The College of Education is the designated authority for all K-State teacher licensure recommendations to the Kansas State Department of Education. All licensure programs offered by K-State have been approved by the Kansas State Department of Education.
The programs are designed to develop competencies essential for teaching. Some programs are parts of degree requirements in colleges other than the College of Education. All College of Education program requirements are subject to revision as necessary to meet Kansas licensure standards. Students should contact their advisors or the licensure officer if they have questions about licensure program changes.
Licensure through the teacher education program is available for two teaching levels: elementary education prepares for grades K-6 and secondary programs satisfy state licensure requirements for grades 6-12.
Secondary education majors may add endorsements to teach at the middle level in English, mathematics, science, and social studies.
The application for admission to a teacher education program must be filed when the applicant has satisfied all of the admission requirements. Transfer students who have satisfied all the admission requirements should apply at the time of initial enrollment.
Students making changes in degree programs must reapply for teacher education.
Fifty total hours must be completed, including all transfer and K-State credits. Thirty-five of the fifty hours constitute a designated core of general education requirements.
Both Expository Writing I and II must be completed satisfactorily with a grade no lower than C (2.0).
A grade of C or better is required in SPCH 105, 106, or 109. Students may complete the requirement with the quiz-out conducted by the speech department. Courses in interpersonal communication do not apply.
A grade of C or better is required in six credit hours of mathematics including college algebra, or a higher level of mathematics and a statistics course or a course that includes statistics.
A 2.5 GPA is required in all college work attempted, including transfer and K-State credits.
A 2.75 grade point average is required on a 35-hour general education core specified by each department. Students should consult with their advisors or inquire in 13 Bluemont Hall for specific requirements.
A 2.5 GPA is required in all college work attempted in the teaching specialty, including middle-level specialities. (This includes work at K-State and other institutions.) Note: Elementary education majors do not have a teaching speciality.
A transfer student may be admitted provisionally before the test is taken, but the student must take the test with passing scores the next time it is given on campus or he or she will be dropped from teacher education. Tests will be given throughout the year on dates specified by the testing service and will include sections on reading, writing, and mathematics. A score of 172 in writing, 173 in reading, and 172 in mathematics are required for admission to teacher education.
Early field experience is completed in EDSEC102 for students in secondary education and in EDEL300 for students in elementary education.
To pre-enroll for summer or fall
professional classes February 15
To pre-enroll for spring
professional classes October 1
When the applications are approved, students are notified of their acceptance into the respective teacher education professional program and are reassigned from a pre-professional advisor to a professional-level advisor. Students who do not meet the requirements will be notified of the options available to them.
The professional semester involves a full semester of teaching participation (student teaching). This semester usually occurs in the fall or spring of the senior year. There is no teaching participation experience offered during summer sessions.
Because of the school districts' schedules, students may be required to begin their student teaching before the start of K-State's semester schedule and/or end their student teaching after K-State's semester schedule ends.
Students desiring to be recommended for licensure by K-State must earn credit for teaching participation in residence. Students who have had any secondary methods course at another college or university will be required to audit the equivalent course at K-State.
Students may only take the courses prescribed for the professional semester unless permission is obtained through the Office of the Coordinator of Laboratory Experiences. Teaching participation is graded Credit/No Credit.
The application for student teaching must be submitted to the College of Education coordinator of laboratory experiences not later than December 20 of the year preceding the professional semester.
Students must submit the application by this deadline even though all admission requirements to the professional semester are not fully satisfied.
Instructions for completing the application can be obtained from the coordinator of laboratory experiences. The application is made through the World Wide Web. Junior and senior transfer students from other educational institutions should file the application immediately upon enrollment.
Students will be approved for the professional semester when the requirements listed below have been met. If notified that all requirements for the professional semester have not been satisfied, students may request through the College of Education advisor that the application be postponed.
Full admittance to a teacher education program.
Completion of 90 semester hours.
An overall grade point average of 2.5 in all college or university course work attempted.
Physical examination by the student health center or by a licensed physician. The student verifies to the coordinator of laboratory experiences that the physical examination has been completed.
Completion of FSHS 110, EDCEP 315, EDSP 324, EDEL 455, DED 318, and Blocks A and B.
Students must have a B average (3.0 GPA) in all Block A and B courses with no grade lower than a C in any blocked course. Students may retake blocked methods courses one time only.
Since the five elementary education methods courses of science, language arts, social studies, mathematics, and reading are offered only in Blocks A and B with field experiences attached, none may be transferred from another institution. EDEL 200 Teaching as a Career must be taken at K-State.
A grade point average of 2.5 is required in all teaching fields based on all teaching field courses attempted at K-State and at all colleges or universities attended. A student may not have a grade lower than a C in any professional course. Completion of FSHS 110, EDCEP 315, EDSP 323, Blocks I and II, EDSEC 310 or equivalent, and DED 318 are required.
Student teaching requires a special application called the Student Teaching Assignment Request (STAR form). Instructions for completing the application can be obtained from the office of the coordinator of laboratory experiences and completed on the World Wide Web.
The deadlines for completing the STAR form are:
· September 25 for students participating in the spring professional semester
· February 25 for students participating in the fall professional semester
Verification of Red Cross first aid/CPR certification (or an approved equivalent) must be submitted prior to completion of the STAR form.
The following College of Education policy regarding interruption of academic programs applies to all people seeking teacher licensure as well as those enrolled in degree programs in the College of Education.
Students who graduate within six years from the time they enter K-State without having previously earned credit from another institution shall have the opportunity to graduate under the academic program (course and total credit requirements) in existence at the time of entrance, unless the student cannot be certified by the state of Kansas under the original entry requirements.
If more than six years have elapsed since original entry, the student will need to complete the degree or teacher education program requirements in existence at the time he or she re-enters the university for the final and uninterrupted phase of the program.
This policy applies to students who are admitted to the university with previously attained credit as follows:
| Allowed for completion | |
| Less than 30 credits | 6 years |
| 30 to 59 credit | 5 years |
| 60 to 89 credits | 4 years |
| 90 or more credits | 3 years |
Due to the number of credit hours required in their program, music education students will have an additional semester, for a total of 6½ years, to complete their teacher education program.
Most students who interrupt their educations for military service during peacetime do so by voluntary enlistment. In such a case, the above policy would hold. In wartime or national emergency, students with good grade records might be drafted. In these cases, it would be expected that students could graduate under the requirements that existed at the time they originally entered unless licensure requirements have changed, whereupon the student must modify the entry program to include the current licensure requirements.
The College of Education has the responsibility to serve as the recommending agent for all K-State graduates who wish to qualify for licensure. The degrees earned in the College of Education in elementary education and in secondary education will fulfill licensure program requirements in the state of Kansas. Early childhood, elementary, and secondary teaching licensure may be accomplished through the completion of the approved program and the appropriate degree.
Students must meet the requirements for licensure or for an endorsement area in effect at the time they apply for that licensure or endorsement. Students who do not apply for the initial Kansas licensure when they are eligible will be expected to meet the requirements in effect at the time they do apply for initial licensure. Students enrolled in and earning degrees in colleges other than the College of Education must complete all requirements of an approved teacher education program.
The state of Kansas will issue initial teaching licenses only to individuals who have completed an approved teacher education program, received the recommendation of their college or university, and successfully passed the prelicensure examination (Principles of Learning and Teaching, PLT, passing score is 161). This test is administered at K-State several times each academic year. Anyone applying for initial licensure in a state other than Kansas must also apply for Kansas licensure.
The state of Kansas may not issue a teaching license to any applicant who has been convicted of a felony, signed certain diversion agreements, or who has had a teaching license revoked in another state.
People seeking initial licensure who present degrees from other accredited institutions must meet all requirements of the teacher education program. For additional information, these individuals should contact the Licensure Office, 13 Bluemont Hall.
K-State will recommend for licensure those individuals who are already licensed, but who are adding an endorsement to the license (e.g., reading specialist, administrator, counselor, an additional teaching area, middle-level teaching in selected fields). K-State may become the recommending agent for individuals presenting degrees from other accredited institutions.
Renewal applications not requesting an additional licensure endorsement are sent directly to the Kansas State Department of Education.
For additional information on prelicensure testing, applications, or procedures, contact the Licensure Office in 13 Bluemont Hall.
All students preparing to be licensed to teach in preschool, elementary, or secondary schools must fully complete the approved teacher education program regardless of which college awards the degree. The approved program consists of: general education studies, a major or specialization, and professional education studies.
The curricula in elementary education and in secondary education fulfill program requirements for teacher licensure in the state of Kansas. Both degrees offered through the College of Education are four-year programs.
The following information is provided in accordance with guidelines for state and institutional reports on the quality of teacher preparation for Title II of the Higher Education Act. For the academic year of 2003- 2004, 378 students completed the teacher education program at Kansas State University. Of these students who chose to take the Kansas certification exams, 99 percent passed. The statewide pass rate was 98 percent. Additional information regarding K-State's report on Title II of the Higher Education Act is available on the College of Education website at www.educ.ksu.edu.