New Policy "Gates"                              

   Gate 1                                                   WTEP Flowchart

   Gate 2                                                    Retention

   Gate 3                                                    Dismissal

   Gate 4                                                    Exit Requirements

   Gate 5                                                   Testing Requirements                                            

   Gate 6                                                   Licensure Procedure in Arkansas  

   Important Information                                              Licensure Flowchart                                   

   NEW POLICY CHECKLIST          

New Policy “Gates”

Starting Fall 2004

 Students beginning at Williams who desire to seek admission into the Williams Teacher Education Program (WTEP) must complete at least forty-five semester hours and earn a minimum grade of "C" in the following courses:  English Composition I and II, Speech and Communication, College Algebra or Contemporary Math, and Introduction to Teaching.

All students must take Introduction to Teaching at Williams.  Furthermore, all students enrolled in Introduction to Teaching are required to take all three parts of the Praxis I in order to pass the class.  (Students beginning as freshmen at Williams are encouraged to take Introduction to Teaching during the first semester of their sophomore year.)   Transfer students with an AA degree or Junior status must take Introduction to Teaching and all three parts of the Praxis I during their first semester at WBC.   Transfer students without an AA degree will be counseled individually about when to take Introduction to Teaching.  Regardless, all transfer students will ultimately be required to complete the same basic requirements and steps as outlined for entering freshmen.

Students desiring to declare themselves as WTEP candidates must complete the appropriate “Declaration Form” and submit the form to the Department of Education/WTEP office. 

GATE 1

Students must pass all three parts of Praxis I and have official scores on file in the Education Office prior to proceeding with WTEP program candidacy. 

GATE 2

Once Praxis I has been passed and all prerequisites for screening have been met, students may apply to be screened for admission into the WTEP.  (These requirements are listed in the Introduction to Teaching Handbook and are available from the respective advisors and the Education Office.)  Students may apply to be screened as early as the second semester of their sophomore year but are encouraged to apply no later than the second semester of their junior year.   Screening application materials, including official Praxis I scores, must be submitted on or before the application deadline.  Interviews will take place during October and April of each year. 

Departments will be responsible for monitoring their teacher candidates and submitting disposition forms to the Education Office.  Once a student is admitted into the WTEP, the respective department will complete two disposition forms for that student per semester.  The department chair will review the disposition forms each semester and submit copies of these forms to the Education Office.  Should a problem arise with a candidate, the department chair and other members of the department will meet with the candidate and address the situation. 

GATE 3

Admission to ED 4113 Study of the School and ED 4133 Measurement and Evaluation will be allowed only after the student has been admitted into the WTEP and has met all GPA and departmental requirements.  An official recommendation form for each candidate will be completed by the respective department chair and sent to the Education Office.  Teacher candidates will not be allowed to enroll in these two courses until such a recommendation has been made. 

GATE 4

Teacher candidates must take all required Praxis II content tests, and submit official scores for the same, and complete all departmental requirements, including professional courses (ED 4113, ED 4133, and respective methods courses) with at least a grade of "C" prior to enrolling in Directed Student Teaching. 

GATE 5

Teacher candidates must take the Praxis II PLT, and submit official scores for the same, and fulfill Directed Student Teaching requirements to graduate. 

GATE 6

Teacher candidates must pass all Praxis II tests to apply for initial licensure and to be considered a WTEP Program Completer.

GATE 7

Praxis III must be passed to apply for standard licensure. (This is supervised by the Arkansas Department of Education.))

NOTE:  An appeal process exists.  A student may initiate an appeal at any step of the WTEP process.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

            A new policy has been implemented for any education student enrolling at Williams Baptist College as of fall of 2004. A student enrolled before this date will remain under the old policy. However it would be well advised for all education students to follow the new policy and guidelines. New procedures such as the declaration form and disposition form will go into affect as of fall 2004 to help faculty, staff, and students become familiar with the new forms and procedures.

Gate 3-Gate 6 is the same for any student no matter when they began at WBC.  

Retention Procedures

Once a student has met the criteria for admission and has received written confirmation of WTEP acceptance, he or she will continue to advance toward the goals of the program and a degree if the following criteria are met: 

1.  Voluntary and continued enrollment and satisfactory participation in upper level coursework at WBC that moves the student toward fulfilling the degree requirements of a Bachelor of Science in Education in his or her respective degree program. 

2.  Maintain a C or above in each required specialization and professional course. 

3.  Adherence to WBC and WTEP policies for teacher candidates while engaged in field experiences.

4.  Consultation with an education faculty advisor in the Teacher Education Program is necessary to assess status and progress toward program completion.  One session each semester is required.  Additional sessions may be scheduled as deemed necessary.

 Dismissal Procedures

 Dismissal of a teacher candidate from the WTEP is a result of the Teacher Education Admission Committee’s recommendation.  Steps preceding the recommendation include one or more conferences with the teacher candidate in question based on the following conditions:

 1.  A teacher candidate requests withdrawal from the WTEP.

 2.  An unfortunate condition of physical or emotional health or disease that would prevent a teacher candidate from the normal day-to-day process of completing course work and participating in activities related to teaching.  In this event the student would be advised to redirect his or her abilities to another field or be advised to postpone the acquisition of a degree in education until such condition did not exist.

3.  A teacher candidate demonstrates personal or professional behavior that unsatisfactorily represents the sequential professional development as expressed in the WTEP philosophy, goals, and objectives.      

4.  Conduct that would not be consistent with WBC general college standards as described in the Williams Baptist College Academic Catalog and Student Handbook or a felony conviction.

Exit Requirements

Teacher candidates who fulfill the following requirements will receive a Bachelor of Science in Education from Williams Baptist College: 

1.  Meet admission requirements and course work requirements outlined in the Williams Baptist College Academic Catalog and Student Handbook. 

2.  Fulfill each criterion of WTEP Admission Requirements, WTEP Retention Procedures, and WTEP Student Teaching Admission Requirements. 

3.  Successfully complete a semester of Directed Student Teaching as described in the respective Professional Requirements sections of this catalog. 

4.  Submit official Praxis II (those required by ADE for the area of certification) to the Registrar’s office by the last day of finals prior to spring graduation. STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ENSURE THE TIMELY SUBMISSION OF THE REQUIRED SCORES TO THE REGISTRAR’S OFFICE.

                        **As of Spring 2004 ALL WTEP students will be required to take the appropriate PLT sections of Praxis II in order to qualify for graduation. If a student does not achieve the state mandated score for passing, that student will receive a letter from the WTEP chair warning the student that failure to achieve a passing score on Praxis II precludes them from receiving “initial licensure” from ADE. Students will be required to sign a warning letter in the presence of an official school representative. Once the letter is signed and filed, the student may receive a diploma. 

5.  Complete and file a Williams Baptist College Intent to Graduate Form by prescribed date in the current WBC catalog. 

6. Satisfy all Williams Baptist College financial obligations. 

 7. Successfully pass the English Proficiency Examination as well as all other WBC requirements as stated  in the catalog. 

8.  File an application form with Williams Baptist College to request Arkansas Teacher Licensure. The request will be submitted once a student has been declared a WTEP completer. WTEP completers are defined as teacher candidates who have completed all degree requirements and passed all Praxis II tests as required by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Testing Requirements

            The Praxis II content test(s) for each major must be taken during the (Block) semester, if not before.  Teacher candidates must take the test(s) early in the semester so that the official scores arrive in the Education Office prior to directed student teaching.  The Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) may be taken during this semester or during the semester of directed student teaching.  Again, candidates must take the test early enough to allow time for the official scores to arrive prior to graduation.  A candidate may continue in the program and receive an education degree if all requirements are met, however, the candidate will not be a program completer or be eligible for teacher licensure until all state required tests are passed. 

 *The state of Arkansas has determined that since English majors complete a pedagogy test for their content knowledge, those majors do not have to take the PLT.  All other majors that WBC offers must complete the PLT prior to graduation.

Introduction to Teaching Handbook

Pre-Directed Handbook

Directed Student Teaching Handbook