Teacher Certification at Fontbonne

Applicable to All Departments Offering a Teacher Certification Option

The following provides an overview of programs leading to Missouri initial teacher certification at Fontbonne University. All certification programs are accredited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Council for the Accreditation of Educational Programs, or CAEP. It should be noted that all certificates to teach are issued by DESE, not Fontbonne University. The university makes recommendations to DESE upon a candidate’s completion of all requirements.

Teacher Certification Programs: Undergraduate

The following table lists the areas of certification that typically accompany the departmental major at the undergraduate level. With the assistance of an academic advisor, a student may choose to pursue additional certification from those listed. Choosing multiple areas of certification could result in the lengthening of a student’s program.

Teacher Education Programs: Post-Baccalaureate

The following provides an overview of programs leading to initial teacher certification at Fontbonne University at the post-baccalaureate level.

Candidates may enroll for the purpose of seeking a second undergraduate degree (see the appropriate department in the undergraduate section of this catalog); a master’s degree; or they may enroll for the purpose of certification only.

Conceptual Framework

Fontbonne University faculty members believe that teachers should be reflective practitioners/decision makers. This conceptual framework is knowledge-based, clearly articulated, shared throughout campus, and is consistent with the institutional mission and the Missouri standards for preparation of educators as well as the standards of the Council for the Accreditation of Educational Programs, or CAEP. The conceptual framework and programs are evaluated through student outcomes, course evaluations, field experiences, graduate surveys, and employer feedback. Students are expected to adhere to the “Commitments of the Responsible Educator” which are reflective of the conceptual framework.

As indicated in the Conceptual Framework, Fontbonne University is in touch with the social, political, and economic realities which place demands on education. The university therefore offers teacher certification programs that prepare individuals who will be able to teach students with a variety of learning styles from diverse backgrounds and prepare students for the future by encouraging an attitude of openness and critical evaluation regarding change. Probing current research findings heightens awareness of future perspectives, raises questions, encourages identification of appropriate teaching techniques, and enables students to identify implications for the future and begin to assume responsibility for creating their future.

All Fontbonne teacher certification programs prepare students for the challenge of teaching and enable students to give meaningful service to children and adults. Teacher certification at Fontbonne University provides:

• opportunities for innovation and creativity;
• opportunities for reflective decision making;
• faculty who are well-educated, creative teachers, professionally involved, and have outstanding supervisory skills;
• a foundation of sound theoretical knowledge for each area of certification;
• a thorough foundation in both typical and exceptional development of children;
• an introductory course which provides an overview of educational theory and practice, along with the
• development of skills in observation and analysis of classroom interactions;
• faculty members who strive for effective student-teacher relationships.

Policies and Procedures for Students in Teacher Certification Programs

Students in teacher certification programs must maintain a minimum cumulative blended grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for coursework designated as “professional,” and an overall cumulative blended grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. These standards take into consideration all coursework taken at all colleges and universities, both undergraduate and graduate. Students earning certification in middle school and secondary programs must achieve a GPA of 3.0 in the relevant content areas with no grade lower than a C. (See appropriate departmental sections of this catalog.)

Candidates for teacher certification must also fulfill all Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requirements, to include successful completion of all Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA). The DESE MEGA assessment process includes the:

• Missouri Educator Profile (MEP)
• Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA); required for undergraduate candidates only
• Missouri Content Assessment
• Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment (MoPTA)

These DESE MEGA requirements are subject to change. The most current requirements set by DESE must be met, including required GPAs and completion of MEGA assessments. Fontbonne University will not submit a recommendation for certification to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for official teacher certification until all of the DESE MEGA requirements have been met.

Students are responsible for reading the Policies and Procedures for Students in Teacher Certification Programs manual upon beginning their program at Fontbonne. This manual is intended to serve as a supplement to the Fontbonne University catalog for students seeking Missouri initial teacher certification, and contains important information about Fontbonne University and the Missouri teacher certification programs, policies, procedures and deadline dates. Candidates for teacher certification must fulfill all Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requirements, including qualifying scores on entrance and exit tests, grade point average, and acceptable scores on the DESE Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA) assessments. The requirements in this policy manual are subject to change and supersede catalog requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to review both the Fontbonne University catalog and a copy of the Policies and Procedures for Students in Teacher Certification Programs.

Background Checks

As part of an ongoing effort to ensure the safety and welfare of students and staff, school districts require that any individual who teaches, supervises, or has access to students in schools undergo an FBI fingerprint check, a criminal record check, child abuse/neglect screening, TB tests and/or other screenings. Candidates should also realize that the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education may deny teaching certificates to those who have a record of criminal activity. Therefore, the Fontbonne University Educator Preparation Program requires every student enrolling in teacher education courses beyond the 100 level to complete an annual sequence of background checks and screenings, to include both the FBI fingerprint check and the Missouri Family Care Safety Registry, along with an annual TB check. Students are also required to complete the one-time Protecting God’s Children training before gaining access into any Catholic schools.

As students are placed in field experiences, schools and/or school districts will be informed that we have received these reports and, if necessary, information will be forwarded to appropriate authorities. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times; however, students should understand that a record of criminal activity may prohibit approval to observe, tutor, supervise, or teach in a school district.

Background checks must be updated annually, along with the annual waiver to view records. It is the responsibility of each student to maintain up-to-date background checks for the purpose of observations, practicum and final clinical experience/student teaching. Please check with your advisor or Fontbonne’s Certification Officer (East 235) should you have questions regarding background checks and the courses for which they are necessary. If these background check and procedures are not followed and updated annually, placement in field and clinical experiences cannot occur.

Teacher Certification Gates

The teacher certification process is composed of three gates: Major Approval, Admission to the Teacher Certification Program, and Final Clinical Experience/Student Teaching. Each gate and its associated requirements are detailed below. Students who fail to meet the requirements of the teacher certification gates (1) will not receive the permissions granted for the gates, and (2) must change their major and move into the General Studies in Education degree (see the Education/Special Education Department information in this catalog), or another degree that does not include a teacher certification option. Students can re-apply for a major with a teacher certification option once the teacher certification gate requirements are met.

Final Field or Clinical Experience/Student Teaching

Student teacher/field experience candidates must demonstrate competence in all areas of professional preparation identified by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the certification area. Prior to student teaching, students are required to have completed, or be in the process of completing, all required coursework; to be in compliance with GPA requirements for certification; to be in compliance with all screening requirements dictated by school districts, and to have been admitted into the Teacher Certification Program, which includes meeting all the Program Gate requirements.

While some coursework for teacher certification may be taken elsewhere, Student Teaching/Field Experience must be completed through Fontbonne University. Student teacher applications may be obtained from the director of student teaching, and are due early in the semester prior to student teaching.

In accordance with the essential functions of majors in the Education/Special education Department, all students must be able to participate in classroom, practicum, and clinical activities for the required blocks of time as indicated by the class instructor, supervisor, and cooperating school personnel. For any Fontbonne student that is asked to permanently leave/is dismissed from any practicum or clinical site (including final clinical/student teaching) by cooperating school personnel at any point during their program, a second practicum/clinical site may be arranged. If a Fontbonne student is asked to permanently leave/or is dismissed from any practicum or clinical site at any point during their program (including final clinical/student teaching) by cooperating school personnel for a second time, it is important to note that a third practicum/clinical opportunity will not be arranged. The Fontbonne student will need to speak with his or her academic advisor to determine available options. Students in final clinical experience can also refer to procedures outlines in the Final Clinical Experience Guidelines and Requirements distributed as part of the final clinical experience.

Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment (MOPTA)

The Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment (MoPTA) is the final capstone project required by DESE. These assessments show evidence of the teacher candidate’s ability to facilitate learning through designing, teaching, reflecting, assessing and analyzing data. The MoPTA will provide evidence of the candidate’s competency in the nine quality indicators of the Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators (MoSPE). An approved MoPTA project is required prior to the university’s recommendation of the teacher candidate for certification to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Completion of the Teacher Certification Program and Recommendation for Certification to DESE

Completion of the teacher certification program is contingent upon the following:

• Completion of all degree and certification requirements to include final field or clinical experience/student teaching
• Submission of an acceptable Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment (MoPTA)
• Submission of an acceptable score on the program appropriate Missouri Content Assessment(s) required by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

The university will not submit a recommendation for certification to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for official teacher certification until all criteria have been met.

Residency Requirement for Certification

The candidate must complete a minimal residency requirement of 24 credit hours plus the required final field or clinical experience/student teaching required by the department in which his/her program is held. Within these minimum credit hours, a candidate must complete at least six hours of discipline-specific coursework (excluding methods courses) appropriate to the area of certification sought.

Web-Based Documents

A full set of policies and procedures related to teacher certification at Fontbonne University may be on Schoology.