Undergraduate or post bac students in ANY teacher certification area who have completed ALL requirements for certification with the exception of student teaching may be hired by a school district to begin teaching during their student teaching semester.  The student would then complete Student Teaching as the "Teacher of Record" in the classroom.

In Situations where a school district contacts the University and requests that a student teacher be allowed to student teach and also be the classroom teacher of record, the Office of Student Services responds as follows:

If the school district does not have a specific student in mind to fill this role, a letter of notification is sent to a select number of students who might be appropriate candidates (based on an analysis of their transcripts).  This letter instructs the interested students to contact the school district directly and explains that the student must complete the requirements for student teaching in addition to the regular classroom duties.  If an acceptable student is identified and the student and school district agree to this arrangement, the following procedures are followed:

The Coordinator of Educational Field Experiences contacts the school district and discusses the conditions under which this arrangement would be possible.  If agreeable, the following documentation must be submitted in a packet to the Educational Field Experiences Office in Hill Hall, Room 200:

• A letter of request from the school principal detailing the reasons and rationale for the placement of a student teacher as Teacher of Record 
• A letter of request from the prospective student teacher detailing a desire to enter into this agreement.  This letter must include supporting evidence regarding the student's background, experiences, and personal attributes that would contribute to such an arrangement. 
• A letter of support from the Missouri State Department Head of the prospective student teacher's content area

This documentation is then evaluated by the Director of COE Student Services, the Dean of the College of Education, and the Department Head  and Dean of the student's major.  Not all requests are approved.  However, If approved the following guidelines must be followed during student teaching:

• The School District MUST have a fully certified teacher in the classroom with the student teacher for the first six weeks. 
• At the end of this six week period, the University Student Teaching Supervisor, Cooperating Teacher and Principal evaluate the progress of the Student Teacher.  If the progress is sufficient and the student teacher feels comfortable, the Cooperating Teacher may be permitted to remain in the classroom as little as every other day for the next two weeks. 
• At the end of this two week period, an evaluation is made by the Student Teacher, Cooperating Teacher, Principal, Missouri State Supervisor and Coordinator of Educational Field Experiences to determine the level of progress. 
• Upon mutual agreement among all parties, the student teacher may then be allowed to teach the class without a Cooperating Teacher in the classroom. 
• The school district continues to maintain a Cooperating Teacher assigned to the Student Teacher for the entire period of student teaching.  This Cooperating Teacher observes the Student Teacher once a week and provides written evaluation.  The Cooperating Teacher is available for conferences with the University Supervisor and assists with the mid-semester and final evaluations.

If all parties agree to the the conditions listed above, the school district will work with the Teacher Certification Office at Missouri State to complete the application process for a Provisional Teaching Certificate.