Teacher Education  Program: Application, Admission, Progress and Completion

The Teacher Education Program consists of the following three levels: Entry, Mid-program, and Exit. Students must meet specific requirements at each level.  

I. Entry Level - Provisional Admittance to Teacher Education

A. Criteria for Provisional Admittance

The student must:

  1. Achieve a 2.7 or above cumulative grade point average.
  2. Achieve a minimum grade of "B" in EDUC 220-Practicum in Foundations of Education.
  3. Obtain a satisfactory recommendation from the public school supervising teacher for EDUC 220.
  4. Begin the portfolio process.
  5. Reflect on the EDUC 220 practicum experience through journaling.
  6. Have a satisfactory health record. Any student placed in the public schools is required to have a medical clearance prior to placement.
  7. Have completed a plan of his major teaching field program(s) in cooperation with his advisor. A copy of the plan is to be kept by the applicant and by his advisor.
  8. Complete a self-assessment inventory.
  9. Secure satisfactory recommendations from his faculty advisor and two additional faculty members, one of which must be from the Education Department.
  10. Obtain a satisfactory recommendation from the Vice President for Student Development.
  11. Obtain a passing score on the C-BASE, the state mandated entry test. Students will have 12 months from the initial test date to pass all sections of the C-BASE.

B. How to Make Application

Application for provisional admittance to teacher education is made in EDUC 219--Foundations of Education. This class is prerequisite to all teacher certification courses unless an equivalent course has been transferred from another college. Applications for admittance are available in the office of the Education Department.  

Transfer students who have previously completed courses equivalent to EDUC 219-Foundations of Education and EDUC 220-Practicum in Foundations of Education should apply for admission immediately. Transfer students should note that a minimum grade of "B" in the course EDUC 220-Practicum in Foundations of Education or its equivalent is required for admittance to the teacher education program. Junior transfers with a minimum grade point average of 2.7 will be permitted to enroll provisionally in teacher education courses for one semester to give the Teacher Education Committee on Standards and Approval time to process the application. Transfers should complete the C-BASE early in the first semester of residence at Evangel.  

All Education major transfer students must plan to complete at least three semesters at the University. Two semesters are required to meet the minimum 30-credit-hour residency requirement for a degree before one may enroll for the third semester (student teaching). No more than 50 percent of the professional education courses will be accepted in transfer.  

C. Action of the Teacher Education Committee on Standards and Approval

The Teacher Education Committee on Standards and Approval acts on the data collected relating to the qualification for admission. Two statuses are possible when the student first makes application: (1) provisional approval, which indicates that the student may enroll in teacher education courses, and (2) denial of approval, which indicates that deficiencies exist which prevent approval. Students may reapply after one semester when the deficiencies are removed.  

II. Mid-Program Level - Admittance to Teacher Education

A. Criteria for Admittance

The student must:

  1. Have been provisionally admitted to Teacher Education.
  2. Maintain at least a 2.7 grade point average.
  3. Receive a grade of "C" or above in one required composition course (ENGL 111 or ENGL 211) and one math course ( 121 or 124).
  4. Achieve a grade of "A" or "B" in all practicums.
  5. Secure a satisfactory recommendation from the faculty advisor and two additional faculty members, one of which must be from the Education Department (if not complete at the entry level).
  6. Have satisfactory recommendations from all public school supervising teachers of practicums.
  7. Have satisfactory recommendation from all university supervisors of practicums.
  8. Reflect on all practicum experiences through journaling.
  9. Meet all portfolio checkpoints satisfactorily.
  10. Have passed all parts of the C-BASE.

B. Action of the Teacher Education Committee on Standards and Approval

The Teacher Education Committee on Standards and Approval acts on the data collected relating to the qualifications for admission. Admission status will be one of the following: (1) approval, which indicates that all criteria are satisfactory, (2) continued provisional approval, which indicates that some deficiencies are present and the applicant may have until the end of the junior year to clear up the deficiencies (he/she may enroll in teacher education courses), or (3) denial of approval, which indicates that deficiencies are such as to deny the student's proceeding in the program.  

III. Exit Level - Student Teaching and Program Completion

A. Criteria for Admittance to Student Teaching

The applicant must:

  1. Have a 2.7 cumulative GPA by the end of the semester prior to application.
  2. Have a 2.5 GPA in the major and a 2.7 GPA in education courses, with no education course grade lower than a "C."
  3. Have removed all deficiencies if he/she was provisionally accepted into the Teacher Education Program.
  4. Have maintained good character.
  5. Have shown evidence of professional growth (practicum evaluations, portfolio checks, disposition review).
  6. Have the recommendation of the chair of the department of major.
  7. Have completed a total of 92 semester credits.
  8. Have completed general methods and the specialty methods prior to student teaching (Secondary majors).
  9. Have completed all the required courses in the chosen major.
  10. Have taken the appropriate PRAXIS specialty area exam.

B. Procedure for Making Application for Student Teaching

  1. The student must pick up the application forms in the Education office. These forms must be turned in by the third week of February during the semester of application, prior to the year of student teaching.
  2. After completion, the application form must be copied and three copies must be turned in to the Education Department office. The application form includes (1) a short autobiography, (2) the appropriate degree program sheet, which must be signed by the chair of the department of major and the student's advisor, (3) a personal data sheet, and (4) one recent picture of a good quality.
  3. Each student is required to have a health clearance.

C. Action of the Committee on Standards and Approval

Applicants for admission to student teaching are notified in writing as to the action of the Teacher Education Committee on Standards and Approval. The applicant is either approved or denied approval. In case of denial, reasons or deficiencies are specified. If these are remedied, the student may re-apply after one semester.

An applicant who wishes to appeal the decision of the Teacher Education Committee on Standards and Approval may do so in writing. This appeal shall be filed with the chair of the Education Department or with the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Academic Council will act as the appeal committee.

If a student is approved for student teaching, the Education Department will assign placement and inform the student of the assignment. The cooperating teacher and the school principal receive copies of the student's credentials, including personal data sheets, record of credits, transcript, and autobiography.

Non-Evangel graduates wishing to be certified for teaching must:

  1. Complete 15 semester hours at Evangel, after which he/she will be processed for admission to the Teacher Education Program using the criteria required of all Evangel students.
  2. Have graduated from a college approved for teacher training by the state in which the college is located.

D. Criteria for Exit Level - Completion of Program - Teacher Licensure

The student must:

  1. Achieve a grade of "A" or "B" in student teaching.
  2. Reflect on the student teaching experience through journaling.
  3. Receive a passing score on the portfolio.
  4. Have completed all courses required for the degree and for teacher certification.
  5. Have a passing score on the required PRAXIS exam.
  6. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or above and a GPA of 2.5 or above in the major.
  7. Have no grade below "C" in any education course.
  8. Have completed a program evaluation.
  9. Have completed a follow-up self-assessment.
  10. Have satisfactorily passed a background check.

E. Portfolio Requirement

Each Education major must complete a professional portfolio. All majors will be informed of the portfolio requirements in the introductory course Foundations of Education (EDUC 219). Several portfolio reviews are included at various points during each Education major's program. The completed portfolio is turned in to the student teaching seminar (EDUC 427) professor near the end of the student teaching semester. Portfolio completion is part of the seminar grade (see Education Major Handbook for portfolio guidelines).  

The portfolio is developed around the 11 MoSTEP standards, or quality indicators, that are based on INTASC* standards. These align with the 5 categories in the Evangel knowledge base (see alignment table). Faculty of the teacher education committee review the portfolio to determine if the candidate has adequately provided documentation of appropriate progress toward meeting these standards.

*Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium

IV. Recommendation for Certification

Final recommendation for certification in the state of Missouri is determined by satisfactory completion of college course work required for graduation and certification.

PRAXIS - All students are required to take the PRAXIS Examination in the specialty area (see Missouri requirements) and achieve the mandated score before receiving recommendation for certification.