Policies

​Formal Admission to Teacher Education – After admission to York College, Teacher Education candidates must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program. 

Acceptance of Transfer Credit

York College Teacher Education Candidate Growth Portfolio Requirements – The York College Teacher Education faculty believe very strongly in the development of the knowledge, skills and dispositions of its Teacher Education Candidates as stated in the York College Teacher Education Conceptual Framework.  Therefore all candidates will develop an Electronic Growth Portfolio beginning with EDU 103, Introduction to Education.  Each candidate will be mentored throughout his/her program and will complete the Electronic Growth Portfolio as part of program completion.  The following is a list of requirements for completing the Electronic Growth Portfolio. 

Requirements for Admission to Student Teaching – After admission to York College and to the Teacher Education Program, candidates must make application for student teaching. Student Teaching is required in order to obtain a Nebraska Teaching Certification.

Formal Admission to Teacher Education

​Formal Admission to Teacher Education – After admission to York College, Teacher Education candidates must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program. During EDU 103, Introduction to Education, candidates must sign a notice verifying that they have read the screening procedures for acceptance into the program. During EDU 103, candidates will make formal application to the Teacher Education Program. In order to be considered for acceptance to the Teacher Education Program.  Candidates must have on file the following: 

1. A signed notice of Admission Procedures form
2. A completed Teacher Education Application for Admission form
3. A notarized Felony/Misdemeanor Statement
4. Completed Teacher Education Health Form
5. Documented proof of a minimum of 15 semester hours of credit with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above
6. Documented proof of successful completion (C or above) of each of the following courses: COM 113, EDU 103, ENG 113 and ENG 123
7.  Satisfactory scores on the Pre-Professional Skills Test  (Taken Initially during the Freshman Year)
   
   Nebraska Department of Education  Rule 20 states that NO student may be permitted to enroll in an approved teacher education program until he/she has achieved satisfactory scores on their Praxis Core Academic for Educators Skills (Reading, Writing and Math).
   Basic Skills Competency Core Academic Skills for Educators:      Passing scores 
   Reading     156
   Writing     162
   Mathematics     150                                    

8. Favorable recommendations from three members of the York College faculty
(These recommendations assess reading and writing competencies, people skills, the suitability of a candidate’s personality to teaching, his/her moral and personal standards, and other factors deemed important by the faculty members.)

​9. Average of 2 or above for the total average of the Freshman Electronic Growth Portfolios

10. Average of 2.0 or above, and a successful rating by panel members, on the Candidate Interview (The student shall be responsible for setting up an appointment on the scheduled interview days before a panel of two Teacher Education Council members.) The interview will be completed in Introduction to Education semester.

***Note:   Elementary – To register for more than six hours of upper division (300 or 400 level) Education classes, a student must meet the above criteria.
Middle Grades, Secondary, and K-12 – To register for more than six hours of upper division (300 or 400 level) classes, a student must meet the above criteria.

Upon recommendation from the Teacher Education Council, the Education Division will grant formal acceptance to a candidate who meets all the above requirements.

Candidates may be placed on Program Probation or be dismissed from the program for failure to maintain the standards set forth. Reviews may take place at any time during a candidate’s participation in the program. Candidates who are dismissed may be readmitted by appealing in writing, first to the Education Division, and secondly to the Education Division Chair. Each candidate will be assigned an advisor from the Teacher Education Council. Each candidate must maintain GPAs of at least 2.00 in English, and 2.75 overall. No course with a grade below "C" (2.00) may be used to satisfy any professional development or teaching field requirement.

Candidates will be notified in writing of admission or denial to Teacher Education. Any candidate may appeal denial of admittance in writing, first to the Teacher Education Council and secondly to the Division of Education. 
Admissions Procedures #8 Revised 8/24/15

Acceptance of Transfer Credit

​Acceptance of Transfer Credit – (See also Transfer, page 43 ). A candidate must complete at least 30 semester hours at York College (15 of which must be in the senior year), be a regular student for at least one semester and be in attendance during the semester of graduation. Student Teaching must be arranged through York College.

Candidates who transfer 60 or more semester hours from other institutions, meeting GPA requirements, and another institution’s equivalent of the Introduction to Education course and required field experience, may enroll in upper division professional education courses their first semester at York College only with permission of the Division of Education Chair Person. They must apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program, meet all requirements, and be admitted before enrolling in additional professional education courses.

Requirements of Admission to Student Teaching 

​After admission to York College and to the Teacher Education Program, candidates must make application for student teaching. Student Teaching is required in order to obtain a Nebraska Teaching Certification. Acceptance to Student teaching requires the following:

Formal admission to Teacher Education.

1. Senior standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.
2. Completion of all professional education courses with no grade below “C”.
3. Completion of all methods courses for each endorsement area with no grade below “C”.
4. A minimum of 100 hours working with K-12 students.
5. Minimum average of a 2.5 or above on the Junior Year Electronic Growth Portfolio.

Candidate Growth Portfolio Requirements

The York College Teacher Education faculty believe very strongly in the development of the knowledge, skills and dispositions of its Teacher Education Candidates as stated in the York College Teacher Education Conceptual Framework. Therefore all candidates will develop an Electronic Growth Portfolio beginning with EDU 103, Introduction to Education. Each candidate will be mentored throughout his/her program and will complete the Electronic Growth Portfolio as part of program completion. The following is a list of requirements for completing the Electronic Growth Portfolio.

1. Listed for each year, on the corresponding year’s matrix, are the required Electronic Growth Portfolio entries. Each entry must be dated and accompanied by a reflection. Each reflection must include the following information:  Title of the piece, I chose this piece because…,This shows…, and I want you to notice… Reflections should be clear, specific, cohesive, honest, and provide evidence of the candidate’s growth. The candidate should check off the Candidate Proficiencies, which are appropriate for the specific entry on the Electronic Growth Portfolio Matrix. In addition to the above information, the accompanying reflection should contain language specific to the Candidate Proficiencies (see The Conceptual Framework as York College Teacher Education Candidates Proficiencies). Each Electronic Growth Portfolio must contain the required entries and in addition, the candidate must include additional entries, as listed on the corresponding matrix, so that each proficiency is met each year. Entries may satisfy more than one proficiency. It is expected that the degree to which each proficiency is met will increase each year.
   
   
2. At the end of each target course through the Junior year, the candidate will meet with the designated mentor to present his/her Electronic Growth Portfolio. The mentor will provide feedback to the candidate and will complete the York College Teacher Education Electronic Growth Portfolio Evaluation Form. At the completion of the Junior year target course, the candidate must also select one peer to complete the Electronic Growth Portfolio Evaluation Form. At the completion of EDU 491, Student Teaching Seminar each candidate will present his/her Electronic Growth Portfolio to a three person panel which includes the mentor and two additional persons, to be chosen by the candidate, from the following:

• his/her Academic Advisor,
• his/her Student Teaching Supervising Teacher,
• his/her Student Teaching Cooperating Teacher,
• a faculty member from Arts and Sciences, or
• member of the Teacher Education Council.

Each panel member will complete the York College Teacher Education Electronic Growth Portfolio Evaluation Form. At this exit presentation, the candidate will present his/her Electronic Growth Portfolio, how it shows his/her growth and how it evidences completion of the Teacher Education Goals and Candidate Proficiencies. In preparation for each Electronic Growth Portfolio presentation, the candidate will complete the York College Teacher Education Electronic Growth Portfolio Evaluation Form.

3.    To successfully complete the Electronic Growth Portfolio, candidates must receive an average of 2.0 or above for the total average of the Freshman and Sophomore Year Electronic Growth Portfolios, a minimum of 2.5 on the Junior Year Electronic Growth Portfolio and a minimum of a 3.0 on the Senior Year Electronic Growth Portfolio. If a candidate scores below the acceptable targets, he/she must make modifications to the portfolio, as directed by the mentor, in order to meet or exceed the designated targets.

​4.    After acceptable completion of the Electronic Growth portfolio, a candidate may make additional changes to the Electronic Growth Portfolio, within the same academic year. These additions and deletions can be made by the candidate, by submitting the Request for Electronic Growth Portfolio Change form to the current mentor.

​ Requirements for Portfolios #5  Revised 7/1/04