Field Experience at Chicago State University

Our mission is to provide community outreach services that:

1. Facilitate establishing partnerships with school districts that may lead to school reform projects and alternative certification pathways, among other initiatives.
2. Support opportunities for diverse experiences, including schools based in urban, suburban, rural and international settings; and
3. Identify financial and other support to assist candidates through their internship and student teaching experiences. Our staff supplements information dissemination efforts while in the field community and on campus.
4. Provide a range of outreach services to support enrollment, retention, and graduation activities.

Admission Criteria

The teacher education program at CSU has established guidelines for student teaching to ensure program integrity and to provide quality educational experiences. All students completing an initial teacher preparation program are required to student teach five full days per week for 16 weeks.

To be eligible for student teaching, the student must have:

• been admitted into the College of Education.

• presented evidence of a passing result on both the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) and the Certification Content Area Test.

• attained a minimum GPA of 2.5 which is required in the following: all coursework required in the program (Program GPA); all coursework in the area of specialization or concentration (with the exception of Art Education, which requires a minimum GPA of 3.0); and all coursework in professional education (with the exception of Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education, which require a minimum GPA of 3.0). Higher grade point average requirements may be included in individual program listings.

• completed all course and departmental pre-requisite requirements, including a minimum of 100 hours of pre-clinical field experience, a pre-clinical field practicum and/or internship, and the successful completions of an oral interview examination.

• a signed copy of Article 21 of the Illinois School Code.

• zero unresolved violations of the COE Professional Code of Conduct and the Dean’s Expectations on Dispositions on file.

Student Teaching Option for Full-time Substitutes

Full-time substitute teachers enrolled in a master’s degree or non-degree certification program for initial certification may qualify for a student teaching option in their own classroom without relinquishing their position or salary if they meet the following criteria:

• Minimum grade point average of 3.0 in each of the following areas: all coursework required in the program, in the area of specialization or concentration, and in professional education.
• Minimum of six semesters of full-time teaching experience with total responsibility for an assigned classroom.
• Classroom assignment matching the area of certification the semester before student teaching.
• Three positive evaluations of classroom teaching performance from current school principal and one from the campus-based internship supervisor.
• Request from school’s principal for student teaching placement in current classroom and identification of a site-based supervisor.
• Recommendations from two teaching colleagues in the school.
• Professional development outside of coursework in the form of in-services, workshops, conferences, and/or membership in professional organizations.
• Portfolio of sample curriculum materials, lesson plans, and an analysis and reflection to demonstrate a meaningful impact on student learning or the learning environment.
• Passing scores on the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP), Content Area and Assessment of Professional Teaching.
• Completion of 50 secondary and 50 elementary field experience hours (by students in K-12 programs only).
• Minimum of 100 field experience hours in public schools if student teaching assignment is in a private school (no field experience hours can be waived for teaching experience).

For additional information concerning student teaching or the student teaching option for full-time substitutes, contact the Community Outreach & Field Placement (CO/FP) Services unit, ED 322, (773) 995-2570, lhillard@csu.edu

Qualified students are required to attend a Student Teaching Application Meeting one semester preceding the term they expect to student teach. This meeting is held each Fall and Spring Semester. The specific dates are published via print and digital media mechanisms. Students who do not meet application deadlines must reapply the following semester.

Students should consult with their advisor or department chair to assure that courses are appropriately chosen to enhance the student teaching experience without detracting from it. Qualified students are required to attend a Student Teaching Application Meeting one semester preceding the term they expect to student teach. This meeting is held each Fall and Spring Semester. The specific dates are published via print and digital media mechanisms. Students who do not meet application deadlines must reapply the following semester.

Student Teacher Candidates is considered Clinical or Practicum

Candidate Student Teachers must apply one semester to the year prior to their Student placement request. 

Teacher Candidates should consult with their advisors to assure that courses are appropriately chosen to enhance the student teaching experience without detracting from it. Qualified students are required to attend a Student Teaching Application Meeting one semester preceding the term they expect to student teach. This meeting is held each Fall and Spring Semester for students who have been cleared by their department chair to student teach. The specific dates are published via print and digital media mechanisms. Students who do not meet application deadlines must reapply the following semester.

STUDENT TEACHER APPLICATION INFORMATION SESSIONS are held Each SEMESTER Prior to the term in which the student will conduct their student teaching.

Application Info Session - April 13^th, 2023 @ 4:30pm in the College of Education Room 200

We use Chicago Public Schools as our standard clearinghouse for field placements.

Please NOTE: Students may request for placement in other school districts outside of CPS -  in other Chicagoland area schools or suburban school districts.

 

Chicago Public Schools Student Teacher Registration Process:

CPS - When is Each Item Due?

All three items must be completed within our 90-day registration window (April 1 – June 30). Results outside of this window will not be accepted. TB Test and Criminal Background Check should be completed first! Once completed, you will go on-line and complete the CPS Student Teacher Registration Process. Remember, you will be required to upload your TB Test results to your on-line registration profile, as well as enter fingerprint information from your Accurate Biometrics fingerprinting receipt. You won’t be able to complete the on-line registration profile without entering the TB and fingerprint information unless you are a current CPS Employee.

CPS - How Do I Submit My Hard – Copy Forms?

The CPS Student Teaching Program no longer accepts hard-copy forms of your TB Test Results and/or Accurate Biometrics Receipt. This information should be entered in the CPS on-line STUDENT TEACHER registration profile.

CPS - How Will I Know if I am Approved?

Upon successful completion of the on-line registration profile, TB test and criminal background check, you will receive a Report to Service email from the CPS Student Teaching Program. Please print and be prepared to present the day you report to your student teaching assignment within CPS. For questions about the CPS Student Teaching Program or for more information,please email us at: studentteach@cps.k12.il.us

Students Must Not Contact Schools for Placement

• If you have missed Student Teaching Application Meeting - Please see the application documents below.
• Please pick up your Student Teaching Application for in ED 322

Important links below:

• DCFS Mandated Reporter Form (pdf)
• Click here for DCFS Training
• Conceptual Framework(pdf)
• Fall 2023 Student Teaching Application Procedure (pdf)

ALL School Districts require some form of background check process – at CSU - we use CPS as the standard clearing house.  However, if a student chooses to opt out of utilizing CPS’s process, then the student must complete the background check process for the district, they intend to complete their field placement hours in and provide proof of that District’s background clearance prior to being placed.

Students registered for courses tied to field experiences that require being placed in a school or in direct contact with a minor (birth to age 21), must undergo a background check and be found to be "clear" with no hit record. The Criminal Background Check (CBC) process will access the State of Illinois, FBI Criminal History Record Information (CHRI), Illinois Sex Offender Registry, Illinois Child Murderer, and National Sex Offender Public Website databases. The College reserves the right to enforce compliance mechanisms (such as drug testing) as required by local, state, or federal agencies or entities as set forth by current laws or policies. Students who do not have documentation on file to support a determination that they are "clear" will be issued a CE Hold, which may prevent registration and access to online records. Please see the background approval process below:

1. Register online with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) note, per the CPS policy, all CPS employees are required to have a background check through this process.
2. Review CPS Field Experience Fingerprinting Guide found on their website.
3. Complete the Fingerprinting Background Investigation Authorization & Release Form and take it to Accurate Biometrics for processing. The fee for the background check is $53.00. Call 866-361-9944 or go to www.accuratebiometrics.com to obtain a list of locations.
4. You will receive a state and federal background check that will be forwarded to the CPS Field Experience office for processing. If your background check is clear, you will receive an "Approval Notice" via email. This process is approximately two (2) weeks.
5. When you receive your approval notice from CPS, attach a copy to your application for admittance to the College of Education.

 

Clinical/Student Teacher Background Procedure

• Student Teaching Guide (pdf)

Pre-Clinical Background Check Procedure

• Field Experience Guide (pdf)

Please click on the link below - the Accurate Biometrics Form to obtain the CPS Background Check.

• Pre-Clinical Field Experience (pdf)

STUDENT TEACHER APPLICATION INFORMATION SESSIONS are held Each SEMESTER Prior to the term in which the student will conduct their student teaching.

Application Info Session - April 13th and April 27th 2023 @ 4:30pm in the College of Education Room 200

OFCPS - When is Each Item Due?

All three items must be completed within our 90-day registration window (April 1 – June 30). Results outside of this window will not be accepted. TB Test and Criminal Background Check should be completed first! Once completed, you will go on-line and complete the CPS Student Teacher Registration Process. Remember, you will be required to upload your TB Test results to your on-line registration profile, as well as enter fingerprint information from your Accurate Biometrics fingerprinting receipt. You won’t be able to complete the on-line registration profile without entering the TB and fingerprint information unless you are a current CPS Employee.

CPS - How Do I Submit My Hard – Copy Forms?

The CPS Student Teaching Program no longer accepts hard-copy forms of your TB Test Results and/or Accurate Biometrics Receipt. This information should be entered in the CPS on-line STUDENT TEACHER registration profile.

CPS - How Will I Know if I am Approved?

Upon successful completion of the on-line registration profile, TB test and criminal background check, you will receive a Report to Service email from the CPS Student Teaching Program. Please print and be prepared to present the day you report to your student teaching assignment within CPS. For questions about the CPS Student Teaching Program or for more information,please email us at: studentteach@cps.k12.il.us

Students Must Not Contact Schools for Placement

Attendance at Field and University Sites

There is no provision for absence during student teaching. The teacher candidate should be present and prompt each day he/she is assigned to the school. In case of unexpected absence (illness, death in immediate family, or other extreme circumstances), the cooperating teacher, site administrator, and the university representative should be notified immediately. No more than five (5) absences can be made up. All make-up days must be within five (5) days after the scheduled end of the student teaching experience. More than five absences will result in an incomplete or a failing grade. Teacher candidates must sign-in at the time of arrival and sign-out at the time of departure daily.

Site-based attendance may include institute days, report card pick-up days and other activities scheduled at the school site.

Attendance is also required at student teaching seminars that are scheduled on campus. Student teaching seminars are usually held on Wednesday afternoons, but may vary by program. Consult your academic department to verify which day you are expected on campus to attend the seminar.

Attendance is validated using the Student Teacher Time Report document.

Length of Day

Each teacher candidate must remain in the school the number of hours per day required of teachers in the school in which he/she is assigned. This includes parent conferences and other activities related to student teaching. Hours not spent in teaching must be spent engaged in some educationally-related task.

Substitute Teaching

The teacher candidate is not allowed by state mandate to serve as a substitute teacher during the student teaching experience. The cooperating teacher is expected to be available to oversee activities of the student teacher at all times while he or she is interfacing with student learners.

Grading

The final grade in student teaching may be an A, B, or F. It is based on successful completion of the student teaching experience and meeting the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, Core Technology Standards, Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) and Core Language Arts Standards as evidenced by a passing score on the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) Test.  The final grade is reported on the Student Teacher Final Evaluation Report form found in LiveText.

All candidates must pass the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) Test in order to receive a passing grade (A or B) for student teaching. Candidates are not permitted to graduate or recommended for teacher licensure if they have not passed the APT test. The deadline to take the test prior to completion of student teaching is:

• Fall semester student teaching – Final November test date

• Spring semester student teaching – Final February test date

COE - Grievance Policy - 2011-2012 (pdf)

All CSU Students Must Request Placement for Field experience and classroom observations via this form

In the effort to provide pre-service teachers the opportunity to meet the Illinois State Board of Education’s requirements for clinical/field experience, the College of Education at Chicago State University require teacher candidates to complete 100 hours or more of pre-student teaching field experience (observation, tutoring, or internships) in diverse learning environments, teaching roles, and curriculum development.

It is the College’s policy to verify the background check and tuberculosis (TB) test results prior to assigning students field experiences in schools. Therefore, upon the initial visit, and of course, the approval of the field experience site, students are required to present proof of a “cleared” background check as well as proof of a “negative” TB skin test. Alternatively, they may present doctor’s statement showing “negative” TB test results from a chest x-ray. 

To ensure the best possible placement and experience for our pre-service teachers and to assist in their placement in an appropriate setting, the staff in the Field Placement Office request consideration to assigning the candidates to any of the areas shown in the table that follows:

Diverse Geographical and Classroom Settings

Diverse Demographics

Geographic Setting—(circle all that apply) Urban;Rural; Suburban; International (Check to indicate high poverty geographical area) General Education Classroom: P-K - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 Self-Contained Classroom Special Education Classroom Laboratory Setting-(circle all that apply)(i.e. Art; Music; Science; Math; Health Studies; Driver’s Ed.; Physical Education; Industrial; Computer Technology; Journalism; Media Arts; Photography; Library Resource Room Principal or other School Office After School Programs; Saturday Academies; Cafeteria Supervised Hallway Monitor

Primary Racial/Ethnic Group (circle one) (African American, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Other) English Language Learners Learners with Diverse Abilities – (circle all that apply) Behavioral and cognitive challenges Learners with special needs Autistic learners Learners with physical and health challenges Learners with emotional behavioral disorders Gifted Learners

CPS Requirement

Attention Pre-Clinical Field Experience Candidates

For students wishing to complete field experience within the CPS, please download the Field Experience Registration Guide for clearance procedures. Field Experience is NOT student teaching. Field Experience refers to students completing observations, pre-clinical hours, practicum experiences and pre-student teaching hours. Registration for CPS Field Experience is year-round. Once you have reviewed the registration guide, please proceed to the Field Experience Registration Page to begin your clearance process.

CPS Pre-Clinical Field Registration form (pdf)

Approved Sites for Field Experiences

COE Education Foundation and Support Unit Courses with Field Hours

Student Teaching Provisions

Eligibility Criteria

The teacher education program at Chicago State University has established critical guidelines for student teaching to ensure program integrity and to provide quality educational experiences. To be eligible for student teaching, the candidate must have:

1. been admitted into the College of Education.
2. passing scores on the Illinois Tests of Basic Skills and the Certification Content-Area Test and submitted proof of passing the certification test.
3. completed all program course work, all university course and departmental requirements.
4. attained a minimum GPA of 2.5 which is required in all coursework required in the program (Program GPA); all coursework in the area of specialization or concentration (with the exception of Art Education, which requires a minimum GPA of 3.0); and all coursework in professional education (with the exception of Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education, which require a minimum GPA of 3.0). A CSU cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all courses completed at CSU in an undergraduate program is also required for graduation.
5. completed a minimum of 100 clock hours of pre-clinical field experience.
6. passed the Illinois Certification Content-Area Test for the subject area(s) to be taught.
7. a current tuberculin PPD (also known as purified protein derivative) showing negative results.
8. a signed copy of Article 21 of the Illinois School Code on file in the Community Outreach & Field Placement Services.
9. current documentation on file that shows a cleared background check at the State and Federal levels.
10. successful completion of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Mandated Reporting Training and Certification.
11. successful completion of the School Safety Training Module. The online Safety Training Module can be accessed here.

Spring 2023

Fall 2022

Spring 2020

Spring 2019

Spring 2017

Spring 2016

Yes, to be eligible for student teaching, the student must have a passing score on the Certification Content Area Test and submitted proof of passing the certification test.

Accurate Biometrics

When all the mandatory courses have been completed and approval from advisor.

Sixteen-weeks or program length confirmed by the College for the term.

Only for students in the Options Program.

Each teacher candidate must remain in the school the number of hours per day required of teachers in the school in which he/she is student teaching. This includes conferences and other activities related to student teaching. Hours not spent in student teaching must be spent engaged in some educationally-related task.

There is no provision for absence during student teaching. The teacher candidate must be prompt and in attendance daily. In case of unexpected absence (illness,death in immediate family, or other extreme circumstances), the university representative should be notified immediately. No more than five(5) absences can be made up. All make-up days must be within five(5) days after the scheduled end of the student teaching experience. More than five absences will result in an incomplete or failing grade.

Yes, it is mandatory.