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1.0 Introduction

 

Student Handbook (pdf)

 

The Office of Educator Support (OES) at Oklahoma State University includes academic programs in the College of Education and Human Sciences, the Ferguson College of Agriculture, and the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, the OES works closely with the Graduate College on teacher certification programs at the master’s and doctoral levels and programs for which “graduate special” students seek enrollment.

 

The OES at Oklahoma State University works closely with several external agents to ensure the highest quality within each program. These external agents include the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSHRE), the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA), and the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). While these external agents seek to work closely with each other, policies, procedures, and requirements continuously change.


  • 1.1 Professional Education Dispositions 

    Professional Dispositions of candidates are formally assessed at least twice during your academic program, once early during the program and once later. Dispositions may also be addressed and recorded at any point in a candidate’s program, and concerns may result from a formal or informal interaction. Dispositional concerns are often why candidates are unsuccessful in completing a field experience, course, or program. Dispositional challenges may affect a candidate’s ability to be placed for field experiences or clinical practice; placements are not guaranteed.

     

    Candidates who are not successful will be provided with remediation and guidance tailored to them, and except in egregious cases or when problems persist over time, candidates who encounter dispositional challenges generally become successful educators. Faculty, mentors, and/or supervisors measure professional dispositions with the pre-CPAST instrument (for early field experiences) and the CPAST instrument (during the internship).  Program area faculty will provide candidates with information on these instruments.

     

 

2.0 Admission to Professional Education

  • 2.1 Apply for Admission at the Beginning of Your Program

    All students must complete the Admission to Professional Education application at the very beginning entry point into the program. The form is available at: Admission to Professional Education Application.

     

    Please note that filling out the application for each certification pursued is critical. For example, if a candidate is pursuing both Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education simultaneously, they must fill out two applications. Likewise, if a candidate already holds a master’s degree and is pursuing certification only for School Administrator, they must complete the application. If they are seeking an English degree through Arts & Sciences but want to be recommended for certification, they must fill out the application.

     

  • 2.2 Certifications Available through OSU 

    Following are lists of Initial, Advanced, and Non-Traditional certification programs for which OSU can recommend candidates. Initial certifications are your first teacher certification. Advanced certifications are those that require an initial certificate prior to obtaining the advanced or require a specialized master’s degree. Non-Traditional, or alternative, programs are used to facilitate candidates seeking certification and already hold a master’s degree.

     

    Initial Teacher Certification Programs

    • Elementary (P-8)
      • Early Childhood Education (P-3)
      • Elementary Education (1-8)
    • Elementary/Secondary (P-12)
      • Art
      • Foreign Language (French, German, Spanish)
      • Music (Instrumental, Vocal)
    • Secondary (5-12)
      • Agricultural Education
      • Biological Sciences
      • Chemistry
      • Earth and Space Sciences/Geology
      • English
      • Family and Consumer Sciences
      • Mathematics
      • Physical Sciences
      • Physics
      • Social Studies

    Advanced Certification Programs

    • Elementary Mathematics Specialists
    • Reading Specialist
    • Speech Language/Pathology
    • Principal (Traditional and Alternative)
    • School Library - Media Specialist
    • School Counselor
    • School Psychologist (EdS or PhD)
    • Superintendent (Traditional and Alternative)

    Certification Requirement Sheets are available at: https://education.okstate.edu/departments-programs/office-of-educator-support/certification-sheets.html

  • 2.3 Full Admission to Professional Education

    The criteria for admission to OSU Professional Education programs are based on Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education requirements and University-wide policies recommended by the Director of Professional Education through the Council of Professional Education. A student is only considered a fully eligible participant in a Professional Education program once formally admitted to Professional Education.

     

    Undergraduate Student Requirements:

    Requirement 1: The candidate has completed at least one semester hour in Professional Education Foundations and Field Experience (Classroom Observation) with a
    grade of "C" or better (or "P" if the course is pass/fail).

     

    Requirement 2: 

    ACT or SAT score - The passing score for the ACT® shall be a composite score of 22 with the writing section included. The passing score for the SAT® shall be a total score of 1120, including the following scores in the essay section: five (5) on Reading, four (4) on Analysis, and five (5) on Writing. The ACT/SAT equivalency approved by PEC vote 07.12.2019 following an OEQA policy change allowing this substitution or

     

    Gen Ed GPA - a minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale in all general education courses (a minimum of 30 hours) as defined in the State Regents’ Criteria for Admission to Educator Preparation Programs (3.21.2)  or

     

    PRAXIS score - a score at or above the level designated by the State Regents for math (150), reading (156), and writing (162) on the PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators Test (PRAXIS). Students who score below the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 199 designated level on any section(s) of the PRAXIS test will be permitted to retest. The PRAXIS test is an acceptable performance measure for students who have completed at least 30 credit hours or

     

    Bachelors Degree - possess a Baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for the purpose of accrediting institutions of higher education and approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Baccalaureate degree graduates from universities accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for the purpose of accrediting institutions of higher education in the United States are assumed to have the basic skill competencies tested by the OGET and PRAXIS.

     

    Requirement 3: Earn and retain at least 2.50 (varies by program) grade point average.



    Graduate (Post-Baccalaureate) Student Requirements: Initial Certification Programs must complete the Application for Admission to Professional Education. Post-baccalaureate candidates must meet the following criteria for full admission to Professional Education:

     

    Students in a master's program must:

    1. satisfy the departmental requirements for unqualified admission to the master's degree program;
    2. have a minimum cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.50;
    3. complete an orientation to Professional Education course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P" and  complete a laboratory and clinical experience (observation) course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P"
    4. have received a baccalaureate degree.

     

    Students classified by the Graduate College as "special" or "provisionally admitted" must:

    1. have a minimum cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.50, and
    2. complete one semester credit hour of early field experience and an orientation to Professional Education course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P" and receive a passing score on the OGET.

     

    Graduate (post-baccalaureate) students in Advanced Certification Programs must complete the Application for Admission to Professional Education. Post-baccalaureate candidates must meet the admission requirements set by their program.

  • 2.4 Retention in Professional Education

    For participation in all courses requiring full admission to Teacher Education and for continued acceptability and recommendations for certification, the student must have met and maintained all specified requirements for full admission to Professional Education. To remain in “good standing” in the OES, the student must maintain:

    1. At least a 2.50 overall (“graduation/retention”) GPA, and
    2. At least a 2.50 (2.75 for Family and Consumer Science Education and Secondary English) GPA in major requirements with no grade below “C” or “P,” and
    3. At least a 2.50 GPA in Professional Education and College/Departmental requirements with no grade below “C” or “P.”
    4. In addition, students in the OES must achieve these grade point requirements to be eligible to complete their clinical practice experience.

     

    Students not meeting the retention requirements will be placed on probation for one semester. During the semester of probation, the student must satisfy the requirements of the probation. A student not satisfying the probation requirements at the end of the probationary semester will be administratively withdrawn from Professional Education and all courses having full admission as a prerequisite. Advisers are available to assist the student in regularly reviewing continuing retention or reinstatement in Professional Education. A retention review prior to enrollment and again prior to the beginning of classes each semester is encouraged when continuing retention is in question. Students may appeal decisions regarding retention decisions to the PEC Student Affairs Committee.



  • 2.5 Remediation Opportunities

    It is important for candidates to recognize the importance of milestones (admission requirements, testing, portfolio, etc.), professionalism, and dispositions as non-negotiable requirements in Oklahoma State Statutes and national accreditation requirements. Program area faculty, advisers, and OES staff are available to assist candidates through remediation opportunities as needed.

 

3.0 Foreign Language Proficiency

Candidates who matriculate Fall 2023 or later must pass CIED 4133 Introduction to K12 ELL Education with a “C” or better. This will be required across all initial certification programs. At this point, the below options will no longer be accepted.

 

Prior to Fall 2023, according to OSHRE 3.21.4 (2021), teacher preparation programs at the preservice level shall require students to meet one of two criteria addressing foreign language or Emergent Bilingual / English Learning in P-12 schools:

 

  1. Teacher candidates demonstrate listening and speaking skills at the novice-high level, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, for a language other than English, including American Sign Language. The assessment for such competency may occur at any point in the teacher candidate’s program and does not require specified coursework or credit hours except as may be required by the institution.
  2. Teacher candidates demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to address the needs of Emergent Bilingual (English Learner) students in the P-12 classroom and are proficient in the strategies required for the successful delivery of P-12 instruction in that area. The assessment for such competency may occur at any point in the teacher candidate’s program through specified coursework approved by the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA) and as may be required by the institution.

 

4.0 Field Experiences and Clinical Practice

Data on all field experience and clinical practice placements is maintained by the Office of Educator Support and Assessment Specialist. Initial and Advanced certification programs work directly with the Coordinator of Field Experiences and Clinical Practice to best serve candidates and our partnering school districts with research-based experiences. Placements are based on the following criteria:

 

  1. OSU must have a contractual agreement with the participating school district,
  2. the principal and the Mentor Teacher/Educator must be in agreement about the placement,
  3. the Mentor Teacher/Educator must meet established criteria to work with a candidate,
  4. a qualified OSU Supervisor must be available for travel to that site, and
  5. program faculty recommendation for clinical practice (based on academics, field experiences, and dispositions)

 

Candidates will be placed in diverse school settings. The definition of a diverse placement in a public school site is one that includes 30% or more nonwhite population of students or 10% or more English language learners according to the latest available data at www.schoolreportcard.org.  Selection of the site will continue to be at the discretion of the placement coordinator. Candidates are responsible for their own transportation to and from field experience and internship sites.  Previous clinical/field experiences will be considered when determining the internship placement. The Area Program Coordinator or the Placement Coordinator may make exceptions to these guidelines. 

 

  • 4.1 Clinical Practice Internship Requirements 

    In order to apply for a clinical practice internship, teacher candidates must

    1. be fully admitted to Professional Education,
    2. have taken and received a score on the appropriate subject area exam (OSAT) by the deadline to apply for an internship (deadline provided at mandatory Intent to Student Teach meeting),
    3. follow the application process outlined in the Intent to Student Teach meeting (the previous semester) by the provided deadline
    4. Receive faculty recommendation of program faculty for your internship (details provided at Intent to Student Teach Meeting)
    5. GPA must be at least 2.5 in the following categories:
    6. Overall, Professional Education courses, and Program Specialization courses (Exception: Secondary English Education, and Family and Consumer Science Education require a 2.75 in this category).
    7. All grades must be a “C” or better in past and current enrollment in the areas of Professional Education and Specialization Courses, or you will not be placed in clinical practice. Be aware that Professional Education coursework with grades of “C” and grades of “P” in field experience courses will not compute to a “C” average.

     

    Meeting these minimal criteria does not necessarily guarantee a placement.

  • 4.2 Course Completion Policy 

    Interns must complete the required coursework before beginning their clinical practice semester.

     

    1. Interns must focus their time and attention on their internship duties during the clinical practice semester.
    2. If not prohibited by the program area, an intern may take one course or up to 3 hours during or after the clinical practice semester.
    3. All Professional Education courses must be completed prior to the clinical practice semester.
  • 4.3 State Background Check 

    In alignment with Oklahoma state statutes and administrative code (OS §70-6-190, OS §70-3-104, OAC 210:20-9-98), the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Office of Educator Support (OES) requires a state-level background check (name check) on ALL non-certified candidates prior to placement in any field experience or clinical practice. The candidate is responsible for associated fees, which may vary depending on in-state or out-of-state student status. The OES may request an updated background check as needed. While we make every effort to place candidates in the best possible field experience or clinical practice situation, school districts do review background checks and past criminal history in terms of their own policies and may decline to host a particular candidate for field experiences or clinical practice.

     

    Candidates will be notified in the event that a background check is returned containing a report of criminal activity:

    1. Where disposition data is not shown or further explanation of the charge or disposition is needed, the candidate will be responsible for providing a certified copy of the disposition. No placement will be made into a field experience or clinical practice until a final disposition is provided.
    2. If a candidate has any charges pending, no placement will be made into a field experience or clinical practice until satisfactorily resolved and documented with either a cleared background check or a certified copy of the disposition of charges.
    3. If a background check contains incorrect information, it is the candidate’s responsibility to obtain documentation proving the misidentification.
    4. In the case of a deferred sentence:
    5. Misdemeanor convictions that receive a deferred sentence may receive a placement in field experiences or clinical practice during the period of deferment.
    6. Felony convictions that receive a deferred sentence will not be placed in field experiences or clinical practice until the terms of deferment have been successfully met.   
  • 4.4 Application for Clinical Practice Internship 

    The semester before student teaching, the candidate must complete the Clinical Practice Internship Application Packet and attend an Intent to Student Teach meeting, in which the Professional Education staff will provide candidates from all programs with important information. These are held the following days/times with rooms posted and announced in a variety of ways:

     

    For Spring Student Teaching

    Stillwater – 1st  week in September, 5:00pm

     

    For Fall Student Teaching

    Stillwater – 1st week in February, 5:00pm

     

    Program area faculty will discuss particular placements with candidates, and candidates should make specific requests using the Student Teaching Application. Candidates should not meet with or contact teachers or principals in an attempt to establish a placement. The following guidelines should be considered when listing placement preferences in the space provided on the application:

     

    1. Public Schools: All internships occur in public schools.
    2. Placement in Diverse and Geographic Settings: Candidates will be placed in diverse school settings: a variety of socio-economic settings, a variety of geographic settings, and experiences working with diverse groups of students. Previous clinical/field experiences will be considered when determining the internship placement.
    3. Professional Experiences: Candidates will be placed in a location where professional experiences can develop. Candidates will not be placed in a school where their children attend, where a relative is employed, or where they have developed personal relationships. In addition, candidates will not be placed in any school system(s) they attended. Candidates are expected to adhere to these guidelines.
    4. Finances: Finances cannot be considered when determining the internship placement.
    5. Out-of-Area/State Placements: Out-of-area/out-of-state placements are rare and only granted in extreme cases. To request an out-of-area/out-of-state placement, refer to the policy on the OSU Professional Education website. Note that the intern must appeal to the Field Experiences Committee for consideration, and, if granted, the intern bears all financial responsibility associated with placement, travel to on-campus meetings, supervision, and fees charged by a cooperating institution. Some programs facilitate international student teaching.  Advisors can help with this option. NOTE: Check with specific program areas for information about any additional placement requirements.   
    6. The Area Program Coordinator or the Placement Coordinator may make exceptions to these guidelines.
  • 4.5 Placement in Clinical Practice Internships 

    Candidates will be placed in Stillwater Public Schools on a limited basis.

     

    Requests are sent to school districts for placements. After the Office of Educator Support receives confirmation of the placement, each candidate will receive a confirmation e-mail. The assignment is tentative until all pre-clinical practice program requirements are completed.

  • 4.6 The Internship Experience 

    Your Support Team Many individuals are invested in making sure you have the best possible internship experience to help you move from college to professional life:

     

    • Course Instructor – Candidates who are interning will also be enrolled in a course specific to their The instructor for this course will provide a syllabus, conduct course meetings, communicate regularly with OSU supervisors, and assign grades for the course.
    • OSU Supervisor – This person is hired by OSU as a liaison among the candidate, the course instructor, the Professional Education office, the mentor teacher, the program coordinator, and the school. The OSU supervisors meet with candidates regularly, observe candidates teaching at least three times, and give written feedback and recommendations after each observation.
    • Mentor/Cooperating Teacher – This person works with the candidate as a team teacher, gradually giving more responsibility for planning and implementing lessons in his or her classroom. After receiving a confirmation letter, the candidate should visit with the mentor teacher, principal, and other faculty members in the department. It is extremely important to conference daily with the mentor teacher, asking questions and getting feedback. He or she will observe the candidate, give written feedback and recommendations, and complete formal mid-term and final evaluations. All OSU clinical practice interns are evaluated in accordance with the InTASC Standards as well as with standards specific to program areas.
    • School Principal – When available, the school principal may conference the candidate, the OSU Supervisor, and the mentor teacher during the semester.

    Mentor/Candidate Relationships (Applies to All Field Placements and Clinical Practice) The relationship between candidates and mentors must be of a professional nature, as the mentor is evaluating the educator candidate.  

     

    Phases of the Clinical Practice Internship

    Clinical practice internship assignments are highly individualistic. Involvement in classroom activities will depend upon the individual's readiness to perform the tasks assigned. The cooperating teacher and university program area supervisor will assess the candidate’s abilities and determine his/her responsibilities and tasks. In no case will the intern immediately assume total responsibility for the class.

     

    Due to the individualistic nature of the assignment, no set time period can be attached to the various phases of the clinical practice internship. Ideally, candidates will engage in co-teaching with their mentor teacher throughout the entire experience. This will afford opportunities to teach collaboratively as well as function as the lead teacher across planning, instruction, and assessment.

  • 4.7 Problem-Solving Process 

    Most problems that arise during the internship are resolved through daily conferencing. The following process should be followed if a problem isn’t resolved through conferencing between the Candidate, the Mentor Teacher, and/or University Supervisor:

    1. The University Supervisor or the Mentor may alert the Office of Educator Support (OES) representative and Program Coordinator to discuss any issue(s) or concerns.
    2. The area or program coordinator will develop a plan of improvement (POI form below) to resolve the problem(s) with input from the Mentor Teacher, University Supervisor, and OES staff. The POI form to be used by all OES programs is available below.
    3. The candidate will meet with the Program Coordinator and an OES staff member to discuss the POI and receive coaching on expectations/needs moving forward to be successful.
    4. An OES representative will communicate the POI to the Principal and to all involved parties.
    5. The Candidate will follow the outlined POI; the University Supervisor and Mentor Teacher will document the Candidate’s progress.
    6. The University Supervisor will communicate to the program coordinator the Candidate’s progress toward resolving the challenge(s).

     

    The OSU Internship Plan of Improvement  is designed to assist in the problem-solving process.

  • 4.8 Removal from Internship Placement

    If the Candidate fails to satisfactorily meet the POI, one of the following alternatives will occur:

    1. The Candidate is removed from the assignment and reassigned to the partner school or the school system.
    2. The Candidate is removed immediately from the internship in that school system.
    3. The Candidate is removed immediately from the internship.

    NOTE: The Candidate has the right to appeal the decision to remove them from their internship placement. Appeals are sent to the Senior Director of Teacher Education.

  • 4.9 Memorandum of Understanding

    The Memorandum of Understanding is an agreement among the following parties: Oklahoma State University Office of Educator Support (called the "University"), the Partner School (called the “School”) to which the OSU student (the “Candidate”) is assigned, and the Candidate. A breach of this agreement can result in the Candidate’s removal from the internship. Candidates will be required to sign an MOU and are bound by the details outlined here.

  • 4.10 Special Needs of the Intern

    Accommodations that are required by your plan on file with the OSU Student Accessibility Services will be followed during your clinical practice internship and may require a Plan of Expectation to outline how the accommodations can be addressed within your critical practice internship. You must meet with your course instructor prior to the beginning of the semester to discuss these needs.

  • 4.11 Insurance

    School districts and OSU do not ensure a Candidate during the internship; Candidates are responsible for carrying medical insurance. By joining a professional organization, such as the Association of American Educators (https://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/pages/liability-insurance),  they will have liability insurance during the internship. This is essential protection for the candidate as a professional working in a school setting; student membership is offered at a significantly reduced rate for both organizations.

  • 4.12 Outside Activities/Classes during the Clinical Practice Internship

    The internship experience is considered the beginning of a Candidate’s professional career, and his/her energies should be directed toward making the most of the professional assignment. Therefore, outside employment or taking coursework other than the internship courses is not advised during the internship. If a Candidate believes employment is necessary, s/he must confer with the University Supervisor and Mentor to ensure such employment doesn’t conflict with school site schedules or other professional obligations.

  • 4.13 Schedule of Clinical Practice Internship Assignments

    Clinical practice is conducted for 16 weeks in most cases, though there are a few programs for which this differs due to curriculum/seminar needs. Placement personnel will convey the expected timeframe for the internship, and candidates should also share this information with mentors.

     

    Once your professional experience begins, the candidate will follow the schedule of the school district to which they are assigned. They must attend all meetings and events that the teachers in the cooperating school must attend. Candidates should be absent only for serious reasons (e.g., illness, death of a family member). If absent, candidates must notify the cooperating teacher, university supervisor, and the building principal well in advance if possible. If you are absent for more than two days, make-up days may be required. As with any course, excessive absences beyond the attendance policy may result in failing the course/internship.

  • 4.14 Professional Dress in Clinical Practice Internship

    Clinical interns are expected to dress professionally and to adhere to any dress code set forth by the school district. Visible jewelry for body piercing, facial hair, and visible tattoos may be considered inappropriate professional dress in some schools and districts.

 

5.0 Career Development

The career consultant in your college offers candidates and alumni help with resume development, job search strategies, interview strategies and tips, and career advice. These offices also offer workshops and seminars on career development topics each semester.

 

College of Arts and Sciences

College of Education and Human Sciences

The Ferguson College of Agriculture

 

The Teacher Job Fair is held each spring. This event is specifically designed for those candidates wanting a career in education. There are many more career/job fairs offered throughout the year. For more information or a schedule of campus-wide job fairs, contact Career Services, 370 Student Union, at 405-744-5253.

 

6.0 Certification

Effective May 31, 2001, Title 68 O.S. 238.1 requires all certificate holders to be in compliance with Oklahoma state income tax laws BEFORE a teaching certificate can be RENEWED.

Effective November 1, 2001, Oklahoma statute 70 O.S. 6-190 requires applicants for initial Oklahoma teacher certification to have a full federal fingerprint-based background clearance. The OSU Professional Education Unit is available to assist you with information on where you may conduct this process; contact Ms. Casey Powell at 405-744-6253 or pcasey@okstate.edu.

 

Since different agencies are responsible for different areas, the requirements for certification and the requirements for graduation are not necessarily the same. Students must meet all academic requirements for graduation in order to receive the degree and the respective diploma. Students also must meet all certification requirements in order to be recommended to the Oklahoma State Department of Education for certification. OSU acknowledges its responsibility to prepare graduates to meet state certification requirements in Oklahoma. Academic success and test proficiency for certification may differ.

 

  • 6.1 Applying for Certification

    To receive Oklahoma State University’s in-state or out-of-state certification “Recommendation” or “Verification” of program completion, the applicant must:

    1. be admitted and maintain admission to Professional Education;
    2. complete the appropriate level of degree;
    3. meet the Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement;
    4. complete the required courses with the required grades and GPA;
    5. have confirmation of the final clearance of the portfolio submission;
    6. pass the required PPAT (Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers);
    7. certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators for Oklahoma certification;
    8. pass the Teacher Candidate Training: Trauma-Responsive Teaching and Legal Issues in Education micro credential (contact Mr. Dillon Graham at 405-744-5021 or dillon.graham@okstate.edu); and
    9. complete the state’s application for certification.

    Unless the applicant has successfully completed all of the above, Oklahoma State University will not make a recommendation or verify program completion for an in-state or out-of-state certificate.

  • 6.2 Out-of-State Certification

    Those applying to other states will need to contact that state’s Department of Education and request an out-of-state application packet. Most states will require official transcripts, a copy of the Oklahoma certificate, and an Institutional Recommendation Form, which must be completed by Ms. Casey Powell in the Office of Educator Support (pcasey@okstate.edu; 405-744-6253; fax: 405-744-1834).

     

  • 6.3 Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators 

    Certification in Oklahoma requires the candidate to pass two sets of tests (OSAT & PPAT). These tests are administered under the direction of the OEQA and the test administration companies (i.e., Pearson, ETS). OSU’s OES provides support to assist the candidate in meeting deadlines for filing applications and understanding the testing processes. The Office of Educator Support will assist the candidate in determining readiness for specific tests.

     

    Oklahoma Subject Area Tests (OSAT)

    Those candidates seeking certification in Oklahoma must take the appropriate certification test(s) in order to be certified. NOTE: The candidate must take and receive a score in the appropriate OSAT or OSATs (some programs have multiple OSAT exams) prior to the deadline to apply for student teaching. Test information and registration materials are available at http://www.ceoe.nesinc.com. OEQA defines the certification fields for which individual OSAT tests have been developed.

     

    Assessment of Pedagogical Knowledge (APK) 

    The Assessment of Pedagogical Knowledge (APK) has been approved and replaces the Praxis Performance Assessment of Teachers (PPAT) beginning in Fall of 2025.  Candidates can register to take the exam at the CEOE website beginning June 3, 2025.  The assessment includes 100 multiple choice questions and two constructed-response items (one case study and one work product). 

     

    NES Foundations of Reading 

    Beginning July 1, 2025, all Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and Special Education candidates will need to pass the NES Foundations of Reading exam to qualify for certification in their content area.   

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