Throughout a candidate's four years in the Education Division, candidates are evaluated using a number of ALSDE aligned key assessments:
ACTS Evaluation: This key assessment aligns with general teaching standards and expectations as defined by the ALSDE. The assessment includes items related to teaching effectiveness in planning, instruction, assessment, technology, and professionalism. Students engaged in clinical experiences during the freshman, sophomore, and junior years are rated on skills of planning, teaching, technology, and professionalism by their mentor teachers. This assessment is used throughout all field experiences, with final, summative data collected during the internship, during which time the pre-service candidates must earn a 3 rating or better prior to the completion of the internship. Internship ratings are determined in concert by the cooperating teacher and college supervisor.
Program-Specific CIEP evaluations: These key assessments are subject specific and align with ALSDE program standards. The assessments measure content and pedagogical content knowledge. Although aspects or items of these evaluations are used throughout completion of a candidate's content-specific coursework, the final official evaluation of content is determined during the senior year internship. Interns must earn a 3 rating or better prior to the completion of the internship. Internship ratings are determined in concert by the cooperating teacher and college supervisor.
Candidates are encouraged to know, explore, and self-assess using the instruments below. Clinical instructors, content-area partners and college supervisors will also provide ongoing feedback on achievement of these standards throughout a candidate's clincial experiences.
Clinical Experiences (Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Students)
5-Day Structured Lab Experience
(Placement at school is scheduled by student)
The 5-Day Structured Lab Experience is a placement that a potential teacher candidate has scheduled to observe classroom instruction as they decide if they want to pursue certification in a specific field. Mentor teachers are asked to complete the form below, using a school-based email as verification, to do the following: (a) provide evidence of attendance and hours; and (b) to assess teaching dispositions of the student that will be considered when applying for unconditional admission to a certification program. The student must complete the 5-Day Structured Lab Experience in a grade and content-area they seek to pursue in education.
Instructions: Principals and mentor teachers, please complete the approval/verification form linked below.
5-Day Structured Lab Experience Approval and Verification Form
Clinical Experiences (Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Students) Instructions
(Placement in school is scheduled by the SHC Coordinator of Clinical Experiences)
The ACTS Teaching Standards Key Assessment is used throughout a candidate's four years when completing labs in alignment with courses in program curricula.
Regardless of your specific program or discipline, candidate effectiveness will be measured throughout all clinical experiences during a candidate's academic career on planning, teaching, technology, and professionalism.
Instructions: Mentor teachers, please rate your SHC lab student using the form below.
Internship (Senior Year Culminating Capstone Experience)
An internship provides the opportunity to successfully provide readiness through on-the-job performance at a site approved and placed by the the SHC Director of Field Experiences and under the supervision of an SHC faculty member. This is an important requirement that will not be waived for any reason. The following guidelines are provided to understand the internship experience:
The experience is full-time for one semester (minimum of 600 clock hours), with 20 full days of teaching, 10 of which must be consecutive days. (Notes: If a candidate seeks certification in distinct fields, he or she must complete an additional internship; If a candidate seeks certification in related fields (i.e., chemistry and physics), he or she may have the internship divided between the two fields.
Cooperating teachers will have at least three years of classroom experience and hold a Class A master's degree or have NBPTS certification in the appropriate field of the internship. If a cooperating teacher cannot be secured who meets these criteria, the administration of the school site can make recommendations of expertise, based on additional teaching or professional experiences and performance evaluations. When working in concert with the school-site administration, the Chair of the Division may document and grant an exception for a cooperating teacher who holds a valid Class B certification.
For elementary education majors, the internship shall include lower elementary (grades K-3) and upper elementary (grades 4-6) placements if substantial work was not achieved in both areas during earlier clinical experiences.
In order to ensure diverse experiences throughout academic programs, interns will be placed at school sites that ensure they have worked in a diverse number of settings and with a diverse population of students.
Instructions for Interns, Mentor Teachers, and College Supervisor: Please complete all the forms in the appropriate content field, inclusive of ratings of Alabama Core Teaching Standards and content-specific CIEP standards for your intern at the mid-semester and again as a final evaluation.
The official summative data, agreed upon by the cooperating teacher and college supervisor, will be entered by the college supervisor and audited by the college supervisor's email address.
A final official score of 3 or better is required during internship on each standard/item within the ACTS and CIEP key assessments.
CIEP assessment rubrics that inform and describe expected behavior can be located and printed at the following links per discipline:
For use at midterm and final evaluation by Mentor Teacher and Intern
For use at final evaluation by College Supervisor
For use at midterm and final evaluation by Mentor Teacher and Intern
For use at final evaluation by College Supervisor
For use at midterm and final evaluation by Mentor Teacher and Intern
For use at final evaluation by College Supervisor
For use at midterm and final evaluation by Mentor Teacher and Intern
For use at final evaluation by College Supervisor