Orientation to Certification for Teacher Candidates

1. Orientation to Certification for Teacher Candidates

2. Certification Prerequisites • Bachelor’s degree • General academic course work • Subject area major • Teacher Preparation • Praxis I-Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) or waiver • Professional education program • Praxis II/ACTFL/Foundations of Reading • Institutional Recommendation

3. Short Form Application Process for the Initial Educator Certificate • ED 170-A • $200 (money order or bank check) • Official transcripts • Experience form, if necessary (Certain endorsements require verification of experience) • Random Audit (approximately 10% of applications received from your institution) • Evaluation of official transcripts • Initial Educator Certificate issued

4. Mandated Background Checks The State Board of Education is required by statute to submit all applicants, by name and date of birth, to the State Police Bureau of Identification for a state criminal history records check. 6/10/2014 4

5. Mandated Background Checks Public Act No. 11-93, Section 1(g) requires each applicant seeking an initial issuance or renewal of a certificate, authorization or permit to submit to a records check by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) child abuse and neglect registry established pursuant to section 17a-101k. If notification is received that the applicant is listed on the DCF child abuse and neglect registry, the application for the certificate, authorization or permit must be denied.

6. Fingerprinting School districts will require each person hired to be fingerprinted within 30days of employment.

7. Certification ContinuumLevels of Certification Professional Educator Certificate Valid for 5 years Renewable upon application Provisional Educator Certificate Valid for 8 years 30 months of experience Advanced course work requirements Effective July, 1, 2016 master’s degree will be required Initial Educator Certificate Valid for 3 years 10 months of experience & successful completion of TEAM www.ctteam.org OR 30 months of experience in approved non-public school

8. Validity of Certificates • Early Childhood, Elementary Education and Middle Grades: • May teach in grade levels covered by the certificate. • May not teach up or down a grade level. • Secondary Subjects, Grades 7-12: • May teach down to grade 5 in a departmentalized setting. • World languages may teach down to grade 4.

9. Responsibility of the individual to meet course work and testing requirements for the cross endorsement sought. Application is made directly to the Bureau of Educator Preparation and Certification. Cross endorsement areas available: Elementary *Early Childhood Middle Secondary Special Subjects Special Education TESOL *Bilingual *Remedial Reading/Language Arts Cross Endorsements

10. Consider Endorsements in Shortage Areas • World Language, 7-12 • Mathematics, 7-12 • Hearing Impaired, PK-12 • Science, 7-12 • Comprehensive Special Education, K-12 • Bilingual Education • School Library Media Specialist • Remedial Reading and Language Arts 1-12 • Speech and Language Pathology • Intermediate Administration or Supervision

11. Interstate Certification Agreement • Facilitates the certification of teachers from one state to another • NASDTEC (NIA) – 50 States & DC • Must be eligible for a Connecticut Certificate • Allows acceptance of preparation program in teaching or special services areas. • Does not waive testing, experience or advanced course work requirements.

12. Finding Your First Position • www.CTREAP.netandwww.cea.org • Check Sunday newspapers • Join statewide/national association related to your teaching area • Network with principal, human resource director during student teaching and substitute teaching • Add an endorsement in a shortage area

13. Code of Professional Responsibility Equivalent to a code of ethics for educators • The Code provides: • Guiding principles for safe and productive learning environments. • Responsibilities to students, profession and community. • Expectations for appropriate conduct both in and outside of the classroom. As educators you are held to a higher standard of behavior.

14. Expectations for Professional Conduct • You represent the profession in all that you do. • Your email address should be professional. • Limit or avoid use of Facebook, Twitter and other personal web accounts. • If you have accounts, remove statements and pictures which could be misconstrued. • Avoid sharing personal/confidential information with your students. • Dress and speak appropriately to students, parents and staff.

15. Avoid Situations That May Be Interpreted As Inappropriate You have worked hard to receive certification. Do not let “perception” jeopardize your career. • Avoid isolating yourself with a student. • Make arrangements for parents to drive students to and from school activities- unless it is an emergency, do not transport students in your car. • Do not engage in personal exchanges with students via telephone, email, texting, twitter, etc. • Avoid inappropriate physical contact with students.

16. Services Available • Pick-up and drop off materials in person • Submit questions in writing in person, by regular mail, email, or FAX. • Speak to consultant during public phone time to obtain general information or obtain status of pending request

17. Services Not Available • Cannot provide individual consultations to walk-in applicants • Cannot provide individual evaluations without an application and fee on file • Cannot approve a course over the telephone • Cannot print a certificate on the day payment is made • Cannot print individual certificates upon request • Cannot accept personal checks

18. Certification Support • Address: 165 Capitol Ave., Rm. 243, Hartford • For pick up of blank forms or drop off of materials only • Website: www.ct.gov/sde/cert • Email: teacher.cert@ct.gov • Response time 5-7 business days (on average).

19. Certification Support • Phone: 860/713-6969 • 24-hour access for status inquiry or faxed verification • Consultant support available 12 – 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, general questions only • Fax: 860/713-7017 • Response time 5-7 days