CSC Department of Education Acceptance to Program

Chadron State College recognizes its obligation to prospective candidates for teaching, to the public schools, and to the state, by giving careful consideration to each applicant for admission into the Teacher Education Program. Qualities believed essential to good teaching are considered through professional judgment in determining the applicant's fitness for entering the program. These include:

1. Intelligence and scholarship
2. Command of oral and written English
3. Ability to foster cognitive and affective development of children and adolescents
4. Social, emotional and personal maturity
5. Physical capability to handle teaching responsibilities
6. Affirmation under oath that the student has no felony conviction or misdemeanor conviction involving abuse, neglect or sexual misconduct (Guide to Nebraska Teacher Education Institutions, Nebraska Department of Education, Code Section 004.01, subsection 004.11D)
7. Affirmation under oath that the student does not have an order or determination currently in effect by a court or any other government body which finds the student to be any of the following; mentally incompetent to stand trial, acquitted of criminal charges because of insanity, an incapacitated person in need of a guardian, or unable to manage his/her property due to mental illness, mental deficiency, chronic use of drugs or chronic intoxication; or is currently an inpatient or resident in a mental health facility due to a determination by a qualified mental health professional (Guide to Nebraska Department of Education, Code Section 004.01, subsection 004.01L)

Students interested in becoming candidates for teacher education must enroll in the class Introduction to Teaching the semester they wish to apply for admittance (normally in the freshman year, and before the end of the junior year). This course enables students to study the field of teaching and to evaluate themselves as potential teachers.

1. Applications are initiated under the direction and advice of the Director of Field Experiences, and submitted to the Director of Field Experiences for further processing.
2. Completed applications are referred to the Screening Committee for formal action after the student has completed at least one semester of college. Enrollment in PSYC 231 will be restricted to those students who have earned a "C" or better in EDUC 131.
3. Students who are denied admittance to the teacher education curriculum will be helped by the college guidance staff to find a more appropriate career.

Admission Requirements

To be fully accepted into the Teacher Education Program, candidates must meet the following requirements;

1. Every student must have been admitted to the Teacher Education Program before they may enroll in Observation and Participation (EDUC 300, EDUC 320), or before they may participate in any field experience pertaining to these courses.
2. Intelligence and scholarship; as evidenced by the following:
   1. attainment of a satisfactory score on a basic skills test administered by the college (PPST or computerized PPST: Reading 170, Math 171, and Writing 172)
   2. completion of 30 semester hours of college work;
   3. an overall G.P.A. of at least 2.50 is required. The G.P.A. will be calculated by using all previous college/university course work as well as course work from CSC;
   4. completion of the college's three courses (6 hours of General Studies Composition courses, and CA 125) in written and oral communications, with no grade lower than a "C"; and
   5. completion of EDUC 131, Introduction to Teaching, with a grade of "C" or above.
3. Character and personality, as evidenced by the following:
   1. three references from high school and home community;
   2. affirmation under oath that the student has no felony nor misdemeanor convictions involving abuse, neglect, or injury to any person, nor any other convictions involving moral turpitude (Guide to Nebraska Teacher Education Institutions, Nebraska Department of Education, Code Section 004.01, subsection 004.11D); and
   3. affirmation under oath that the student does not have an order or determination currently in effect by a court or any other government body which finds the student to be any of the following: mentally incompetent to stand trial, acquitted of criminal charges because of insanity, an incapacitated person in need of a guardian, or unable to manage his/her property due to mental illness, mental deficiency, chronic use of drugs or chronic intoxication; or is currently an inpatient or resident in a mental health facility due to a determination by a qualified mental health professional (Guide to Nebraska Teacher Education Institutions, Nebraska Department of Education, Code Section 004.01, subsection 004.01L).
4. Health and physical fitness, as evidenced by the following:
   1. emotional stability;
   2. absence of defects that would impair successful teaching; and
   3. absence of predisposition toward poor health as determined by a physical and medical examination at the request of the college Screening Committee.

Students who fail to meet all of the above requirements will be denied admission until such time as the criteria are met.