programs are also available to qualified persons holding bachelor's degrees from accredited institutions seeking teaching certification. Candidates pursuing initial teacher certification, whether degree-seeking or not, must fulfill all teacher education requirements as outlined for an institutional recommendation for a teaching credential in the area of certification.

Teacher education programs are updated regularly to reflect changes to the Idaho standards and requirements. Hence, regardless of the Idaho State University Undergraduate Catalog declared for the purpose of meeting ISU graduation requirements, teacher candidates may need to meet changes to certification requirements as specified by the Idaho State Board of Education and the Idaho State Department of Education in order to be eligible for recommendation for initial teacher certification at the time of program completion.

The Joe and Pauline Kent Center for Student Success informs candidates about changes to certification requirements, particularly changes to required tests and qualifying scores.

Accelerated Teacher Certification

Persons who already hold a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in a state-approved endorsement area (or an area that is closely related) may seek teaching certification by completing an initial teacher certification program through the College of Education. Candidates must meet the entrance requirements for admission to Teacher Education. For further information on an individualized plan for teacher certification, please contact the Kent Center at kentcenter@isu.edu. Candidates seeking certification also have the option of pursuing a second bachelor’s degree (see the requirements elsewhere in the catalog and discuss this option with an advisor). See below for links to course requirements for State of Idaho teacher certification.

Elementary Education, Certification Only
http://coursecat.isu.edu/undergraduate/education/elementaryeducation/elementary-ed-certification-only/

Secondary Education, Certification Only
http://coursecat.isu.edu/undergraduate/education/secondaryeducation/secondary-ed-certification-only/

Background Checks and Fingerprinting

Applicants to Teacher Education are required to have completed a background check before taking any course that requires admission to Teacher Education. Usually, the initial background check is completed while taking EDUC 2201. Initial background checks are completed through the Kent Center.  Any time there is a break in the continuance of classes after admission to Teacher Education, candidates will be required to complete a new background check. The State Department of Education requires a second, full background check that includes fingerprinting before a student-teaching internship. Be aware that the second background check may take up to eight weeks. For additional information, contact the Kent Center at kentcenter@isu.edu or (208) 282-2783.

Student Teaching Internship

The student teaching internship is designed to be the culminating professional clinical experience for Teacher Education Candidates. The twelve-week internship is an educational opportunity accomplished beyond the confines of the university classroom and is designed to provide practical application for theory learned in the university classroom. It is directly connected to program requirements and is supported and supervised by a Cooperating Teacher and a University Supervisor. The internship provides an opportunity for the intern to assume major responsibility for the full range of teaching in an approved school setting. During the internship, candidates complete performance-based assessments that document their ability to plan, deliver, and assess standards-based instruction. 

All requirements for GPA, Praxis II, ICLA exams, and completed coursework must be met the semester before the internship. It is the teacher candidate's responsibility to inform the Kent Center when all requirements have been met, no later than two months before the beginning of the internship.

Eligibility requirements for the student teaching internship are available in the Kent Center. All eligibility documentation is due by October 1 for the spring semester of the following year, and by April 1 for the fall semester.

The State Department of Education requires a full background check that includes fingerprinting before a student-teaching internship. Students must be cleared with their background check before starting their internship.

The candidate must meet the following criteria for enrollment in a student teaching internship (EDUC 4493 ):

  1. Admission to the Teacher Education program.
  2. Completion of all program requirements unless specifically approved by petition.
  3. Completion of at least 67% of the professional education core credits required by the program from Idaho State University.
  4. A 3.0 grade point average overall including all transfer credits or credits earned in a previous degree program with a no grade lower than C [2.0].
  5. Successful completion of the Praxis II Content Test(s) in each area being recommended for certification.
  6. All applicants must demonstrate successful completion of all standard tests of the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment. 

Application for Certification

Application for certification is separate from applying for graduation. Program completers are eligible for an institutional recommendation for State of Idaho professional educator certification. It is the responsibility of the applicant to submit all required documentation to the State Department of Education Certification Office in Boise. Applications for the Standard Instructional Certificate, the Administrator Certificate, or the Pupil Personnel Services Certificate are available in the College of Education Kent Center or at the Idaho State Department of Education website at http://www.sde.idaho.gov/cert-psc/cert/. 

Accreditation

The State of Idaho participates in a partnership agreement with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). To be considered State Board of Education-approved, all educator preparation programs must meet CAEP accreditation standards and they must be reviewed and approved by the Idaho State Department of Education according to IDAPA 08.02.02.100. The College of Education is fully accredited by CAEP and its programs have been reviewed and approved by the Idaho State Department of Education. In addition, programs can achieve national recognition through accreditation by national organizations in their areas of specialization. The Bachelor of Music Education is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. The School Psychology programs (see the Graduate School catalog) are accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Dismissal and Probation Policies

Candidates admitted to Teacher Education are subject to the same general policies as the rest of the students of Idaho State University as far as probation and dismissal from the institution are concerned. Candidates must continue to demonstrate satisfactory progress in achieving the standards of their programs. In addition to academic standards, candidates may be dismissed from Teacher Education for conduct contrary to the professional standards of the Idaho State Department of Education: https://sde.idaho.gov/cert-psc/psc/ethics.html (latest revision, Idaho State Department of Education). 

Faculty

EDUC Courses