The process begins when the Office of Student Placements receives and confirms that a teacher candidate meets the criteria to participate in Clinical Practice or "Clears.".  Consultation with the Program Director, Chair, and others involved in the teacher preparation occurs and a request for a potential placement is sent to the school district's facilitator of student teaching placements.  The school district facilitator's role is determining which trained teachers are available to take on a student teacher in their district.  Many factors must be considered before a district agrees to place a student teacher.  In the past, some teacher candidates have attempted to set up their clinical practice placements directly with the teacher.  This practice is greatly discouraged and in many instances, the district has been highly displeased with this practice.  We expect our teacher candidates to act professionally by respecting this placement process.  However, a trained teacher may work with their district facilitator of student teaching placements to arrange for a clinical practice placement with an APU teacher candidate.

No.  We must collaborate with our school district partners to determine clinical practice placements.  Students are not allowed to set up their placements.  The Office of Student Placements works with school districts to create placements.  Any attempt by a teacher candidate to secure placement in a desired school district may hurt their chances of being placed with that district. 

School District  - Yes. On the Clinical Practice Application, Teacher Candidates indicate their top five District Choices from a list of School Districts with whom we have an active and working partnership.  If a School District is not listed when the Clinical Practice Application is released, the Office of Student Placements cannot accommodate any placement in the unlisted School District.   Please note that the Office of Student Placements cannot guarantee placement in the top two District Choices the Teacher Candidate indicates on their application.  Please note that the Teacher Candidate may not contact the School District.  It is up to the School District's discretion to determine the site placement of a Teacher Candidate.  Contacting the School District may hurt the Teacher Candidate's chances of being placed with that School District. 

School Site - Yes.  Teacher Candidates can note specific School Site requests on their Clinical Practice Application. However, the Office of Student Placements cannot guarantee placement within those requests.  Please note that the Teacher Candidate may not contact the School District.  It is up to the School District's discretion to determine the site placement of a Teacher Candidate.  Contacting the School District may hurt the Teacher Candidate's chances of being placed with that School District.

Cooperating Teacher - No. The Office of Student Placements is unable to make specific Cooperating Teacher requests.  The placement of any Teacher Candidate is up to the discretion of the School District.  Please note that the Teacher Candidate may not contact the School District.  It is up to the School District's discretion to determine the placement of a Teacher Candidate.  Contacting the School District may hurt the Teacher Candidate's chances of being placed with that School District.

Grade Level - Yes/No. The Office of Student Placements considers the credential program a Teacher Candidate is enrolled in.  Teacher Candidates can note specific Grade Level requests on their Clinical Practice Application. However, the Office of Student Placements cannot guarantee placement within those requests. The placement of any Teacher Candidate is up to the discretion of the School District.  Please note that the Teacher Candidate may not contact the School District.  It is up to the School District's discretion to determine the placement of a Teacher Candidate.  Contacting the School District may hurt the Teacher Candidate's chances of being placed with that School District.

Yes. It is specified that to serve as a Cooperating Teacher to a Teacher Candidate from Azusa Pacific University, the District Supervisor must hold a Clear Credential in the content area for which they are providing supervision and have a  minimum of three years of content area K-12 teaching experience. 

The student teaching calendar of days conforms to the school site where the teacher candidate is placed and not to APU's academic calendar.  It is our hope that few changes to Clinical Practice start/end dates will occur.  

Districts process the Clinical Practice placement requests at various paces.  Some are quick to respond, while others take longer.  Some districts wait until they have completed their placements before informing the Office of Student Placements.  Other districts provide separate notifications for each placement as they are confirmed.  We understand that you may get anxious waiting to hear about your placement.  While waiting to hear about your placement, make sure you are preparing for this experience: update your Resume and create a Cover Letter or Letter of Introduction to provide to your Cooperating Teacher and Site Administrator.

As districts respond to our placement requests, you will be notified of your assignment with all contact information by email.  Our Student Records Coordinator often reaches out by phone as well.  It is important to remember that you are beginning a 16-week job interview.  Even if the school site or school district where you are placed does not have any openings in your credential area for the next year, you are developing contacts and colleagues who can serve as references in your future job search.  Communication with your Cooperating Teacher and Site Administrator must be professional.  As a result, when you receive your assignment information, you should contact your cooperating teacher and site administrator and provide them with a cover letter/introduction about yourself, provide them with your resume, and thank them for providing this opportunity.  You can find tips on building effective resumes and writing effective cover letters or letters of introduction at the School of Education's Career Resources webpage.  

Even though you submitted your negative TB test and Certificate of Clearance to the Office of Student Placements, some of our district partners may require you to provide additional documentation directly to them.  Please pay close attention to any accompanying information with your assignment notification.  You must contact your cooperating teacher and comply promptly with any accompanying information.  Placements have been lost because the teacher candidate did not contact the School District, turn in the requested documents, or contact the Cooperating Teacher in a timely manner.

Although we consider where you live during your clinical practice semester, making every effort to secure a placement within 20 minutes of your home address, you may be required to commute a distance to your clinical practice placement.  This is to ensure placement with quality Cooperating Teachers.

Students are expected to be in good academic standing, which requires a 3.0 GPA.  Students must earn a B- or better in all prerequisite program coursework to participate in clinical practice.

The grade earned in preliminary teaching credential courses must be a B- or better.  Transcripts are checked at the end of the semester before clinical practice.  If a grade lower than B- is posted, the Office of Student Placements will cancel the placement.  The student may re-apply when a satisfactory grade is earned in the course, adhering to the deadline dates for the semester in which the student wants to participate in clinical practice. 

Students who hold an incomplete in coursework may apply for Clinical Practice.  However, a placement request will not be sent to districts until any incomplete has been awarded a final grade.  The Teacher Candidate will have two weeks after the application deadline to notify the Office of Student Placements that all work has been completed and a final grade has been awarded.  Failure to do so will result in the application being withdrawn by the Office of Student Placements.  The Teacher Candidate will need to re-apply for the subsequent semester.  Work must be given to the instructor promptly to allow adequate time for reviewing and grading.

Any incomplete posted before the semester of Clinical Practice must be completed four weeks before the first day of classes for the Clinical Practice semester.  Failure to do so will result in the Office of Student Placements canceling the placement.  The student will need to re-apply for the subsequent semester.

Please notify the Office of Student Placements immediately regarding any changes to your application or ability to participate in Clinical Practice. You must re-apply for clinical practice, adhering to the deadline dates for the semester in which you want to participate in Clinical Practice.

Please refer to our Policy on Private School Teaching for complete information.