Department of Education

The mission of the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is to prepare educators who are competent, intentional, reflective, culturally responsive, capable of leading, and empathetic 21st Century Professionals. The EPP strives to provide all teacher candidates at the initial and advanced level with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to become effective teachers/leaders by offering the highest quality instruction and programs.

The advanced program strives to further develop and enhance the knowledge base of the practicing professional. As candidates progress through the graduate curriculum, the improvement, refinement, and practice of professional knowledge bases, skills, and dispositions are enhanced and refined.

The Department collaborates with representatives from public schools, professional groups, government, and other programs within the University to prepare educators and to cooperate in the development of educational policies. The Department also strives for the improvement of education at the local, state, regional, and national levels in that the improvement of schooling results in a more literate and enlightened citizenry. This, in turn, contributes to the proliferation of democratic values and enhances America’s position in the global economy.

Partner Schools

Concord University is involved in a collaborative with local public schools. The Partner Schools are designed to prepare future educators, to provide current educators with ongoing professional development, to encourage joint school-university faculty investigation of education-related issues, and to promote the learning of P-12 students. The Partner Schools, structured as a network that includes University and public school faculty, parents, and community partners, seeks to improve teacher education, and meet professional development needs and goals as identified by public school faculty. The partnership collaborative provides the bridges that connect Concord’s teacher education program to the daily instructional practices that occur in P-12 schools. The Partner Schools serve as clinical sites for teacher candidates to teach under the guidance of expert mentor teachers. The clinical experiences allow faculty from Concord and the partnerships to collaborate extensively in providing quality experiences for all teacher candidates involved in the initiative. The public schools benefit from the expertise of the University faculty and the significant contributions the teacher candidates make to the school. The children in these schools benefit from the additional adult attention as well as from the enthusiasm and new learning strategies that teacher candidates often bring to the classroom as they prepare to become teachers.

The Department of Education offers a variety of opportunities for students interested in careers in teacher education. Graduates of our program have been recognized as outstanding teachers of the year, have earned scholarships and internships with affiliate professional organizations, and have been admitted to prominent graduate schools around the country. The Department offers a variety of courses from early childhood to secondary education, from foundations to clinical applications. The Teacher Education Programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and various professional associations.

Bachelor of Science in Education (BS ED)

Preparing teacher candidates to enter the teaching profession is the primary responsibility of the Department of Education. Teacher candidates may earn a degree in a variety of content areas in order to teach in special education, elementary, middle, or secondary classrooms. The Bachelor of Science in Education degree will qualify a teacher candidate for recommendation of initial licensure to the West Virginia Department of Education. This is a requirement, even if the candidate intends to teach in another state. Through reciprocal licensure agreements, graduates may qualify for licensure in other states. Graduates may receive one-year probationary certification while filing to become a citizen of the United States, or when filing a declaration of intent to become a naturalized citizen.

All candidates enrolled in a course with a clinical experience must undergo an annual background check following Department of Education procedures up to their enrollment in the Year Long Residency. At this point, all candidates seeking initial licensure must be fingerprinted and undergo state and federal background checks following state procedures handled through the Department of Education office. Individuals convicted of a felony may not be eligible to complete clinical experiences or for certification to teach. Convicted felons should determine their eligibility for certification with the West Virginia Department of Education prior to enrolling in education courses. Candidates graduating with the Bachelor of Science in Education degree must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 120 semester hours including (1) the General Education Program, (2) the requirements for the content specialization(s), and (3) the Professional Education component. Candidates are also required to meet criterion scores on PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators, PRAXIS II: Subject Assessments (some specializations require more than one subject assessment) and the Principles of Learning and Teaching Test. Candidates must also meet West Virginia certification requirements.

Candidates who enter teacher education and graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Education, may seek certification in the following areas:

• Elementary (Grades K-6) prepares candidates to teach in elementary schools. 
• Special Education (K-6 and 5-Adult Excluding Autism) prepares candidates to teach in elementary and secondary schools serving students with exceptionalities. This program leads to a multi-categorical teaching license in WV.
• Content Specializations (Grades 5-Adult) prepare teacher candidates to teach at the secondary level. Specialization programs are available in English/Language Arts, General Science, or Social Studies.
• Content Specializations (Pre K-Adult) prepare teacher candidates to teach in early education through adult education. Programs are available in Music and Wellness.

The Professional Education Component

All teacher education candidates must earn a 2.75 GPA in the Professional Education component, and complete the following courses with a grade of C or better:

EDUC 210 Diversity, Culture, and Education in a Pluralistic Society (3)  

EDUC 301 Educational Technology (3)  

EDUC 305 Psychology of Teaching and Learning (3)  

EDUC 306 Classroom Management and Instruction (3)  

EDSP 303 Introduction to Special Education (3)  

EDSP 415 Co-Teaching, Consultation, and Collaboration (3)  or EDSP 409 Strategies for the Secondary Classroom Inclusive Environment (3)**  

EDUC 416 Assessment and the Data Informed Teacher (3)  

EDUC 450 Clinical Experience Level IV (6)  

EDUC 460 Student Teaching (6,6)  

Note: ** Not required for Wellness majors. Wellness majors must complete P ED 407 Adapted Physical Education (3)  and H ED 400 Methods and Materials in Health Education (3) .  

Additional Information:  Coursework in the Professional Education component that is older than ten years may have to be repeated.

Admission to Teacher Education

Acceptance into Concord University does not mean acceptance into the Teacher Education Program. Candidates must meet Department of Education criteria in order to be accepted into the program.Candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Education degree must be officially admitted to the Teacher Education Program prior to taking EDUC 306, and courses that have EDUC 306 as a pre/co-requisite. Candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Education degree should plan on applying for admission into the Teacher Education Program no later than the semester in which they take EDUC 301 and EDUC 305. Application materials should be submitted to the CU Department of Education Office for processing via LiveText. All candidates will be notified by letter concerning their admission status.

Candidates not meeting application deadlines or admission criteria will be denied admission to the Teacher Education Program and may reapply the following semester. Candidates may appeal this decision through the Director of Teacher Education.

Prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program, candidates must satisfy the following requirements:

1.       Successful completion of a minimum of 24 hours, which must include 19 specific credit hours from the General Education Program, with a 2.00 grade point average. The general education courses must include the following:

Written and Oral Communications - 9 hours

ENGL 101 Composition and Rhetoric I (3)

ENGL 102 Composition and Rhetoric II (3)

COMM 101 Fundamentals of Speech (3)

 (A grade of C or better is required for each course)

Mathematics - 3 hours
One MATH course for three hours. 

Note:  Candidates pursuing Elementary Education K-6 must complete MATH 101 or MATH 103 with a grade of C or better.

Natural Science - 3-4 hours
One science course. 

Note: Candidates pursuing Elementary K-6 must select from PHSC 103, PHSC 104 or GEOL 101.

Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 hours.

One Social Science course for three hours.

2.      Completion of EDUC 210 Diversity, Culture, and Education in a Pluralistic Society with a grade of C or better required, and documentation of a successful 25 hour clinical experience.

3.      Attainment of an overall grade point average of 2.50 or better in all work completed (including transfer credit) with an overall GPA average of 3.0 for all applicants that semester.

4.      Successful completion of the PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators test (official verification from the testing service must be received by the Department of Education Office. A waiver for PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators test may be obtained by providing documentation from the Registrar’s Office reflecting an ACT composite score of 26 or higher, SAT Revised Score excluding Writing (March 2005 to April 2016 test administrations) of 1170 or higher, SAT New Score (May 2016-present) of 1240 or higher, or completion of a master’s degree. These waivers are accepted only in the State of West Virginia. Certification requirements for other states may include PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators test scores. 

5.      Submission of a professional portfolio via Live Text to the Department of Education. Portfolios will be due in the Department of Education Office the last working day of September during the fall semester, and the last working day of February during the spring semester. Candidates whose portfolios are not approved will be given recommendations for improving their portfolios or will be counseled concerning their admission to the Teacher Education Program.

6.      Declaration of a specific and accurate major and content specialization(s) via the Registrar’s Office.

7.      Completion of EDSP 303 Introduction to Special Education   with a grade of C or higher.

8.       Completion of Pre-Admission to Teacher Education Program Seminar.

9.       Completion of the Educator Disposition Assessment by an Education faculty member.

10.  Candidates must complete 75 hours of documented volunteer experience working with children in supervised structured settings prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program. Appropriate volunteer experiences might include: Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts, Energy Express, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, tutoring in after-school or summer programs, camp counseling, etc. The 75 hours of experience must be documented through signed letters from teachers, supervisors or leaders on organizational letterhead. Letters should describe duties/responsibilities, when the hours were completed and how many hours were completed. All documentation must be included in the candidate’s portfolio when he/she applies for admission to the Teacher Education Program. The 75 volunteer hours are in addition to any required clinical experience hours associated with education coursework.

Candidates who have successfully completed the WV Careers in Education Program, and have submitted appropriate documentation of their completion to the Department of Education office, are exempt from the 75 hours of documented volunteer experience, and will also receive credit for EDUC 210 Diversity, Culture, and Education in a Pluralistic Society  and EDSP 265 Child and Adolescent Development .  Additionally, Careers in Education completers are exempt from portions of the Teacher Education Portfolio.

Year-Long Residency

Concord utilizes the year-long residency model for teacher candidates in the final year of their program. The first semester of the year-long residency is known as Teacher Residency I. The candidate is placed in a school where he/she will be completing the year-long residency. Candidates work as interns in their assigned public school classroom where they participate in co-teaching with a mentor teacher four days per week. Candidates attend courses one per week on campus during Teacher Residency I. This model provides an experience for candidates that integrates coursework and practical teaching while allowing candidates to holistically become a professional member of the public school community.

Candidates working toward the Bachelor of Science in Education degree are advised that all phases of teacher education require cooperative efforts between Concord University and the public schools or other agencies. The superintendent, or legal representatives of these agencies or schools, and the representative of the University shall have the authority, after consultation, to reject placement or terminate the participation of any candidate who fails to meet the professional standards of the cooperating school, agency, or the University. During Teacher Residency, the reports of the mentor teacher(s) and the recommendation(s) of the University Supervisor are essential components in determining the eligibility for graduation and recommendation for licensure.

NOTE: Candidates not meeting application deadlines, admission criteria, and/or not attending the mandatory meetings will be denied Teacher Residency and may reapply the following semester. Candidates may appeal this decision through the Director of Teacher Education.

Teacher Residency I:

The teacher candidate must meet the following requirements prior to Teacher Residency I:

1.  Must be admitted into the Teacher Education Program;

2.  Successfully completed all Pre-Admission to Teacher Education Program and Pre-Admission to Year-Long Residency professional seminars;

3.  Submission of Year-Long Residency Application and required materials to the CU Department of Education Office. Candidates applying for fall residency must submit application materials by the last Friday in March during the previous spring semester. Candidates applying for spring residency must submit application materials by the last Friday in October during the previous fall semester.

4.  Completion of clinical experiences at all certificate levels (i.e. elementary, middle, high);

5.  Completion of all coursework for all majors, excluding Year-Long Residency coursework.  Credit for all coursework including transfer courses, correspondence courses, individual study courses, etc., must appear on the candidate’s transcript at the time of the  eligibility deadline;

6.  English majors must complete and successfully pass the Capstone Exam;

7.  The following minimum grade point averages must be attained:

     A. An overall 2.75 in all course work taken.

     B. An overall 2.00 in General Education.

     C. An overall 2.75 in the professional education core component.

     D. The required grade point average for the teacher candidate’s content specialization(s).

8. Candidates placed in West Virginia public schools must complete Form 24 (student teaching permit) to the West Virginia Department of Education prior to the beginning of the year-long residency. Verification of meeting all requirements from the WVDOE must be finalized prior to the beginning of the year-long residency.  Note:  Form 24 requires fingerprint verification and criminal background check.

The teacher candidate must complete the following requirements during the Teacher Residency I semester:

Passing scores on PRAXIS II: Subject Assessments (some specializations require more than one subject assessment) and Principles of Learning and Teaching Test (PLT) must be attained. Elementary majors are encouraged to begin taking PRAXIS II: Subject Assessment tests prior to beginning Teacher Residency I.  Official verification from the testing service must be received by the Department of Education Office prior to the deadline for eligibility to Teacher Residency II. The eligibility deadline is the last day of the semester prior to the Teacher Residency II semester.  Teacher Residency I is a nearly full time professional experience. Teacher candidates should not enroll in extra coursework, or engage in extra-curricular activities which interfere with student teaching. Exceptions to this must be approved by the Coordinator of Clinical Experiences.

Teacher Residency II

The second semester of the year-long residency is known as Teacher Residency II. During this semester, candidates work as full-time teaching interns, assuming all responsibility and duties of the mentor teacher, under the direction of a university supervisor. Teacher Residency II is a full time professional experience. Teacher candidates should not enroll in extra coursework, or engage in extra-curricular activities which interfere with student teaching. Exceptions to this must be approved by the Coordinator of Clinical Experiences.

Retention

The Department of Education provides a variety of measures to facilitate candidates’ successful performance including the following:

• Assignment of an appropriate advisor;
• Special summer advising;
• Report of mid-term grades;
• Individual letters to candidates upon application and acceptance to the program;
• Educator Dispositional Assessment and possible referral to Admission, Retention, Dismissal Committee;
• Individual letters to candidates upon application and acceptance to student teaching;
• Professional seminars that provide for discussion and questions;
• Exit interviews with student teachers identifying program strengths and recommendations for program improvement.

A variety of support services are available including the Concord Child Development Center, the Center for Academic and Career Development, and the Financial Aid Office.

Exit Criteria

Graduation criteria include the completion of a minimum of 120 hours, the required GPAs, successful completion of all state-required tests, and the completion of all coursework to meet program certification requirements. Graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education will not be granted unless a teacher candidate also satisfies all West Virginia teacher certification requirements which includes a state and national background check.