Program Approval--Regulations

Program Approval

Laws/Regulations

Educator Preparation Regulatory Requirements

(a) Connecticut Standards

The NCATE Refined Standards, March 5, 1994, including the “Introduction to NCATE’s Standards” and “Standards Glossary” are adopted by reference. NCATE Standards, as may be amended from time to time, shall be adopted following review by Department staff and the Commissioner. Copies of the NCATE standards are available from the Department. Folios may be completed for all endorsement areas and submitted to the Department 18 months prior to the Visiting Team visit.

(b) Connecticut Requirements

(1) Student Admission Criteria

Section 10-145d-11(b)(1) of the Certification Regulations for Connecticut Educators reads in part as follows: Student admissions criteria include appropriate academic and non-academic standards that are stated and enforced. All students are admitted to the educator preparation program after taking no more than two courses in professional education. These standards shall include, but not be limited to:

(A) passing Praxis I CBT or its equivalent as approved by the board, prior to admission to the educator preparation program;

(B) achieving a cumulative grade point average of at least a B-minus average for all undergraduate courses; and,

(C) if justified by unusual circumstances, a waiver for the (B) may be granted, provided that a statement of justification is added to the candidate’s records.

(2) The professional education unit shall:

(A) demonstrate that students are knowledgeable about the Common Core of Learning, the Common Core of Teaching, the Connecticut Mastery Tests, the Connecticut Academic Performance Test, the Code of Professional Responsibility for Teachers, and the Code of Professional Responsibility for School Administrators;

(B) provide on-site access to education resource material in current use in public schools including, for example, texts, software, cd rom, and copies of Connecticut Curriculum Frameworks;

(C) ensure that students demonstrate current Connecticut licensure competencies as defined in Sections 10-145d-400 through 10-145d-619 inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the Common Core of Teaching, and the Connecticut Content Specific Standards and,

(D) ensure that the responsibility for recommending candidates for certification centralized in an individual who shall attest, if appropriate, that the candidates have:

(i) met admissions standards for the institution’s educator preparation program; fulfilled the institution’s criteria to student teach; successfully completed the planned program; have the qualities of character and personal fitness for teaching, and

(ii) fulfilled the state’s certification and assessment requirements, Including Praxis I and Praxis II.

Additional Educator Preparation Regulatory Requirements

10-145d-8 Definitions (As used in sections 10-145d-8 to 10-145d-11):

(a) “Appropriate Official” means a person at the level of vice president, dean, or director designated by the president of a college or university to be responsible for the educator preparation program approval process at an institution.

(b) “Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST)” means an induction program for beginning teachers composed of support and assessment, as approved by the Board.

(d) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Education.

(e) “Common Core of Learning” means a Board adopted set of skills, knowledge and attitudes expected of Connecticut’s high school graduates.

(f) “Common Core of Teaching” means Board adopted expectations for Connecticut teachers.

(g) “Connecticut Academic Performance Tests” means Connecticut developed, Board adopted, tests administered to students in grade 10.

(h) “Connecticut Mastery Tests” means Connecticut developed, Board adopted, tests administered to students in grades 4, 6, and 8.

(i) “Connecticut Teaching Competencies” means those descriptors of skills and abilities which a teacher should possess, according to guidelines adopted by the Board.

(j) “Consulting specialist” means a person with expertise in the field or endorsement area being reviewed.

(k) “Department” means the State Department of Education.

(I) “Educator” means each licensed professional employed by a board of education in a position requiring a certificate issued by the Board.

(m) “Educator preparation program” means a planned sequence of experiences provided by colleges and universities designed to qualify an individual for state certification. This includes the Alternate Route to Certification program.

(n) “Folios” means information provided by a professional education unit to the Department in response to certification area guidelines developed by national specialty organizations or the Department.

(o) “Institution” means the university or college of which the educator preparation program is a part.

(p) “Interim Report” means a written report that may be required of an approved program during the approval period to document progress in the implementation of a new program, to document progress in existing programs or to describe action taken to address standards which were not fully met.

(q) “Major Changes in Existing Programs” means a change in program title, focus, design, requirements for completion, or mode of delivery.

(r) “NCATE” means National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

(s) “PRAXIS I CBT(Computer Based Test)” means the essential skills test, as approved by the Board.

(t) “PRAXIS II” means the content knowledge test, as approved by the Board.

(u) “Professional education unit” means an institution, college, school, department or other administrative body within an institution that is primarily responsible for the, initial and advanced preparation of educators.

(v) “Review Committee’’ means an advisory committee appointed by the Board which recommends action to be taken relative to the approval of a program or programs of educator preparation.

(w) “Revisit” means a follow-up study of a program by a team of specialists to clarify issues not resolved by a Visiting Team.

(x) “Student teaching” means supervised full day practice teaching, with a trained cooperating teacher, as part of an educator preparation program, for a Connecticut Board of Education of 10 or more weeks, following the completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit in professional education in an educator preparation program.

(y) “Visiting Team” means a committee convened by the Department to visit the professional education unit, verify the self-examination report and obtain additional relevant information about the educator preparation programs.

(z) “Visiting Team of Experts” means a committee of endorsement area specialists convened by the Department to visit the unit, verify the self-examination report and obtain additional relevant information about a particular educator preparation program.

Section 10-145d-9 Procedures

(a) No educational preparation program shall publicize, begin to enroll students, or operate without the approval of the Board.

(b) Initial Requirements

To be eligible to apply to the Commissioner to operate an educator preparation program, the institution shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The institution shall be accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Loss of accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges shall result in the withdrawal of program approval by the Board.

(2) The institution shall have received the appropriate program licensure or accreditation as established by the Connecticut Board of Governors of Higher Education. Loss of accreditation or licensure with the Board of Governors of Higher Education shall result in withdrawal of program approval by the Board.

An appropriate official of the professional education unit shall notify the Commissioner in writing, two years prior to the expiration of current program approval, or two years prior to the anticipated start of a new program, of the professional education unit’s intent to seek Board approval in one or more specific areas of educator preparation, and request that an on-site visit be scheduled.

(d) Self-examination report

(1) For educator preparation programs that want continued approval, a written self-examination report shall be submitted which addresses the educator preparation program approval standards. From the effective date of Sections 10-145d-8 to 10-145d-11 inclusive, and until July 1, 2003, an institution shall choose between two sets of standards, those in Section 10-145d-10 or those in Section 10-145d-11. On or after July 1, 2003, an institution shall respond to standards in Section 10-145d-11, only.

(2) For higher education institutions for which an initial educator preparation program approval is sought, the self-examination report shall address standards in Section 10-145d-11.

(3) For higher education institutions which seek to add a new program to existing Board approved programs, either of the following applies:

(A) if previous program approval was based on the standards specified in Section 10-145d-10 the new program shall conform to the following categories in Section 10-145d-10: curriculum, students, faculty, standard 7.6, and Section 10-145d-11(b)(1) and 10-145d-11 (b)(3) of Sections 10-145d-8 to 10-145d-11 inclusive or,

(B) if the existing educator preparation programs have been approved using the standards in Section 10-145d-11, the new program may complete a written folio, and shall address Section 10-145d-11(b)(1), Section 10-145d-11(b)(2)(C) and 10-145d-11(b)(3) of Sections 10-145d-8 to 10-145d-11 inclusive.

(4) The self-examination report shall be mailed to each member of the visiting team, to the Department, and to the Review Committee one month prior to the scheduled visit.

(e) On-site visit

(1) If an institution is requesting NCATE accreditation, the Department shall conduct a joint visit
with NCATE, in accordance with the NCATE - Connecticut state partnership agreement.

(2) If an institution is requesting Board approval only, the Department shall coordinate the visit.

(A) The Department shall present to the professional education unit a tentative list of visiting team members, including the chairperson. The professional education unit shall be given an opportunity to request, in writing, the withdrawal of any team member for good cause. The Commissioner or his designee shall review the request and grant or deny the request.

(B) The Visiting Team visit shall be scheduled by the Department in consultation with the institution. When possible, these visits shall be coordinated with other accreditation visits.

(C) The Visiting Team shall consist of persons with broad background and experience in education appropriate to the general categories for which the professional education unit prepares educators. Teams shall include representatives of public school districts, institutions of higher education, the Department, the Department of Higher Education and pursuant to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Contract, a representative from a state other than Connecticut. Each chairperson shall have prior experience as a member of a Visiting Team. Persons training for future team membership also may be included on the team.

(D) The team shall consist of up to ten members, depending on the number and size of programs to be evaluated. Specialists may be included for evaluating programs which have been previously identified as exhibiting weaknesses or may be included at the request of the institution. Visiting Team members shall serve without compensation, but travel, meals, and lodging expenses incurred by the visiting team, shall be paid by the institution requesting approval. For state employees, expenses shall be limited to room and board.

(E) Visits may range from one to four days, depending upon the number of programs, and the size of the programs to be reviewed. The Visiting Team, during its visit, may request a consulting specialist to review a particular program, if significant concerns about the program arise during the visit. The consulting specialist may conduct an additional investigation within two weeks from the end of the visiting team’s on-site visit. The consulting specialist shall not be considered a visiting team member. The Visiting Team report shall reflect the additional contributions of the specialist.

(F) The Visiting Team shall determine the degree to which each program approval standard is met. To make that determination, the visiting team shall review the self-examination report and on-site exhibits, conduct interviews, visit facilities which support the professional education unit, and make observations of the programs to assess the accuracy and completeness of the data supplied. The degree to which each standard has been met shall be indicated on an evaluation report provided by the Department. The evaluation report shall include descriptive comments and suggestions for improvement. The composite report of the Visiting team members’ findings shall be written by the Chairperson of the Visiting Team and submitted to the Department. The chairperson shall conduct an exit interview at which an unofficial overview of findings shall be presented to representatives of the professional education unit and institution.

(G) The Visiting Team report shall be sent to the professional education unit for review for factual errors. The findings of any additional visit conducted by consulting specialists as may have been requested by the visiting team shall be included in the report. The Department shall send the final Visiting Team report to the Review Committee. If the professional education unit chooses, it may send a written response to the visiting team report to the Review Committee.

(f) Review Committee

(1) The Review Committee shall consist of 12 members appointed to staggered three year terms by the Board, upon recommendation of the Commissioner. The Committee shall include representatives of institutions of higher education, professional staff members of public school systems, and representatives of the community at large. The Board of Governors for Higher Education may and the Department shall each provide one official non-voting representative. The Review Committee members shall serve without compensation.

(2) The Review Committee shall study the professional education unit’s self-examination report, the Visiting Team report, and the professional education unit’s written response, if any, to the Visiting Team report. The Review Committee shall consider written correspondence, if any, between the Chief, Bureau of Certification and Professional Development and the dean or director of the professional education unit, concerning problems or issues around certification issues which arise from the unit’s graduates’ applications for certification. The Review Committee shall provide an opportunity for a representative of the professional education unit being evaluated and a representative of the visiting team, to submit additional verbal information if requested.

(3) The Review Committee shall make a recommendation on the approval of the educator preparation programs to the Commissioner, within ten days of its decision.

(g) Board action

After reviewing the recommendation of the Review Committee, the Commissioner shall make one or more recommendations to the Board. Based on the Commissioner’s recommendation, the Board shall take one of the following actions.

(1) For programs requesting continuing approval:

(A) Grant full program approval for five years, or for a period of time to bring the program into alignment with the five-year approval cycle. The Board may require that an interim report be submitted to the Department, on a date set by the Board, prior to the end of the approval period.

(B) Grant provisional approval for a time period not to exceed three years, if substantial non-compliance with current standards is identified. The institution shall submit to the Review Committee, on a date set by the Board, a written report which addresses the professional education unit’s progress in meeting the standards which were not fully met. The Board may require an on-site visit in addition to this report.

(C) Grant probationary approval for a time period not to exceed three years, if significant and far-reaching non-compliance with current standards is identified. The institution shall submit to the Review Committee, on a date set by the Board, a written report which addresses the professional education unit’s progress in meeting the standards which were not fully met. The Board shall require an on-site visit in addition to this report.

(D) Deny approval.

(2) For new programs in institutions which have current approved programs:

(A) Grant full program approval for a period of time to bring the new program into the five-year approval cycle of all other programs offered by the institution. The Board may require that a written report be submitted to the Department, on a date set by the Board, prior to the end of the approval period.

(C) Grant probationary approval not to exceed three years, if significant and far-reaching non-compliance with current standards is identified. The institution shall submit to the Review Committee, on a date set by the Board, a written report which addresses the professional education unit’s progress in meeting the standards which were not fully met. The Board shall require an on-site visit in addition to this report.

(D) Deny approval.

(3) For new programs starting in institutions without other approved programs:

(A) Grant program approval for two years. The institution shall submit to the Review Committee, after two semesters of operation, a written report which addresses the professional education unit’s progress in implementing the new program. The Board shall require an on-site visit in addition to this report.

(B) Following the on-site visit after two years of operation, grant full program approval for three years. The Board may require that a written report be submitted to the Department, on a date set by the Board, prior to the end of the approval period.

(C) Following the on-site visit after two years of operation, grant provisional approval for a time period not to exceed three years, if substantial non-compliance with current standards is identified. The institution shall submit to the Review Committee, on a date set by the Board, a written report which addresses the professional education unit’s progress in meeting the standards which were not fully met. The Board may require an on-site visit in addition to this report.

(D) Following the on-site visit after two years of operation, grant probationary approval for up to three years, if significant and far-reaching non-compliance with current standards is identified. The institution shall submit to the Review Committee, on a date set by the Board, a written report which addresses the professional education unit’s progress in meeting the standards which were not fully met. The Board shall require an on-site visit in addition to this report.

(E) Deny approval.

(h) Notification of Board Action

(1) The Department shall notify the Board of Governors for Higher Education about Board
approval or denial of approval of educator preparation programs.

(2) The Department shall notify the official representatives of the professional education unit and the institution about Board approval or denial of approval of educator preparation programs and the professional education unit.

(i) Just cause

For just cause, the Commissioner may initiate a site visit to review an educator preparation program or programs prior to the next scheduled visit, and based on the findings of the Visiting Team and the Review Committee, the Board may change the institution’s approval status. Prior to initiating an on-site visit, the Department may conduct transcript evaluations for certification candidates from a particular professional education unit. Just cause may include a pattern of noncompliance with program approval and Sections 10-145d-400 through 10-145d-619 inclusive, of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, poor performance by graduates of the institution on Praxis II exams as required, or on the Beginning Educator program, or written concerns raised by program students or graduates.

Educator Preparation Statutory Requirements

(1) The professional education unit shall address the following statutory requirements:

(A) Section 10-19(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes
Teaching about alcohol, nicotine or tobacco, drugs and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Training of personnel. (a) The knowledge skills and attitudes required to understand and avoid the effects of alcohol, of nicotine or tobacco and or drugs, as defined in subdivision (17) or section 21a-240, on health, character, citizenship and personality development shall be taught every academic year to pupils in all grades in the public schools; and , in teaching such subjects, textbooks and such other materials as are necessary shall be used. Institutions of higher education approved by the State Board of Education to train teachers shall give instruction on the subjects prescribed in this section and concerning the best methods of teaching the same.

(B) Section 10-145a(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes
Any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall be encouraged to successfully complete an intergroup relations component of such a program which shall be developed with the participation of both sexes, and persons of various ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds. Such intergroup relations program shall have the following objectives: (1) the imparting of an appreciation of the contributions to American civilization of various ethnic, cultural and economic groups comprising American society and an understanding of the lifestyles of such groups; (2) the counteracting of biases, discrimination and prejudices; and (3) the assurance of respect for human diversity and personal rights.

(C) Section 10-145a(c) of the Connecticut General Statutes
Any candidate in the program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall be encouraged to complete a (1) health component of such a program, which includes, but need not be limited to, human growth and development, nutrition, first aid, disease prevention and community and consumer health and (2) mental health component of such a program which includes, but need not be limited to, youth suicide, child abuse and alcohol and drug abuse.

(D) Section 10-145a(d) of the Connecticut General Statutes
Any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to a professional certification shall be encouraged to complete a school violence prevention and conflict resolution component of such a program.

(E) Section 10-145a(e) of the Connecticut General Statutes
On and after July 1, 1998, any candidate in a program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall complete a computer and other information technology skills component of such program, as applied to student learning and classroom instruction, communications and data management.

(F) Section 10-145b(e) of the Connecticut General Statutes
In order to be eligible to obtain a provisional teaching certificate, a provisional educator certificate or an initial educator certificate, each person shall be required to complete a course of study in special education comprised of not fewer than thirty-six (36) hours, which shall include an understanding of growth and development of exceptional children, including handicapped and gifted and talented children and children who may require special education, and methods for identifying, planning for and working effectively with special needs children in a regular classroom.

(G) Section 10-145d(a)(8) of the Connecticut General Statutes
In order to be eligible to obtain an initial educator certificate with an elementary endorsement, each person (is) required to complete a survey course in United States history of not fewer than three semester hours.

(H) Section 10-145d(a)(9) of the Connecticut General Statutes
A requirement that on and after July 1, 2003, in order to be eligible to obtain an initial educator certificate with an early childhood nursery through grade three or an elementary endorsement, each person be required to complete a comprehensive reading instruction course comprised of not less than six semester hours of credit.

(I) Section 10-145a(f) of the Connecticut General Statutes
On and after July 1, 2006, any program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall include as part of the curriculum, instruction in literacy skills and processes that reflects current research and best practices in the field of literacy training.
Such instruction shall be incorporated into requirements of student major and concentration.

(J) Section 10-220a(f) of the Connecticut General Statutes
On and after July 1, 2006, any program of teacher preparation leading to professional certification shall include as part of the curriculum, instruction in the concepts of second language learning and second language acquisition and processes that reflects current research and best practices in the field of second language learning and second language acquisition. Such instruction shall be incorporated into requirements of student major and concentration.