All graduate students admitted to different programs leading to initial licensure in the Education Division must proceed through a program specific benchmark process, which starts when a student enters Saint Xavier University and continues through admission to clinical practice (student teaching). Requirements in teacher education are subject to change within the time span of one's university career, due to changing requirements at national, state and local levels.
Please note: The terminology used and requirements described for earning a Professional Educator License (PEL) in Illinois are accurate as of the preparation of this edition of the catalog. Complete information can be found on the Illinois State Board of Education website.
Benchmark I: Teacher Education Candidate Status
Requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Full admission into a graduate program in Education.
- Completion of a criminal history fingerprint check for non-licensed and licensed teachers seeking subsequent endorsements, or licensed but unemployed teachers. Exceptions will be made for licensed teachers seeking a subsequent endorsement if they are enrolled in a course requiring field experiences AND those field experiences will be completed in the school/school district in which they are currently employed. However, if field experiences are to be completed in a setting other than the current school/district of employment of the licensed teacher, the Accurate Biometrics CPS fingerprinting process must be completed.
Benchmark II: Admission to Clinical Practice (Student Teaching)
The process and requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in professional education courses.
- Successful completion of all professional education courses except EDGEL/EDGSE/EDGSP 445 (Seminar) and courses in the program that are required for licensure and any required general education courses. A minimum grade of C must be earned in all professional education courses.
- Proof of passing the appropriate Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) content-area test(s) according to the deadlines established by the director for School Partnerships.
- Submission of an online application and resume for student teaching placement. Deadline for submission and link to the application will be provided by the director of School Partnerships.
- Completion of all required school/district health screening requirements.
- Completion of all required field experience hours.
- Completion of the CPS fingerprinting/criminal background investigation. A second fingerprinting/background check is required prior to student teaching as per a new State of Illinois law that went into effect January 1, 2016:
PA 99-021 became effective on January 1, 2016. Pursuant to this Public Act, each student teacher (defined to include those completing required internships) is required, prior to starting a student teaching or required internship experience, to authorize and pay for the school or school district where the student teaching is to be completed to conduct a fingerprint-based criminal history records check of that individual. Institutions should verify all student teaching candidates are aware of the background check (and its cost) prior to student teaching, and practice open communication with the school or district regarding the completion of the background check prior to the candidate beginning student teaching.
Licensure test dates, registration materials, study guides, and a practice diagnostic basic skills test are available at the Illinois Licensure Testing System website.
Benchmark III: Exit from Clinical Practice (Student Teaching)
The process and requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Satisfactory ratings by supervisor and mentor teacher on clinical practice instructional feedback forms
- Grade of C or better in clinical practice
- Successful completion of EDGEL/EDGSE/EDGSP 445 (Seminar) appropriate to elementary education, secondary education, and multicategorical special education programs
Benchmark IV: Program Completion
The process and requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in professional education courses
- Successful completion of the clinical practice experience EDGEL/EDGSE/EDGSP 445 (when a requirement of the major) with a grade of C or better
- Completion of minimum number of semester hours required by the program
- Passing score on the program-specific edTPA
- Submission of all required documents and fees.
Appealing Denial to Candidacy in the Education Division and Licensure
An appeal process has been developed for students who are denied admission to candidacy or student teaching, or whose pursuit of program completion is believed by the student to be compromised in some way. For appealing decisions related to the graduate program, please consult the Academic Dismissal and Appeal Process section of the SXU catalog.