STUDENT TEACHING - Requirements for Clearance to Student Teach

Candidates must be fully accepted into TEP to apply to student teach. Application to student teach must be made one year in advance of the semester the individual anticipates to student teach.  Additional information concerning student teaching should be directed to your Education Advisor (Macomb students Horrabin Hall 40; QC students see Kim Moreno). 

Candidates must complete all course work prior to student teaching. The following prerequisites must be met for clearance to student teach:

1. Grade of "C" or above required for all professional education courses, methods courses and required coursework.
2. A 2.50 cumulative and major grade point average in each area in which a student teaching assignment is sought, or higher if required by the department (2.75 for elementary, early childhood, bilingual ,special education, middle level, history).
3. Pass State Subject Matter Test(s). Registration and study guides for the content-area tests are available online at http://www.il.nesinc.com/. Additonal resources at https://study.com/ilts/ilts-practice-tests.html.
4. Candidate must submit required criminal background report to the school district in which you are placed and be cleared by them.
5. Candidates must complete the mandated reporter training and status form.
6. Candidates are to complete a physical exam. Illinois School code identifies the need for new employees, including student teachers, to provide evidence of physical fitness to perform the duties assigned and freedom from communicable disease. It will be your personal responsibility to comply with the Illinois School Code physical exam requirement if requested be a hosting school district during your student teaching assignment. Some school districts may require a TB test.
7. Some departments may have additional requirements; see major department.

A full list of requirements can be found in the TEP handbook.

The major department will be requested to reassess each applicant's record. At that time, the department has the option to recommend or withdraw its recommendation for an individual to student teach. Candidates must have this final recommendation before clearance to student teach will be granted.

Candidates must be cleared of all deficiencies prior to being cleared to begin student teaching. All deficiencies must be cleared no later than three weeks prior to the start of student teaching or the Field and Clinical Experiences Office will be notified that the individual is not clear to student teach and placement may be canceled! It is the responsibility of the Candidate to be sure all deficiencies have been cleared by the Licensure Officer in 40 Horrabin Hall. Candidates must contact the Licensure Officer for approval for any extenuating circumstances which may delay clearances for student teaching.

If a candidate wishes to cancel his/her student teaching for any reason or if the candidate changes majors or minors after applying to student teach, it is the responsibility of the candidate to notify the Coordinator of Field and Clinical Experiences.