Requirements for Teacher Licensure Programs

Elon’s teacher licensure education program, also referred to as Teacher Education, prepares teachers for careers at the elementary, middle and high school levels. The program emphasizes practical hands-on experience in classrooms as well as educational theory and pedagogy. Field experiences in public school classrooms begin the first education class and culminate with a full semester of teaching in the student's licensure area.

There are four transition points in the Teacher Education program, each having specific requirements that candidates must meet. They are:

• Application and admission to Teacher Education
• Entry into student teaching (fall methods semester)
• Transition to full-time student teaching
• Program completion

Transition Point 1: Application & Admission to Teacher Education

Application and admission to Teacher Education requires the following:

• Submission of the online application through the eDocs system
• Cumulative GPA of exactly 2.70 or better
• Grade of C- or better in the following courses:
  • ENG 1100
  • First Year Foundations math
• Grade of C or better in the appropriate Teacher Education foundation course:
  • EDU 2110 (Elementary Education or Elementary and Special Education)
  • EDU 2110 or SOC 2430 (all other licensure programs)
  • EDU 2500 (Teaching Fellows only)
• Majority satisfactory scores in Professional Dispositions in the field placement associated with the foundation course, or recommendation from the foundation course instructor
• Completion of the North Carolina Professional Ethics for Teachers module
• Completion of the Teaching Beliefs and Mindsets survey
• Two positive recommendations from faculty members outside the Department of Education and Wellness
• Qualifying SAT, ACT, or Praxis Core test scores (see below)
• Clear background check
• No significant violations of Elon’s Academic and Social Honor Code

Testing Requirements

The basic testing requirement for admission to teacher education is the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, but may be substituted with qualifying SAT or ACT scores. The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators is a series of tests in reading, writing, and mathematics with minimum scores as established by the N.C. State Board of Education.

SAT or ACT scores may be substituted for the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators tests as follows:

Students who score at least 1170 on the SAT (combined verbal and mathematics) or score at least a 24 on ACT composite score are exempt from additional testing for admission to Teacher Education.

Students with less than an 1170 on the SAT (combined verbal and mathematics) or less than a 24 on the ACT may still be exempt from certain Praxis Core sections as follows:

• SAT verbal scores of at least 600 or English ACT scores of at least 24 exempt students from the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading and Writing tests
• SAT mathematics scores of at least 570 or Math ACT scores of at least 24 exempt students from the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics test
• Students who do not meet the above criteria must achieve the following Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators scores for admission to Teacher Education:
  • Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading – 156
  • Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing – 162
  • Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics – 150

When to Submit the Application

Students must be fully admitted to Teacher Education before being allowed to enroll in any methods courses in any Teacher Education program. Methods courses are defined as:

• Elementary Education: EDU 4200, EDU 4230, EDU 4260, and EDU 4300
• Middle Grades, Secondary, and Science Education: EDU 4210, EDU 4220, EDU 4240, EDU 4250
• K-12 Licensure: PEH 4230, EDU 4280, MUS 4530
• Special Education: EDU 4440, EDU 4450, and Elementary or Middle Grades methods as appropriate

Admission to Teacher Education

Applications are reviewed by  the Coordinator of Teacher Education Admission for completeness and that the application meets the requirements. Applications meeting all requirements will be approved by the Chair of the Department of Education and Wellness and the Director of Teacher Education. Applications that do not meet all requirements will be declined. Students will be notified once the application has been approved or declined. .

After admission, students are referred to as teacher candidates.

Transition Point 2: Entry Into Student Teaching (Fall Methods Semester)

In order to proceed into student teaching, candidates must have the following:

• Completed student teaching application
• Grade of C or better in the following courses:
  • For Elementary Education majors:
    • MTH 2080 & 2090
    • EDU 3040
  • For Middle Grades, Secondary Education, and K-12 programs:
    • PSY 3820
    • EDU 3550
  • For Elementary and Special Education majors:
    • MTH 2080 & 2090
    • EDU 4350
• Satisfactory professional dispositions and formative observations in field experiences
• Teaching Beliefs and Mindsets survey
• Clear background check
• No significant violations of Elon’s Academic and Social Honor Code
• Cumulative GPA of exactly 2.70 or higher

Transition Point 3: Transition to Full-time Student Teaching

To proceed to full-time student teaching, candidates must have the following:

• Grade of C or better in all EDU courses
• Satisfactory North Carolina Educator Effectiveness System (NCEES) teacher candidate evaluation from the field placement associated with the fall methods semester
• Completed appropriate Praxis and Pearson subject assessments
• Completed the Intercultural Learning Certificate Program (ILCP)
• Satisfactory professional dispositions and formative observations in field experiences
• Completed Teaching Beliefs and Mindsets survey
• Clear background check
• No significant violations of Elon’s Academic and Social Honor Code
• Cumulative GPA of exactly 2.70 or higher
• Approval of the Teacher Education Committee

Transition Point 4: Program Completion

To successfully complete the Teacher Education program, candidates must have the following:

• Grade of C or better in EDU 4970
• Satisfactory NCEES teacher candidate evaluation from the field placement associated with full-time student teaching
• Satisfactory professional dispositions and formative observations in field experiences
• Certification of Teaching Capacity with each item marked as met
• Passing scores on the edTPA assessment
• Completed Teaching Beliefs and Mindsets survey
• Completed program, clinical teacher, and university supervisor evaluations
• Clear background check
• No significant violations of Elon’s Academic and Social Honor Code
• Cumulative GPA of exactly 2.70 or higher

Requirements for Licensure

To be recommended for teacher licensure, a teacher candidate must meet the following requirements:

• Completed all academic requirements
• GPA of exactly 2.70 or higher
• Passing edTPA scores
• Minimum North Carolina score or higher on the Praxis and Pearson subject assessments (minimum scores for these tests vary with content area)
• Certification of Teaching Capacity with each item marked as met
• Clear background check
• No significant violations of Elon’s Academic and Social Honor Code

Completion of the Teacher Education does not guarantee recommendation for licensure. All students are subject to the licensure requirements set by the North Carolina State Board of Education.