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EDUCATION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM INFORMATION

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (K - 9 CERTIFICATION)

Elementary education students must fulfill all of the following (78 hours, plus a minor):

A. General Education Courses
Note: These courses must be taken in addition to fulfilling Trinity’s general education
course requirements and some courses may overlap.

B. Elementary Education Major

C. Minor see requirements in each discipline 12-18 hours

Education Electives

It is possible to obtain a second major or minor. See the departmental sections in this
catalog for descriptions of the required courses.

Middle Grades Endorsements:
A middle grades endorsement is a teaching subject listed on a state of Illinois teaching certificate that enables a graduate to teach that subject in the middle grades (5-8). To earn a middle grades endorsement, the student usually must complete 18 semester-hours of coursework in that subject area plus six semester-hours in adolescent psychology and middle grades schooling philosophy and methods. At Trinity, three of the six hours are met by taking Education 335. The remaining three hours are “embedded” in Psychology 123, Education 303, and Education 380. Students who take any of these three courses at another institution must prove to the certification officer that the course(s) provided the appropriate amount of middle grades material. Specific middle grades endorsement information can be found on the Education Unit Home site on ANGEL.

SECONDARY EDUCATION (6 - 12 CERTIFICATION)

Students may obtain a secondary teaching certificate in the following major subject areas (40-41 hours):

Secondary education students must fulfill all of the following general education,
major, and minor courses:

A.General Education Courses
Note: These courses must be taken in addition to fulfilling Trinity’s general education
course requirements and some courses may overlap.

B. Major: One subject major from those listed above

C. Education minor

Note: English Education students must take Education 310 in addition to the above requirements.

Education Electives

It is possible to obtain a second major or minor. See the departmental sections in this
catalog for descriptions of the required courses.

Middle Grades Endorsements: A middle grades endorsement is a teaching subject listed on a state of Illinois teaching certificate that enables a graduate to teach that subject in the middle grades (5-8). To earn a middle grades endorsement, the student usually must complete 18 semester-hours of coursework in that subject area plus six semester-hours in adolescent psychology and middle grades schooling philosophy and methods. At Trinity, three of the six hours are met by taking Education 335. The remaining three hours are “embedded” in Psychology 123, Education 303, and Education 380. Students who take any of these three courses at another institution must prove to the certification officer that the course(s) provided the appropriate amount of middle grades material. Specific middle grades endorsement information can be found on the Education Unit Home site on ANGEL.

SPECIAL PROGRAM (K - 12 CERTIFICATION)

Students may elect to receive a special K-12 certificate OR separate elementary (K-9) and secondary (6-12) certificates. Students may obtain a special program (K-12) teaching certificate in the following major areas (48-49 hours):

Special program students must fulfill all of the following general education, major,
and minor courses:

A.General Education Courses
Note: These courses must be taken in addition to fulfilling Trinity’s general education
course requirements and some courses may overlap.

B. One subject major from those listed above

C. Education minor

For discipline specific methods courses, see major requirements in that particular program.

Education Electives

It is possible to obtain a second major or minor. See the departmental sections in this catalog for descriptions of the required courses.

Middle Grades Endorsements: A middle grades endorsement is a teaching subject listed on a state of Illinois teaching certificate that enables a graduate to teach that subject in the middle grades (5-8). To earn a middle grades endorsement, the student usually must complete 18 semester-hours of coursework in that subject area plus six semester-hours in adolescent psychology and middle grades schooling philosophy and methods. At Trinity, three of the six hours are met by taking Education 335. The remaining three hours are “embedded” in Psychology 123, Education 303, and Education 380. Students who take any of these three courses at another institution must prove to the certification officer that the course(s) provided the appropriate amount of middle grades material. Specific middle grades endorsement information can be found on the Education Unit Home site on ANGEL.

Secondary Endorsements: Secondary endorsements can be added to any secondary or K-12 certificate. Secondary endorsements require at least 24 credit hours and a content area test or a second major of at least 32 credit hours. The social science and science designations have specific requirements. Specific information can be found on the Education Unit Home site on ANGEL.

SPECIAL EDUCATION (K - 12 CERTIFICATION)

Students receive a special K-12 Learning Behavior Specialist I certificate to which they may add endorsements.

Special education students must fulfill all of the following (66 hours):

A.General Education Courses
Note: These courses must be taken in addition to fulfilling Trinity’s general education
course requirements and some courses may overlap.

B. Special Education Major

C. Education Minor - Required of all Special Education Majors

It is possible to obtain a second major or minor. See the departmental sections in this catalog for descriptions of the required courses.

Middle Grades Endorsements: A middle grades endorsement is a teaching subject listed on a state of Illinois teaching certificate that enables a graduate to teach that subject in the middle grades (5-8). To earn a middle grades endorsement, the student usually must complete 18 semester-hours of coursework in that subject area plus six semester-hours in adolescent psychology and middle grades schooling philosophy and methods. At Trinity, three of the six hours are met by taking Education 335. The remaining three hours are “embedded” in Psychology 123, Education 303, and Education 380. Students who take any of these three courses at another institution must prove to the certification officer that the course(s) provided the appropriate amount of middle grades material. Specific middle grades endorsement information can be found on the Education Unit Home site on ANGEL.

Secondary Endorsements: Secondary endorsements can be added to any secondary or K-12 certificate. Secondary endorsements require at least 24 credit hours and a content area test or a second major of at least 32 credit hours. The social science and science designations have specific requirements. Specific information can be found on the Education Unit Home
site on ANGEL.

Double Major Certification — Elementary (K-9) and Special Education

Learning Behavior Specialist I:
It is possible to double major in both elementary education and special education. Two student-teaching placements (five hours each) are required. In addition to the special education major courses, the following courses are required in order to add an elementary education major:

Special Education minor
A minor in special education consists of 24 hours of study:

ESL/Bilingual Interdisciplinary Minor
Please see Interdisciplinary Minors, page 175.

Education Studies Minor
Due to overlapping curricula and disciplines, the education studies minor may not be
combined with a major in either Elementary Education or Special Education. Students
with any other major may complete the minor in Education Studies. However, since
this course of study does not lead to teacher certification, students with a major in an
education-related area (e.g. Mathematics Education) must complete a non-educationrelated
major (e.g. Mathematics, Computer Science, etc.).

Education “Gates”

The education department has identified four check points or “gates” during each candidate’s program where the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions are closely checked. The checkpoints have increasingly more rigorous requirements. We use the following procedures and guidelines for monitoring candidate performance and managing and improving operations and programs.

Gate # 1: Intent to Apply
Students normally submit their Intent to Apply during their freshman year near the end of their first education foundation course (normally CPSC 109). In order to apply to the Teacher Education Program, the Intent to Apply must have been approved at least one semester prior.

Criteria for Intent to Apply
1. A cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.5 is required in all general graduation requirements.
2. A grade point average of at least a 2.5 in education foundation courses to date (typically CPSC 109, but could also include EDUC 203, and/or SPED 216).
3. Evidence of having registered for or passed the Illinois Basic Skills Test.
4. Criminal Background Check has been obtained.
5. The following electronic portfolio requirements have been met:
        a. Home page complete
        b. All pages personalized
        c. Resume started.
6. Commitment to Professional Dispositions signed.

Gate # 2: Admission to the Education Program
Admission to the Teacher Education Program is a prerequisite to the student teaching internship and to recommendation for certification. Students normally make application to the Teacher Education Program during the second semester of their sophomore year. Students will only be admitted to the program if all criteria are met. If they do not meet all criteria, they will be denied admission and will need to reapply.

Criteria for Admission to the Teacher Education Program
1. At least one foundation course completed.
2. Intent to Apply approved at least one semester prior.
3. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.
4. A grade point average of at least 2.5 in the education foundation courses. The education foundation courses include CPSC 109, EDUC 203, EDUC 303, and SPED 216. Transfer students with junior standing should apply regardless of courses completed. No grade lower than a C- will be accepted for any foundation course. Students may not take any foundation course more than twice and may retake only two foundations courses.
5. A grade point average of at least 2.5 in English 103-104.
6. A passing score on the Illinois Basic Skills Test. Students will not be allowed to take 300 level courses or higher without having passed the Basic Skills Test. Transfer students will be given a one-semester waiver to meet this requirement.
7. Recommendation of the Education Department based on coursework and supervising teacher reports of the student’s clinical experience.
8. Professional Dispositions Assessment in good standing from non-education faculty and a self-assessment by the student applicant.
9. Electronic portfolio: All basic items (listed under Gate #3) and at least two artifacts as fulfillment of standards must be passed with a score of 2, 3, or 4 and reflections completed.

Gate # 3: Admission to the Student Teaching Internship
Admission to the teacher education program is a prerequisite for application to the student-teaching internship. Students must apply for admission to the student-teaching internship program by May 1 or by December 1 of the year prior to their expected internship. This means, if a student wants to student-teach in the fall semester, that student should apply to the internship by December 1 of the fall prior to the student teaching semester. If a student wants to student-teach in the spring semester, that student should apply to the internship by May 1 of the spring prior to the student
teaching semester. After the teacher education committee considers the application, the student will be informed in person and in writing of the action taken, which will be to admit, admit contingent, or deny.

Students must pass their state of Illinois content area certification test/s prior to student-teaching. Normally, student-teaching placements will not be made until the student has passed his or her content area certification tests. The cycle for registering, taking, and receiving results for any state test takes at least three and a half months. Students should take the test and allow enough time to get satisfactory results by the time they apply to the internship. Early placements, however, for the student teaching internship may be made if the following conditions are met:

1. Overall GPA of at least 3.3
2. Education GPA of at least 3.3
3. Education faculty recommendation

Contingency Policy for Application to the Internship
The education department allows contingencies to remain for only one semester. Students who have not given evidence of removing contingencies by the end of the next academic semester will be moved to a denied status.

Criteria for Admission to Student Teaching Internship
1. Admittance to the Teacher Education Program.
2. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.
3. A grade point average of at least 2.5 in the education foundation courses: CPSC 109, EDUC 203, 303, and SPED 216. No grade lower than a C- will be accepted for any foundation course. Students may not take any foundation course more than twice and may retake only two foundations courses.
4. Completion of or current registration in methods courses.
5. At least 200 clock hours of field experience completed by time of student teaching.
6. A minimum of one full-time semester of course work, including at least one education course and one course in the student's minor or specialization, at Trinity previous to student teaching.
7. A grade point average of 2.7 in major specialization or minor (K-12, secondary education, special education, elementary education students only).
8. Recommendation from the chair of the candidate's area of minor for elementary education candidates or area of specialization for secondary and special (K-12) candidates.
9. Recommendation from the Education Department indicating potential for teaching, personality, integrity, and moral behavior.
10. Professional Dispositions Assessment in good standing from the education department.
11. Electronic portfolio requirements - All basic items completed and all required artifacts from all courses taken as fulfillment of standards must be passed with score of 2, 3, or 4 and reflections completed.
12. Spring student teachers must take and pass their Content Area test the June or July prior to student teaching. Fall student teachers must take and pass the test by the November or December prior to student teaching.

Gate # 4: Program Completion
Criteria for Program Completers: A candidate will be considered a program completer when the following conditions have been met:

1. Completed all coursework needed for program completion including general education, major or minor, and education requirements.
2. Successfully completed the student teaching internship. Both cooperating teacher and college supervisor evaluations are at a satisfactory level.
3. Passed the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) test.
4. Completed all requirements for his or her electronic portfolio.

Foundation Policies
Education foundation courses are Computer Science 109, Education 203, Special Education 216, and Education 303. Students who receive a D+ (1.3) or lower in any foundation course must retake the course. Students may only repeat a foundation course one time. Students will be allowed to retake only two education foundation courses.

Student Rights
The student who receives notice of rejection may appeal that decision according to the following procedures:

1. Within two weeks, the appeal must be presented, in writing, to the director of teacher education. The appeal will be submitted to the teacher education committee.

2. The decision of the teacher education committee will be announced to the student in writing within 10 school days of receipt of the appeal.

3. Appeals beyond the teacher education committee must be made within two weeks of the decision of the teacher education committee and directed to the chairperson of the education department and the provost.

Please note that the student has the right to be assisted in his/her defense by an adviser, legal counsel, or representative from the campus community that he/she may choose. The student is asked to notify the director of teacher education in writing of the name and address of the party that will be serving as his/her representative.