University Catalog

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Paula Summers Calderon, Dean

 

The College of Education administratively is composed of the Departments of Educational Leadership and Technology; Teaching and Learning; and the Office of Performance Assessment. In addition, students in the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Physics, English, Music and Performing Arts, Languages and Communication, History and Political Science, Kinesiology and Health Studies, and Mathematics, who are preparing to become teachers in elementary and secondary schools are enrolled in the College of Education. 

 

Selective Admission and Retention In Teacher Education Policies and Procedures

The teaching profession is highly demanding and remarkably complex. A person desiring to become a teacher must maintain academic standards and demonstrate qualifications for successful teaching including satisfactory performance in field experiences. Therefore, the College of Education at Southeastern Louisiana University is committed to recruiting, admitting, retaining and graduating in the Professional Program in Teacher Education only those students who show evidence of being capable of performing in an acceptable manner. Enrollment in the Professional Program does not guarantee that a student will receive the degree or certification sought simply because he/she completes a number of courses or is in the field the required number of hours. Certification requirements are specified by the State Legislature and/or the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and coordinated by the State Department of Education. These requirements are subject to periodic modification, which may not occur at times appropriate for inclusion in the annual publication of the University Catalog. It is the responsibility of the students to make periodic checks for such changes with the academic advisors and/or department heads.

 

Students are required to submit an application for admission to the Professional Program in Teacher Education. Each candidate’s application must be reviewed for compliance with the standards of Selective Admission and Retention in Teacher Education (SARTE) and by the Dean of the College of Education.

I. Admission Procedures

1. Students in the College of Education and other colleges that have approved teacher education programs must make application for admission to the Professional Program in Teacher Education at least four weeks prior to the end of any given semester in order to have their applications duly processed by the beginning of the following semester. The schedule for applying is the following:
   1. Students in the College of Education and other colleges that have approved teacher education programs will normally be required to make application for admission as students in Education 202.
   2. All students must have formally filed an application before enrolling in any professional courses that require Full SARTE status.
2. Students who make proper application will be screened and placed in one of the two categories described below:
   1. FULL STATUS: Indicates all screening components have been met and the candidate is eligible to schedule remaining professional education courses (EDUC, EPSY, ECE, and SPED prefix courses). Criteria for FULL STATUS are:
      1. Minimum 2.75 cumulative or degree grade point average (based on a minimum of 30 credit hours). A student may be granted permission with a minimum cumulative or degree grade point average of 2.5-2.749 and successful completion of an interview as well as recommendation from the instructor(s) for EDUC 202.
      2. Achieve a passing score of Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators-Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. (Refer to the Louisiana Department of Education website for current passing scores.)
      3. Achieve a grade of “C” or better in English 102.
      4. Achieve a grade of “B” or better in Education 202.
      5. Have an approved Admissions Portfolio.
      6. Have signed the Memorandum of Student Advisement and Counseling.

             2.  INELIGIBLE: Indicates a student does not meet or maintain criteria for full SARTE
                   status.

II. Retention Procedures

1. Ongoing screening of each student utilizing SARTE eligibility criteria will occur each semester of a student’s enrollment.
   1. Maintain a cumulative or degree grade point average of 2.75 or better.
   2. For those with a degree GPA of 2.5-2.749, permission may be granted by the department head.
2. Students demonstrating behaviors or characteristics that make it questionable whether they can succeed in the teaching profession will be referred for Professional Performance Review. A review may result in:
   1. No action being taken but further observations.
   2. Recommendation of a Professional Improvement Plan (monitored by the Coordinator of the Teacher Development Program).
   3. Referral to SARTE which may recommend:
      1. Probation with specified conditions.
      2. Temporary suspension from the Teacher Education program with specified conditions.
      3. Expulsion from the Teacher Education program.

III. Appeal Procedures

Students who wish to appeal decisions of the SARTE Committee may do so in writing to the Dean of the College of Education.

 

Policy for Student Portfolios 
College of Education

As part of the College of Education focus on performance-based outcomes, portfolios will be incorporated into the assessment system for students enrolled in an approved Teacher Education Program. Students are required to submit portfolios through Pass-Port, a web-based system that provides candidates, faculty, and administrative staff a system to gather, demonstrate, and evaluate performance data. Candidates will be charged a one-time non-refundable fee for licensure to use the system for seven years. This fee will automatically be charged the first time a candidate registers for a course offered through the College of Education (EDUC, EPSY, EDL, ETEC, ECE, EDF, LSED, and SPED prefixes). 

 

The portfolio will (1) allow the student to demonstrate, through reflections, his/her understanding of how the artifacts contained in the portfolio meet the program outcomes; (2) provide a process by which a student can become a reflective practitioner to foster continuous improvement; and (3) document a student’s growth from the Introductory Level (novice stage) to a level of competence as an educator, the Competency Level. Through the portfolio process, evaluators will have an opportunity to identify areas for improvement at each level of assessment and develop a plan for remediation when necessary. By completing and submitting a portfolio, students will gain an understanding that they are ultimately responsible for acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for being an effective classroom teacher.

 

The portfolio will consist of artifacts, documents, and evidence, which demonstrate that the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required by the Louisiana Requirements for Initial Certification for certification through the Louisiana Department of Education have been met. Students will be required to submit an Introductory Level Portfolio as a prerequisite to their first methods courses (EDUC 320, 485, 490 or KIN 460 and courses taken concurrently), a Developing Level Portfolio as a requirement for the Student Teaching Residency, and Residency I and II Level Portfolios as a requirement for graduation. Students are to refer to the Pass-Port Help page, http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/colleges/edu_hd/student_success/passport/index.html for timelines and content requirements.

 

After successful completion of all requirements in the Alternate Certification program, students may be eligible for recommendation to the Louisiana Department of Education for teacher certification in their area of certification.

 

Additional College of Education Graduation Requirements

Students in the College of Education must meet the following requirements in addition to the general University requirements listed elsewhere:

 

Teacher Certification Programs (programs leading to a degree in teacher education and state certification).

1. Earn a cumulative or degree grade point average of 2.75 and a 2.75 cumulative or degree grade point average in work completed at Southeastern.*
2. Have no grade lower than a “B” in Education 202 and have no grade lower than a “C” in other professional courses (Education, Early Childhood Education, and Educational Psychology) and in each teaching field.
3. Complete 270 hours in all-day, all-semester student teaching residency with a minimum of 180 clock hours in actual teaching.
4. Successfully complete either three semester hours in Reading (secondary curricula) or nine semester hours in Reading (elementary curricula).
5. The College of Education defines computer literacy in the following ways:
   1. The ability to instruct using computers to aid in learning, solving problems, and managing information.
   2. Knowledge of function, applications, capabilities, limitations, and related technology.
6. Have completed an approved Residency I and II or Competency Level Portfolio.

*See Scholastic Ratings, this catalog, for explanation of calculation of grade point averages.

 

Degrees Conferred

The degree of Bachelor of Arts is conferred upon the completion of the curricula in the following fields:

English Education
Social Studies Education

The degree of Bachelor of Science is conferred upon the completion of the curricula in the following fields:

Early Childhood Education Grades PK-3
Elementary Education Grades 1-5
Health and Physical Education Teacher Education
Middle School Education Grades 4-8
Special Education Mild/Moderate for Elementary Education Grades 1-5
Special Education Mild/Moderate for Middle School Grades 4-8

 

Honors Diploma in the Discipline

For information on earning Sophomore Honors Distinction, Upper Division Honors Distinction, or the Honors Diploma, please consult The University Honors Program section of this catalog, the Director of the Honors Program, and/or your Department Head. 

 

Alternative Teacher Certification Programs

The College of Education offers two alternative teacher programs: (1) Master of Arts in Teaching, and (2) Certification-Only Alternative Teacher Certification. Post-Baccalaureate Certificates may also be awarded to students completing the Certification-Only and Add-On certification programs. A complete description of these programs is located in the Graduate Studies section of this catalog.

 

Departmental Curricula

English

English Education

Kinesiology and Health Studies

Health and Physical Education Teacher Education

History and Political Science
Social Studies Education

Teaching and Learning

Early Childhood Education Grades PK-3
Elementary Education Grades 1-5
Middle School Education Grades 4-8
Special Education Mild/Moderate for Elementary Education Grades 1-5
Special Education Mild/Moderate for Middle School Education Grades 4-8

 

Requirements for Student Teaching Residency

The State Department of Education regulations for certification of teachers require that teacher candidates complete their student teaching residency under the control and supervision of the institution from which they expect to be graduated. To be eligible for student teaching residency, students must:

1. Classify as seniors. (They must have at least ninety hours of credit.)

2. Enroll in classes within Southeastern's College of Education for at least three semesters.

3. Pass all parts of PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.

4. Have a cumulative or degree grade point average of 2.75 and a 2.75 cumulative or degree grade point average in work completed at Southeastern.

5. Have completed and earned a grade of "C" or better in all required professional courses: Education and Education Psychology.

6. Have completed and earned a grade of "C" or better in all required courses in their first teaching fields. These courses are identified with a single dagger on the curriculum sheets.

7. Pass PRAXIS II examinations in Principles of Learning and Teaching and Content Specialty Area Tests.

8. Have completed Education 202 with a grade of "B" or better.

9. Have completed the courses related to Developing Portfolio with a grade of "C" or better.

10. Complete and pass Developing Level portfolio.

11. Apply for student teaching residency one semester prior to the semester during which the applicant plans to complete a student teaching residency. Applications are accepted during the Fall and Spring semesters, but not during the Summer. 

12. Have approval of the Director of Student Teaching Residency.

13. Have a statement from their Department Head certifying that they are competent in the subject material in which they are seeking certification.

 

Student Teaching Residency Semesters

The student teacher resident will follow the school district’s calendar and will report to the school in the summer when teachers arrive for the school year (or December for the spring student teacher resident). This will be prior to the first day of class on the university academic calendar. The student teacher resident reports at the designated time for school district teachers each day, and he/she will remain at the school for 80% of placement school time, and the student teacher resident will remain at the school until regular dismissal of teaching personnel. Six hours are awarded for the first semester residency, and nine hours are awarded for the second semester residency.

 

The student teacher resident will be assigned to complete his/her student teaching residency away from the campus community; therefore, student teacher residents must expect that they may be asked to make arrangements to be away from the campus for part of the time during their first semester and full time during their second of their residency. The Director of Student Teaching Residency will arrange a placement for each student teacher resident.

 

The student teacher resident may take other classes with their residency during the first semester, but they must request permission from the Director of Student Teaching Residency to schedule only one course with the second semester of residency. This one course must not be related to the student teacher resident’s major or concentration area. Any course scheduled in addition to second semester of student teaching residency must not conflict with their full time participation in the school. The hours involved in second semester student teaching residency will be approximately 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (i.e., whatever are the school hours for the residency school), Monday through Friday.

 

In order to remain in the student teaching residency, the student teacher resident is expected to meet and maintain desirable professional, physical, and moral standards consistent with their positions in the public schools. He/She must also demonstrate proficiency in instruction, management and planning.

 

A student teacher resident who fails or is directed to withdraw from student teaching residency must complete a Professional Improvement Plan (Monitored by the Coordinator of the Teacher Development Program) prior to a second student teaching residency experience. A student may not attempt a student teaching residency a third time.