Description

Calvary University has been preparing teachers for private and international schools for over forty years.  In 2010, the Education Department began offering Missouri State Certification, which has expanded its sphere of impact.  Teachers prepared at Calvary serve as effective teachers in public, private, and international schools.

Programs

Calvary University educator preparation programs have been approved by the Missouri State Board of Education in the following certification areas:

Baccalaureate Degrees

• Elementary (Grades 1-6)
• English Language Learner (K-12) (Add-On Certification)
• Middle School (Grades 5-9) – Language Arts
• Middle School (Grades 5-9) – Social Sciences
• Middle School (Grades 5-9) – Speech & Theatre
• Secondary (Grades 9-12) – English
• Secondary (Grades 9-12 – Social Sciences
• Secondary (Grades 9-12) – Speech & Theatre
• Music Education: Vocal (Grades K-12) (see Music Department guidelines)

Successful completion of one of these Educator Preparation Programs will position the student to be eligible to apply for Missouri State Teacher Certification and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) certification.

Licensure and State Authorization

Guidelines for Education Majors

Completing a major in Education requires two sets of specifications: (1) completion of the degree, and (2) meeting Missouri certification requirements.  A student can declare the major at any time, but in order to enroll in upper division education coursework, the student must first be admitted to the Educator Preparation Program.  Declaration of a major DOES NOT constitute admission to the teacher education program.

Admission to the Educator Preparation Program:

• Application to an Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is a requirement of the State of Missouri. Education majors should apply during the first semester of their sophomore year.  Application forms for admission to the EPP may be obtained from the Education Department Chair or CANVAS.
• At the time of application the Education major must meet multiple standards for admission including grade point average requirements, Missouri state examination requirements, and positive recommendations from faculty and field experiences. Further information on the application/admission process and specific requirements can be found in the EPP Student Handbook.
• Students may not enroll in 300-level education coursework until they are admitted to the Educator Preparation Program. Students who fail to complete all requirements for certification within a seven-year period must re-apply for admission under the policies and regulations that are in effect at the time of the new application.

Transfer Students / Change of Majors:

The Educator Preparation Program is a professional organization regulated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in addition to the policies of the Education Department and Calvary University. Historically, DESE has continually raised its academic standards and requirements for teacher certification.  As a result, the program requirements are beyond what is expected of most college majors.  Education majors must work closely with their academic advisors and Calvary’s Certification Officer. Students who transfer into or change their major to an Educator Preparation Program will often need one or more additional semesters beyond a traditional course of study to complete the program. Coursework completed at other institutions will be considered on an individual basis.  Decisions regarding transfer credit will be made based on alignment with the current standards of Calvary’s Educator Preparation Program.  The majority of coursework for each program must be completed at Calvary, especially in the areas of Field and Clinical Experiences.

General Requirements for Teacher Certification Programs

All education majors must meet the General Education and Bible Education requirements of Calvary University.  In addition, the students must meet the following certification requirements:

• Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) students must satisfactorily complete content courses related to the elementary curriculum consistent with Missouri certification requirements. Additional information on current requirements can be found in the EPP Student Handbook.
• All education majors must demonstrate competence in English composition and research. They are required to satisfactorily complete EN112 College Composition I, EN113 College Composition II, and COM110 Written Research Practicum or the equivalent.  If the student does not demonstrate writing competence, the department will require the student to seek assistance from The Clark Academic Center and file a Tutorial Form (see Handbook) to receive tutoring/advising.
• All education majors must demonstrate competence in oral communication. This requirement is met by completing COM220 Oral Communications or the equivalent.  The student must continue to show strong oral presentation skills in education course work.  If the student does not display these skills, the department will complete a Tutorial Form and the student will receive tutoring/advising.
• All education majors must demonstrate competence in basic mathematical operations. In addition to completing the General Education requirements for mathematics, the student must exhibit continued mathematical skills in education coursework.  If a student does not show these competencies, the department will complete a Tutorial Form and the student will receive tutoring/advising.
• State monitoring of the Teacher Education Program requires that all Teacher Education majors must develop and meet rigid qualifications and maintain the highest academic and professional standards at all times.

Continuation in the Educator Preparation Program:

Students are required to apply for admission to the Educator Preparation Program, and application is followed by a personal interview by the Teacher Education Committee. The student is responsible for monitoring his/her own progress toward completion of the Educator Preparation Program at Calvary University.  The Education Department faculty will assist the student by providing advising, notices of deadlines, testing requirements, etc.  However, the student must monitor and meet the requirements. Admission to, or completion of the Educator Preparation Program does not guarantee retention in the program and/or eventual Missouri certification.  The same criteria considered for admission are monitored each semester.  To be retained in the Educator Preparation Program, students must maintain appropriate grade point averages (see Handbook).  Notification of education students whose grade point averages have fallen below the required level will be given to the program advisor.

• If the student’s GPA falls below the required level, but not lower than 2.0, he/she will be notified that he/she has one semester to regain good standing in the Educator Preparation Program. If not, the student will be excluded from the Program.
• If the student’s GPA falls below the required level and/or is placed on academic probation, he/she will automatically be excluded from the Educator Preparation Program and will be so informed by the Education Department Chair.
• If the student has been excluded from the Educator Preparation Program because of a low overall GPA, reapplication for admission to the program may occur when the required GPA has been retained at Calvary.
• If the student has not demonstrated professional dispositions for teaching as recommended by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and as measured by the Professional Disposition form (see Handbook) and as evidenced by lack of progress, the student may be dismissed from the program.
• A student may appeal his/her exclusion or dismissal from an Educator Preparation Program. The appeal must be dated, typed, and provide a clear explanation for the reason(s) for the appeal.  Appeals are to be submitted to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for review, who will then present it to the Accreditation and Curriculum Committee (ACC).  The CAO will notify the student and the Education Department Chair of the ACC’s decision in writing.