Exit Requirements for Student Teaching

Each student teacher must meet all exit criteria for successful completion of EMU's teacher education program and to obtain Virginia licensure. These criteria are:

In addition to meeting the requirements for your academic major, you must satisfy the following exit requirements.

You must:

1. have passed the Praxis Subject Assessment for each licensure area.
2. meet the Virginia State cut-off score requirements for the Praxis Subject Assessment and the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary exam (if required).
3. maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 through the final semester and achieve a C or better in all education and methods courses (courses with an ED/EDS prefix, VACA 397, VACA 398, MUED 341, MUED 342, PE 401, PE 402).
4. successfully complete student teaching as determined by the university consultant in conjunction with the cooperating teacher.
5. successfully complete ED 411 Reflective Teaching Seminar with a passing grade.
6. meet requirements for child abuse & neglect recognition & reporting curriculum guidelines of the Virginia Department of Education: http://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/cps/mandated_reporters/cwse5691/story.html
7. complete dyslexia awareness training, provided by the Virginia Department of Education, on the indicators of dyslexia and the evidence-based interventions and accommodations for dyslexia: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching/licensure/dyslexia-module/story.html
8. complete behavior intervention and support training, provided by the Virginia Department of Education, on the use of restraint and seclusion: https://www.odu.edu/eps/programs/ciees/initiatives/restraint-and-seclusion.html
9. complete instruction or training in cultural competency as per guidelines from the Virginia Board of Education.
10. complete the application for a Virginia teaching license.

Approved by COTE May 10, 2022

You will be required to take the Praxis Subject Assessment and Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary exam (if applicable) to receive initial licensure in Virginia and most other states. You should register directly through the Educational Testing Services. Registration information is available on the web at http://www.ets.org/praxis and in the teacher education office.  When registering for Praxis tests, please select EMU as the institutional score recipient. You are responsible to submit a copy of your score report to the teacher education program office.

You will also be required to pass the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) for licensure in Virginia. This test is administered in Virginia with dates announced at the beginning of each school year. You should register directly through the National Evaluation Systems, Inc. (NES). Registration information is available on the web at http://www.va.nesinc.com/. A copy of your score report must be submitted to the teacher education program office.

You are responsible for all test fees. Current cut-off scores for each test are listed in Appendix A of this handbook and on the web:  http://www.emu.edu/education/test-scores/.

Please be aware that required tests for licensure vary from state to state. It is possible that you will need to take additional tests to qualify for licensure in the state to which you are applying.