Teacher Education

Department website

Wisconsin Licensure Programs Offered:

Art Education, K-Grade 12
Bilingual/Bicultural Education, add-on certificate to initial license
Early Childhood, K-Grade 3
Elementary/Middle School, K- Grade 9
English as a Second Language, add-on certificate to initial license
Music Education: Music All, K – Grade 12
Secondary Education, Grades 4-12; English, Mathematics
Special Education: Cross-categorical, K – Grade 12

Student Organizations/Clubs:

Aspiring Educators

Career Possibilities:

Students who complete an undergraduate teacher education degree and are endorsed for licensure can pursue careers including teacher, instructional coach, non- or instructional specialist, academic advisor, academic coordinator, or similar roles. With additional graduate studies, other opportunities may include assistant principal, principal, school district administrator, director of instruction, instructional program coordinator, or superintendent, educational researcher, or higher education faculty in the field of education.

Program Overview

The Mission of the Teacher Education department’s Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is to collaborate with community partners in order to provide innovative, career-long educator development experiences that respond to the needs of all learners.

Program-Level Outcomes

Our Vision is based on outcomes from four foundational pillars: collaborative relationships; reflection and inquiry; responsive teaching; and innovative leadership. These interrelated values provide the foundation on which we build our classroom practices to support our teacher candidates. Beyond our classrooms, students participate in action research, field placements, and service learning, where they reflect on their understandings of effective teaching practices.

• Collaborative Relationships
  • Build collaborative relationships
  • Develop learning communities
  • Provide academically safe spaces to challenge and question
  • Focus on student learning
• Reflection and Inquiry
  • Engage in critical reflection
  • Examine content, theory, and practice
  • Expand perspectives
  • Deepen understandings
• Responsive Teaching
  • Embrace all members of learning communities
  • Value diversity and inclusivity
  • Model choice, variety, and flexibility
  • Empower individual growth and development
  • Value cultures and lived experiences
• Innovative Leadership
  • Keep student learning at the center
  • Model lifelong learning
  • Adapt to innovations based in research
  • Advocate for instructional innovation, constructivist curricular development, and systemic change 
  • Lead from anywhere in any role

Licensure Programs

The EPP is approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WI DPI) and offers pathways leading to provisional (Tier II) teacher licensure according to the following requirements¹:

¹

Due to changes in state requirements this list may change at any time.

²

See University policy on earning Dual Bachelor's degrees in the catalog.

Exploring Teaching as a Career

Students interested in teaching and the field of education begin by taking EDU 100 Introduction to the Teaching Profession and EDU 200 Teaching the Whole Child. EDU 100 is designed for students to explore the profession of teaching and learning. Students also complete ten volunteer hours with school-aged children. In EDU 200, students explore family and community factors that impact student learning. Both courses are offered before students apply for admission to the Educator Preparation Program and offer the opportunity to determine if the field of education is their desired path.

Criminal Background Check

All students enrolling in courses that require clinical field experience hours at a PK-12 school are required to successfully pass a criminal background check (CBC). Students are responsible for all fees. Criminal background checks are valid for two years and must remain valid over the course of the entire semester.  If a CBC would expire during a semester, the student must complete a renewal prior to reporting to the clinical placement.

Each semester that a student has a clinical placement they are required to complete a Self-Reporting Statement. This is a supplemental form to the CBC in which the student acknowledges there have been no changes to their criminal background.  In the event there has been a change in the student’s criminal background, the Clinical Coordinator will advise the student as to the required next steps which may include completing a full renewal of their CBC.

Students must answer all questions truthfully and honestly when completing the CBC and Self Reporting Statement. Falsification, omission and/or misrepresentation on either of the forms may constitute denial of admission to the Educator Preparation Program (EPP), delay in progressing through the EPP, and/or dismissal from the EPP.

A “passed” background check is:

• A criminal background check response that has no records
• A criminal background check that includes records that are not automatic denials by the Department of Public Instruction
• A criminal background check that includes records, but, after further review are not deemed to meet the definition of immoral conduct  

The existence of a criminal charge and/or record (misdemeanor or felony) does not automatically preclude candidates from admission to the EPP, EPP progression, admission to student teaching, or endorsement of licensure. Each individual circumstance will be evaluated separately by the Chair of Teacher Education and the Certification Officer.

Clinical Placements – Field Experience

Once admitted to the EPP, Teacher Candidates (TCs) work with PK-12 students in local classrooms, also known as clinical placements. TCs work with a licensed mentor teacher and a university supervisor each semester in their clinical placement. The Clinical Coordinator assigns all clinical placements. The Clinical Coordinator intentionally places TCs at a variety of grade levels and school sites to ensure these requirements are sufficiently met for licensure. TCs are not permitted to secure their own clinical placements.

Clinical placements provide TCs classroom experiences and support their progression toward degree completion and licensure. These valuable clinical placements allow TCs opportunities to gain multiple and varied classroom teaching experiences under the direction of PK-12 mentor teachers.

Teacher Candidates must provide their own transportation to and from clinical placements. Teacher Education Major and Educator Preparation Program and licensure requirements take precedent when determining clinical placements. Therefore, field experiences may be outside of Kenosha County, but will be within 30 miles of UW-Parkside. Other factors may result in a placement further from UW-Parkside.

The current total minimum clinical hours by licensure are:

• Art Education – 140 hours¹
• Early Childhood Education – 120 hours (plus WTCS requirements)¹
• Elementary/Middle Education  – 180 hours¹
• Music Education - 130 hours¹
• Secondary Education - 140 hours¹
• Special Education – 180 hours¹

¹

Contact the Clinical Coordinator for the most up-to-date list of clinical field experience hours required by major or licensure pathway as they are subject to change at any time at the program’s discretion.

Advising

Each semester, pre-admitted students and Teacher Candidates (students who applied and have been admitted to the EPP) in the Teacher Education department are required to meet with the designated advisor to review their progress to date, their plan for program completion, and to receive permission codes to register for EDU courses. Advising in the Teacher Education department is a collaborative process where the advisor and student work as a team to develop a successful advisor/advisee relationship. Each student is responsible for meeting with the advisor to discuss and declare an education major.

Important: All students must meet with the teacher education advisor for curricular and program requirements. Advising on any class or program requirement from anyone but the teacher education advisor will not be deemed official for the EDU program. Rules and regulations for the EDU program change frequently per the State of Wisconsin and any other source of advising cannot be guaranteed to be correct. 

Admission Requirements for the Educator Preparation Program

Admission to the Educator Preparation Program is required for students to continue in EDU courses at the 300 level. Once admitted to the EPP, Teacher Candidates (TCs) complete university coursework including clinical placements and licensure requirements.

Applications are accepted in both Fall and Spring semesters for the following term. Admission dates are posted on the Teacher Education website at www.uwp.edu/teacher. Pre-admitted students should work with the Teacher Education advisor and follow the application process closely to ensure your application is complete and submitted on time. Applications received after the deadline will be processed during the next application period. If you are a transfer student, please see the next section for additional information.

A pre-admitted student’s EPP application is considered only when all below requirements are complete. Following are the requirements for admission to the EPP:

• Admission to UW-Parkside;
• A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, including grades from all higher education institutions attended;
• Completed Plan Declaration;
• Complete EPP Application Form;
• Complete Education Program Disclosure Form;
• Completed UW-Parkside university skills requirements with a grade of C or higher (MATH 102 Quantitative Reasoning or MATH 111 College Algebra I and ENGL 101 Composition and Reading);
• Communication skills assessment (Must meet one of the following)
  1. Earn a grade of C+ or better in both ENGL 101 Composition and Reading and MATH 102 Quantitative Reasoning OR MATH 111 College Algebra I (completed within the previous 10 years).
  2. Pass all three sections of the Praxis CORE, with official score report sent to UW-Parkside
  3. ACT – must have a composite score of 23 or higher with a minimum score of 20 on English, Math and Reading and the score is within the previous 10 years.
  4. SAT - must have a composite score of 1070 or higher with a minimum score of 520 on math and verbal and the score is within the previous 10 years.
  5. GRE Revised General Test- must have a composite score of 298 or higher with a minimum score of 150 on verbal and 145 on math and the score is within the previous 10 years.
• For Early Childhood applicants: successful completion of Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood from a Wisconsin Area Technical College (as indicated in state-wide agreement), with an overall minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all Early Childhood courses with a grade of C+ or higher; and successful completion, C+ or higher, or current enrollment in EDU 210 Exploring Equity In Education and EDU 212 Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers I at time of application;
• For Elementary/Middle Education applicants: successful completion of EDU 212 Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers I , C+ or higher, and completion or current enrollment in EDU 100 Introduction to the Teaching Profession, EDU 200 Teaching the Whole Child, EDU 210 Exploring Equity In Education, EDU 211 Child and Adolescent Development, and EDU 215 Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers II at time of application. Note EDU 212 is a prerequisite for EDU 215;
• For Secondary Education applicants: successful completion, grade of C+ or higher, or current enrollment in EDU 100 Introduction to the Teaching Profession, EDU 200 Teaching the Whole Child and EDU 211 Child and Adolescent Development at time of application;
• For Special Education applicants: successful completion of EDU 212 Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers I, C+ or higher, and completion or current enrollment in EDU 100 Introduction to the Teaching Profession, EDU 101 Disability History and Culture, EDU 200 Teaching the Whole Child, EDU 210 Exploring Equity In Education, EDU 211 Child and Adolescent Development, and EDU 215 Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers II at time of application. Note EDU 212 is a prerequisite for EDU 215;

Note: All students should check with the Teacher Education advisor for any additional program-specific requirements as they can change without notice due to statute and law change.

Transfer Student Admission Procedure

Students who wish to transfer into UW-Parkside EPP must meet the above admission requirements. Additionally, transfer students may request a course review to determine possible equivalency of competencies met for UW-Parkside courses, including with prior education coursework. At a minimum, transfer students must submit the requested transfer course syllabus that addresses the learning outcomes,  course standards , and assessments. The Teacher Education faculty member evaluating the course evidence may require additional information to make a final determination.

Educator Preparation Program Requirements

All students in the Teacher Education department, pre-admits – Teacher Candidates, and Resident Teachers – must meet the following requirements each semester to continue in the major and licensure pathway.

EPP requirements for all students, every semester:

• Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher for all undergraduate courses
• EDU Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• All EDU course grades of C+ or higher

If at any time a student in the Department does not meet these requirements, they will be required to meet with the Teacher Education advisor to create a plan of action to remediate the deficiency, which may result in not being allowed to progress to the next semester. Exceptions to this progression pathway may be made on a case-by-case basis and must be approved by the Teacher Education advisor, Certification Officer, and Department Chair.

Progression Requirements to move to the 300-level (see also Admission Requirements for the Educator Preparation Program above):

• Successful completion of ENGL 101 Composition and Reading and MATH 102 Quantitative Reasoning or MATH 111 College Algebra I with a grade of C or higher, or Praxis Core
• Successful completion of the required EDU 100 and 200-level courses
• Admission to the Educator Preparation Program

Progression Requirements to move to the 400-level:

• Successful completion of the required EDU 300-level courses, or permission of Teacher Education Department Chair

Progression Requirements to move to Residency (Student Teaching):

• Successful completion of all Pre-Residency requirements, including all undergraduate courses, EDU clinical hours, and successful completion of EDU Portfolio
• Successful completion of the content assessment requirement by one of the following:
  1. Praxis II Assessment for licensure area
  2. Alternative content assessment per EPP policy

Licensure Requirements

All majors or pathways leading to licensure must meet the requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WI DPI). DPI may make changes to the requirements for licensure at any time that may affect the Educator Preparation Program (EPP). It is the Teacher Candidate’s responsibility to ensure that they meet with the Teacher Education advisor regularly to ensure that they have the most current licensure information.

A Tier II Wisconsin teaching license may be issued to a student who has received endorsement from the EPP's Certification Officer. In order for a student to be endorsed for licensure, they must meet all requirements of the Exit Level Proficiency Policy.

• Successful completion of a licensable major or pathway, academic minor (if required for licensure), baccalaureate degree (if applicable) and UW-Parkside EPP (including student teaching).
• A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale and in EDU, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, CR (credit) for EDU 425 Residency (Student Teaching) and EDU 420 Residency Seminar Seminar, and no EDU grade lower than a C+.
• Successful completion of all clinical EPP requirements.
• Successful completion of the required content knowledge assessment.
• Successful completion of the Foundations of Reading Test (FORT) for majors/pathways in Early Childhood, Elementary/Middle Education, and Special Education (SPED) or successful completion of the SPED FORT Alternative.
• Successful completion of the pedagogical knowledge assessment per final clinical evaluation.

Out-of-State License Applications

Pursuant to UW System Administrative Policy 121, Teacher Candidates (TCs) who wish to apply for licensure in states outside of Wisconsin should notify the teacher education advisor and Certification Officer as soon as possible and should consult with the Certification Officer about requirements for licensure in the state where they desire licensure. The Teacher Education Certification Officer and advisor will work with the TC to assist in meeting the licensure requirements of the desired state. It is critical that students identify early in their pathway to licensure if they will be seeking initial licensure outside of Wisconsin.

Post-Baccalaureate Licensure Programs

Post-baccalaureate licensure is available for Teacher Candidates (TCs) who hold a bachelor’s degree or above and wish to obtain a Wisconsin teaching license.

Post-baccalaureate TCs must meet the same admission requirements as undergraduate students and will follow the same pathway to licensure as detailed above. For more information, contact the Teacher Education department at teachereducation@uwp.edu or (262) 595-2180.

Programs Offered

The Art Major offers a concentration in Art Education.

The Music Major offers a concentration in Music Education.

Courses in Educator Development

Courses in Professional Development

Enrollment in PDEV courses requires the consent of the PDEV program in the Teacher Education department.