Academic Standards for Educator Preparation

Connecticut law requires all candidates in teacher/educator certification programs to undergo state and federal criminal history background checks before participating in school-based field experiences and student teaching. All candidates enrolled in a course requiring entering a P-12 school to complete an assignment, field experience requirement, and student teaching placement will be required to have a background check completed with the school in which they are placed.  Any prior convictions revealed in a candidate’s background check may prevent Connecticut school districts from accepting that candidate for placement and may impact their ability to complete the teacher certification program.

The University will not be responsible for a candidate's inability to complete the program. Background checks are conducted exclusively by the school districts which will determine on a case by case basis the appropriateness of the placement. SCSU does not conduct, receive, review, or engage in discussion regarding student background check results.

To be recommended for certification in CT, candidates must successfully complete all program requirements, be in good standing, and pass all assessments mandated by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) such as licensure exams. CSDE assessment requirements (e.g. Praxis® II) vary by certification area. For more information, please visit  CSDE website: https://portal.ct.gov/sdecertification/Knowledge-Base/Articles/Resources/Assessments/What-assessments-are-required-for-CT-educators?language=en_US. 

Please note, candidates must meet the certification requirements in effect on the date the CSDE receives the certification application. If CSDE regulations change, candidates may need to meet the new requirements in order to be eligible for certification. Candidates are responsible for familiarizing themselves with Connecticut's teacher certification regulations and keeping abreast of changes to those regulations. Certification news and alerts are available on the Connecticut State Department of Education website.

The College of Education has made the following non-credit modules available to students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program and Graduate Certification in School Library Media program at no cost, to complete the additional CSDE requirements noted above. Students register for these modules in Banner Student self-service:

• COE 200 - Behavioral Difficulties Module
• COE 201 – Dyslexia Module
• COE 202 – Health & Mental Health Module
• COE 203 – Computational Thinking Module

Candidates must maintain good standing in the program to receive a recommendation from Southern Connecticut State University for State of Connecticut teacher certification. They also must demonstrate the following:

• Personal attitudes and dispositions that affect their performance as teachers;
• Professional behavior appropriate to the context that shows realization that actions reflect directly upon the status and substance of the profession;
• Confidentiality of all information concerning colleagues and students obtained in the educational process; and
• Integrity and honesty in written and verbal communication, documentations, and coursework related.

The College of Education follows the Scaffolding Success Action Plan (SSAP) policy to establish action plans as needed. All candidates are required to familiarize themselves with this policy.

Candidates may be dismissed from the professional program for the following:

• Demonstrated unprofessional behavior or an inability to respond appropriately in various contexts which affects their performance as a teacher and / or based on the Level 2 review of the College of Education following the Scaffolding Success Action Plan policy;
• Falsified or misrepresented documentation or information provided for programmatic, academic, or professional qualification/competency purposes;
• Not achieving an acceptable standard on the performance assessments required by the College of Education, the Educator Preparation Provider Council (EPPC), or the certification program;
• Other due and sufficient cause.

(Master of Arts in Teaching and Graduate Certification in School Library Media only)

Student teaching requires a full-time commitment. As such, teacher candidates are not permitted to take other courses during the semester in which they student teach, other than the student teaching seminar that is taken simultaneously with student teaching. Additionally, candidates must have all courses and academic requirements completed prior to the semester of student teaching. All incomplete grades need to be cleared prior to the start of the student teaching semester. In the case of a justifiable extenuating circumstance, a student may petition the College of Education Dean or their representative for a waiver of this requirement, provided they have the support of their program.

(Masters of Arts in Teaching only)

All professional courses required for teacher certification program must be completed within 6 years of the program start date.  In extenuating circumstances, courses completed outside the 6-year window will be evaluated on a course by course basis collaboratively with the College of Education Dean’s Office and the department.