R277-504-3. General Standards for Approval of Programs for the Preparation of Teachers

  (1) The Board may approve the educator preparation program of an institution if the institution:

  (a) prepares candidates to meet the Utah Effective Teaching Standards in R277-530;

  (b) prepares candidates to teach the Utah Core Standards, the Utah Early Childhood Core Standards, and the Essential Elements as appropriate to the area of licensure as established by the Board;

  (c) requires candidates to maintain a cumulative university GPA of 3.0 and receive a C or better in all education related courses and major required content courses:

  (d) requires the study of:

  (i) content and content-specific pedagogy appropriate for the area of licensure;

  (ii) knowledge and skills designed to assist in the identification of students with disabilities and to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the regular classroom. Knowledge and skills shall include the following domains:

  (A) knowledge of disabilities under IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act;

  (B) knowledge of the role of non-special-education teachers in the education of students with disabilities;

  (C) skills in providing tier one instruction on the Utah Core Standards and positive behavior supports to students with disabilities within a multi-tiered system of supports including:

  (I) assessing and monitoring the education needs and progress of students with disabilities;

  (II) implementing and assessing the results of interventions; and

  (III) skills in the implementation of an educational program with accommodations and modifications established by an IEP or 504 plan for students with disabilities in the regular classroom; and

  (iii) knowledge and skills designed to meet the needs of diverse student populations in the regular classroom. These skills for diverse student populations shall include the skills to:

  (A) allow teachers to create an environment using a teaching model that is sensitive to multiple experiences and diversity;

  (B) design, adapt, and deliver instruction to address each student's diverse learning strengths and needs; and

  (C) incorporate tools of language development into planning and instruction for English language learners and support development of English proficiency; and

  (e) requires a student teaching culminating experience that:

  (i) requires a minimum of 400 clock hours with at least 200 clock hours in a single placement;

  (ii) requires that student teachers meet the same contract hours as licensed teachers in the same LEA;

  (iii) requires that the student teacher not be employed in any capacity by the LEA where he is placed except as provided in R277-504-7(3);

  (iv) includes placement in all content or licensure areas in which the candidate shall be licensed unless:

  (A) no viable student teaching placement in one or more of the candidate's endorsement areas is available; or

  (B) the candidate is seeking a license in Elementary (1-8) and is completing an elementary student teaching placement, but has also completed the USOE course requirements for an endorsement;

  (v) includes intermittent supervision and evaluation by institution personnel;

  (vi) includes direct supervision of the candidate by a classroom teacher that:

  (A) has been jointly selected by the institution student teaching placement officer and the LEA-designated authority over student teaching placement;

  (B) has been deemed effective by an evaluation system meeting the standards of R277-531 or the LEA's equivalent; and

  (C) has received training from the institution on the role and responsibilities of a classroom mentor teacher for student teachers, including the standards of R277-515;

  (vii) include meaningful self-reflection with review and feedback from both the classroom mentor teacher and institution personnel; or

  (f) Requires an internship culminating experience that:

  (i) consists of full-time employment as an educator for one school year with a minimum of 1260 clock hours at a single school site;

  (ii) requires that interns meet the same contract teaching hours as licensed teachers in the same LEA;

  (iii) includes placement in the major content or licensure area in which the candidate shall be licensed;

  (iv) where possible, includes placement in all content or licensure areas in which the candidate shall be licensed unless:

  (A) no viable internship in one or more of the candidate's non-major endorsement areas could be found; or

  (B) the candidate is seeking licensure in Elementary (1-8) and is completing an elementary internship, but has also completed the USOE course requirements for an endorsement;

  (v) includes intermittent supervision and evaluation by institution personnel;

  (vi) includes an LEA assigned mentor that:

  (A) has been jointly selected by the institution internship placement officer and the LEA-designated authority over internship placement;

  (B) has been deemed effective by an evaluation system meeting the standards of R277-531 or the LEA's equivalent; and

  (C) provides direct support and supervision to the intern during the regular school day in addition to the standard LEA supports of new teachers.

  (vii) includes meaningful self-reflection with review and feedback from both the assigned mentor and institution personnel;

  (2) The Board may accept the following for an individual candidate as completely or partially satisfying the student teaching/internship requirement:

  (a) one year of full-time contract teaching experience in a teaching position in a public or accredited private school in the candidate's proposed licensure content areas may completely satisfy the requirement;

  (b) teaching in a preschool or Headstart program may be accepted for up to one-half of the student teaching requirement;

  (c) teaching experience in business or industry may be accepted for up to one-half of the student teaching requirement; and

  (d) other experience accepted by the Board and designated as totally or partially fulfilling the requirement.