Single Subject Credential Program Policies

Due to the demands of courses and fieldwork in the credential program, the Department of Secondary Education does not recommend that candidates substitute teach.  Student teachers may substitute for their Cooperating Teacher in case of his/her absence for a reasonable number of days in the semester, provided the student holds an emergency permit AND prior approval has been given by the University Supervisor and the Cooperating Teacher.  Candidates who hold a 30-day substitute permit may be allowed to substitute and count that time as student teaching only under the following conditions:

·       Student teachers may substitute during the first semester of the credential program; however, these hours cannot be counted towards the 160 hours of observation required for SED 640. Always consult with Field Placement Coordinator.

·       Substituting during second semester is ONLY permitted with authorization from the Student Placement Coordinator and then only for a limited number of hours per week.

·       Student teachers must continue student teaching their regular classes while substituting during the second semester.  The cooperating teacher, who will be absent, must make arrangements for another school employee to cover the class if the student teacher teaches in a second cooperating teacher’s classroom.

·       If for any reason, the University Supervisor or Placement Coordinator believes that substituting might negatively impact the student’s successful completion of the program, the request will be denied.

·       Student teachers must follow guidelines of the district where they are substituting.

If there are differences in opinion between a candidate’s Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisor over questions of student progress and / or student grades, a second University Supervisor will be asked by the Department Chair to observe the student teacher candidate to resolve the differences.

Any time a student receives a NC in SED 640/660, they will also receive zeros or incompletes on any class assignment related to the field placement.

Our Field Placement Coordinator identifies potential field sites/cooperating teachers, and candidates interview for student teaching placements.  At the beginning of the field placement process, all candidates will be given opportunities to interview at two school sites for a potential student teaching field site/placement.  The selection decision is often based on how well the candidate presents him or herself professionally. School-site administrators and cooperating teachers make the final decision to accept or decline the placement. 

If, after two Student Teaching field site interviews, the candidate does not secure a placement or if the candidate does not secure a placement by October 15th, he or she would earn a “no credit” for SED 640: Supervised Observation / Participation in Public Schools and would have to return the next fall and repeat SED 640.

During the following fall, the candidate, who is repeating SED 640, would again be given opportunities to interview at two school sites for a potential Student Teaching field site/placement.  If they succeed in obtaining a placement and pass SED 640, they can then move forward to SED 660 in the spring.  If, however, they are not successful in obtaining a placement after two interviews by October 15th, they would again earn a “no credit” for SED 640.  The student may withdraw or is subject to be disenrolled through the multi-level declassification process from the Single Subject Credential program.

In the event that a Student Teacher experiences difficulty with the first placement or if the school (Cooperating Teacher / Principal) requests the student leave the placement, the Department Chair, Field Placement Coordinator and, if possible, the University Supervisor will meet with the candidate to evaluate the specific circumstances.  If school personnel (Cooperating Teacher / Principal) requests the student leave the placement, they do need to document their reasons for doing so.

After being requested to leave a placement, the student will earn a NC in SED  640 or 660. The Department Chair, in consultation with the Field Placement Coordinator, University Supervisor and relevant faculty members (if possible), will make a decision to recommend or not recommend a possible second field placement the following academic year. If the decision is to deny a second placement, the student may withdraw or be subject to be disenrolled through the multi-level declassification process.

For a student to change a placement at his/her own initiative, without a request from the school to leave the placement, the student must contact the Field Placement Coordinator to request and justify the change.  No change of placement can take place except through the Field Placement Coordinator.  If the change of placement is approved by the Field Placement Coordinator and the Department Chair, the Field Placement Coordinator will then work with the student to arrange the second placement. A change of placement may not be approved if the request comes too late in either semester.

If a student must take a leave, (because of a family emergency, illness, accident, pregnancy, unexpected lengthy cooperating teacher absence, change in grade level and class assignment, or other equally serious disruption out of the control of the student), during his/her SED 660 semester, the Field Placement Coordinator, and SED Department Chair, in consultation with the university supervisor, will review the circumstances and determine whether the student needs to repeat SED 660 and SED 752 the following year.

In the case of Art, Music, P.E., and specific foreign languages, the program can only offer these small C&I II seminars in the spring semester because enrollment is too low to justify fall and spring course offerings.  Consequently, the Department Chair, in consultation with the field placement coordinator and student, will design an individual study plan to accommodate the student’s needs during the interim semester.

Students may petition the Chair to repeat SED 660, in the event that there is a serious disruption out of the control of the student.

Credential candidates may demonstrate a variety of difficulties or issues which require intervention while in the Single Subject Credential program.  Such issues may include:

• Academic difficulties (e.g., problems with coursework);
• Practicum difficulties (e.g., unsuccessful in SED 640/660);
• Dispositional difficulties (e.g., inappropriate actions/behaviors in classrooms, the school site, or the school district).

Situations may also arise in which faculty members must take immediate action.  Such situations may include candidates who:

• Demonstrate serious difficulties at the very end of the semester;
• Pose a clear danger to themselves or others;
• Make threats, commit ethical breaches, or exhibit behaviors, which reveal unsuitability for teaching.

If academic, field placement / practicum or dispositional difficulties arise, faculty members will attempt to support the candidate with the protocol outlined in the following paragraphs:

Student Has Academic Difficulties

1.    Identification of Difficulties: Faculty member identifies difficulties in an effort to support the candidate.  The faculty member will review grades to identify candidates who are in danger of earning a C or below, a NC (No Credit) or an INC (Incomplete).

2.    Consultation: Faculty member may choose to e-mail or meet with colleagues to see if there are shared concerns.

3.    Action Plan:  Whenever possible, the faculty member confers with the candidate and develops a plan to address the difficulties. The faculty member documents the agreed-upon plan and sends a copy to the Department Chair. If difficulties continue, and the student earns a final grade of C or below, the faculty member will consult with the

Single Subject Credential Program @ SF State Student Teacher Handbook 2019-2020 Department Chair.  The student may withdraw or is subject to be disenrolled through the multi-level declassification process.   Note: A GPA of 3.0 or better with no grade lower than a C is required in all courses comprising the professional education sequence.

Student Has Difficulties in the Field Placement / Practicum

1.    Identification of Difficulties in the Field Placement (Beyond Obtaining the Placement): The faculty member identifying difficulties will review all Evaluation Reports for Observations and Documents (ERODs) as well as written communications from cooperating teachers and school-site administrators (e.g., emails). As noted in the Grading Policy, if there are differences in opinion over student performance between the Cooperating Teacher and the University Supervisor, they will be reconciled by assessment by an additional University Supervisor appointed by the Department Chair.

2.    Consultation: The faculty member may schedule an assessment / intervention meeting with the candidate’s professor for SED 751: Classroom Environment and Management, the Field Placement Coordinator, Curriculum and Instruction Professor, University Supervisor and/or Department Chair.  An evaluation will be made to assess the issues and to determine the sources of the difficulties.

3.    Action Plan: An action plan of concrete steps for the student to follow will be developed out of the consultation meeting.

• SED 640 (Observation Semester Alternatives): If the cooperating teacher is unwilling to work with the student teacher, the Department Chair, Field Placement Coordinator and University Supervisor, if possible, will meet with the candidate to evaluate the specific circumstances that affected the request to leave.  If school personnel request that the student leave the placement, they do need to document their reasons.  The Department Chair can recommend another opportunity to interview for an additional placement at a second site-if a placement can be secured by October 15th. The candidate must agree to follow all guidelines reviewed at the assessment meeting in order to complete the program. If a candidate does not secure a placement site after the additional interview opportunity, and there is documentation that this decision was due in part to the candidate, or if the Department Chair denies a second interview opportunity, the student will subsequently earn a NC for SED 640: Supervised Observation / Participation in Public Schools.  The student may withdraw or the Chair of the Department of Secondary Education may appoint a three-member faculty panel to consider declassification from the program.
• SED 660(Student Teaching Semester Alternatives):

1.      If a candidate fails to successfully complete SED 660: Student Teaching due to dispositional reasons, failure to communicate well, failure to complete lesson planning, student assessment or any other reason leading to the view of the Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisor that their teaching was not at a passing level, the student will earn a NC in SED 660: Student Teaching.. If there is a difference in opinion between the Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisor, an additional University Supervisor will be appointed by the Department Chair to provide an additional assessment to make the determination of pass (CR) or fail (NC). If a candidate is asked to leave a placement due to the candidate’s behavior, they will automatically earn a NC for SED 660. Since success in the credential is based upon student teaching as well as in their academic classes, if the student does not pass student teaching, the student may withdraw from academic classes or is subject to be disenrolled through the multi-level declassification process. 

Students may request to stay and complete SED 790, which may be granted by the Department Chair.

If there is a difference in opinion between the Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisor(s) including the university supervisor from art, music or physical education, an additional University Supervisor will be appointed by the Department Chair or provide an additional assessment to make the determination of pass (CR) or fail (NC).

2.      If, however, the candidate is asked to leave a placement in the spring during SED 660, and it is clear and documented that there were personality differences, or political or organizational issues in the placement, outside of

Single Subject Credential Program @ SF State Student Teacher Handbook 2019-2020 the control of the student, the Department Chair may design an individual study plan to accommodate the student’s needs.

There are four types of situations under which a student may be removed from the Single Subject Credential Program. Removal from the program is referred to as declassification.

1. Difficulties in Securing a Placement:

SFSU will set up only two appointments for a candidate to secure a school placement during an academic year before the student chooses to withdraw or the Department Chair appoints a declassification panel.  If the student cannot obtain a placement after two interviews (with documentation from each school), then the student may be considered for possible de-classification.  The process is as follows:

• Enroll in SED 640 /  Interview 1 – school site says no (with documentation that the reason was due in part to the candidate’s disposition)
• Enroll in SED 640 / Interview 2 – school site says no (with documentation). 
• If a student has not secured a placement after two interviews, with documentation from the school site, they will receive a NC in SED 640.
• The student may withdraw
• The Department Chair may appoint a Declassification Panel, if necessary

2. Academic Difficulties:

If a candidate earns below a C in a course or has a semester grade-point-average lower than a 3.0, the student may withdraw or be automatically de-classified.

3. Dispositional Difficulties:

At any time while in the credential program, should a candidate exhibit unprofessional behavior (for example, issues of anger management, inappropriate language, threats directed to any student/candidate or professional, violation of confidentiality, dishonesty or other ethical breaches, an unwillingness to present oneself professionally in dress and grooming that shows respect to students, University or school site staff), he/she is subject to receiving a NC in whatever class they are taking (SED 640/660).  The student may withdraw or is subject to be disenrolled through the multi-level declassification process.

If a candidate threatens a student, faculty member, or administrator at SFSU or at his/her school site, the student will receive a NC in the class (SED 640/660), be immediately removed from classes at SFSU and the school site, and a declassification panel will be appointed. The Department would immediately notify the Office of Student Conduct at SF State and the candidate would be subject to SF State disciplinary procedures.

4. Teaching Difficulties / Difficulties in Field Placement / Practicum:

If a candidate receives a NC in SED 640 or SED 660, the student may withdraw or is subject to be disenrolled through the multi-level declassification process.  If a candidate is dis-enrolled through the multi-level declassification process, or withdraws from the program due to academic, practicum or dispositional difficulties in one program (intern or regular program), the candidate cannot transfer to another SED program (intern or regular program).

Supporting documents that further detail professional behavior:

These policies and procedures are set within the context of SF State University and California Commission on Teacher Credentialing policies and procedures pertaining to the discipline of professional certificated personnel (applicable sections):

Section 44421

The Commission for Teacher Preparation and Licensing shall privately admonish, publicly reprove, revoke or suspend for immoral or unprofessional conduct, or for persistent defiance of, and refusal to obey, the laws

Single Subject Credential Program @ SF State Student Teacher Handbook 2019-2020 regulating the duties of persons serving in the public-school system, or for any cause which would have warranted the denial of an application for a credential or the renewal thereof, or for evident unfitness for service.

Section 44434

Each city or city and county board of examination may for immoral and unprofessional conduct, profanity, intemperance, or evident unfitness for teaching, recommend to the city or city and county board of education, the revocation of any certificate previously granted by the board of education in the city or city and county.

1) SF State Bulletin, “Administrative/Academic disqualification”:

In addition, an appropriate campus administrator may disqualify a student who at any time during enrollment has demonstrated behavior so contrary to the standards of the profession for which the student is preparing as to render him/her unfit for the profession. In such cases, disqualification will occur immediately upon notice to the student, which shall include an explanation of the basis for the action, and the campus may require the student to discontinue enrollment as of the date of the notification.