Teacher Education and Certification Information

Teacher Education Programs

Alternative Certification Program (ACP)

Program Policies

Teacher Certification Requirements Through B,A. in Education

Teacher Certification Requirements Through M.A.T.

Teacher Certification Requirements Through A.C.P.

Praxis I and Praxis II Examinations

Certification Application Process

Teacher Education Programs in the School of Education

The School of Education offers specializations in early childhood education and elementary education, secondary education, special education, and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

• The early childhood specialization provides the knowledge and field-based experience for students who wish to work with young children in child care, nursery, kindergarten and primary schools, Head Start, or in non-school settings (ages 3-8).
• The elementary education specialization features a comprehensive core of knowledge and field experiences for students who wish to work with elementary school students (grades 1-6).
• The secondary education specialization is offered in the fields of English, mathematics, social studies, and physical science. It provides a comprehensive core of knowledge and field experiences for students to teach in a specific academic content area in grades seven through twelve. Students must meet with an advisor to assess requirements in the chosen academic area. The courses listed below are required in addition to general education and professional educationrequirements.
• English: Thirty-six (36) semester hours is required in course work from the following: writing process,  American literature, English literature, linguistics, oral communication, world literature or comparative literature, multicultural literature, drama, journalism, adolescent literature and mythology.
• Math: Thirty-three (33) semester hours of course work is required: Six (6) semester credits in calculus and three (3) semester credits each in: algebra, geometry, computer science, probability and statistics, number theory, trigonometry, mathematical modeling or applied mathematics, discrete mathematics, history of mathematics.
• General Science: Thirty (30) semester hours is required in course work.  A minimum of six (6) semester credits in each of the following is required: biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, environmental science.
• Social Studies: Thirty-three (33) semester hours is required in course work from the following: history, world history, United States history, the history and government of the District of Columbia, physical or cultural geography, economics, political science, and at least one course in international relations, global studies, law, philosophy, psychology, sociology, social science, or anthropology
• The special education specialization provides a comprehensive core of knowledge and field experiences for students wishing to work with children and youth with special needs in a variety of special education settings. The course work is designed to prepare students for non-categorical certification, kindergarten through grade twelve.
• The teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) specialization provides a comprehensive core of knowledge and field experiences for students desiring to work with students for whom English is not their primary language. The course work is designed to prepare prospective teachers to work with students in kindergarten through grade twelve.

Alternative Certification Program

Trinity’s Alternative Certification Program (ACP), which consists of 20 credits at the graduate level, is a collaborative initiative between Trinity’s School of Education and the District of Columbia Public Schools. The goal of the program is to recruit and prepare new teachers to meet the requirements for certification through an alternative route to teach elementary or secondary English, social studies, mathematics or physical science. Participants in this program must be teaching in D.C. schools (public, private, charter or parochial) and must apply for a Provisional Teaching Certificate in the School of Education. (To apply for a Provisional Teaching Certificate students must have successfully completed Praxis I (preprofessional skills test) as well as the Content Area Praxis II exam in elementary education, or in secondary education in the fields of English, social studies, mathematics or physical science. The program curriculum is grounded in the core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and is customized to meet local certification and performance assessment requirements for teachers. The program prepares teachers in elementary education, and in secondary education in English, mathematics, social studies and physical science.

Participants in the Alternative Certification Program are supported by a network of Trinity faculty and mentors composed of experienced school and teaching professionals who are dedicated to assuring each student's success. All program participants complete a final Teaching Portfolio that reflects the knowledge, skills, and competencies leading to initial licensure. The assignments in course work completed throughout the program comprise components of the portfolio.

Program Policies

Advanced Placement: Credits earned through Advanced Placement Examinations may fulfill general education for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a 4 or 5 on the examination and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

Student Assessment System: The School of Education has a Unit Assessment System aligned with its goals to ensure that all candidates have the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to be successful in their respective fields. In conjunction with the Unit Assessment System the Teacher Preparation Programs (B.A., MAT and ACP) have assessments designed to ensure that its’ teacher candidates meet the standards of their professional associations. To accomplish this key assessments have been designed to measure a candidate’s progress through the program. Most of these assessments are embedded in course work with the exception of the Comprehensive Exam required prior to student teaching. The Comprehensive Exam is scheduled each semester and is required prior to student teaching. All candidates must successfully complete all key assessments in order to fulfill the requirements of their program. The student’s advisor explains the assessment system upon acceptance into the School of Education.

CLEP Policy: Credits earned through CLEP Examinations may fulfill general education for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a score that confers credit following the guidelines of the ACE and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

Experiential Credit Policy: Credits earned through professional experience may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, experiential credits may not substitute for education courses counted toward the major, minor, or undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program.

Grades in Undergraduate Education Courses: Students are required to earn a minimum GPA of 2.5 in all Education core courses and a GPA of 3.0 in Education methods courses to fulfill requirements for the major, the minor, and/or the undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program.

Pass/No Pass: Courses fulfilling the major, minor, or undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program -- including general education courses required for certification -- may not be taken Pass/No Pass.

Praxis I Examination
The Praxis I examination is a prerequisite for admission into the M.A.T. and the ACP Programs at Trinity. Students must present official copies of passing scores based on the requirements of the District of Columbia. The test is administered by the Educational Testing Service and measures reading, writing, and computational skills vital to all teacher candidates. Further information about the test, testing dates and locations can be obtained at http://www.ets.org or from ETS, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. Trinity's school code is RA5796. Note:  Assistance with Praxis I preparation is offered through the Professional Development Workshops at Trinity.  Information regarding these workshops can be obtained at Professional Development Workshops. Preparation courses in Reading/Writing and in Math are offered in a hybrid format (combination of on-line and class meeting) each semester.

Any student currently enrolled in the M.A.T. program who has not successfully completed PRAXIS I, will not be eligible to receive their degree until official passing Praxis I scores are submitted to Trinity and recorded.

Students pursuing a B.A. in Education, an undergraduate minor in education, or the B.A./M.A.T. Program must pass Praxis I prior to registering for education courses at the 300-level or above.

Praxis II Examination
The Praxis II examinations, administered by the Educational Testing Service, measure prospective teachers' knowledge of the subjects they will teach as well as how much they know about teaching that subject. Further information about these tests, testing dates and locations can be obtained at http://www.ets.org or from ETS, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. The College recommends that M.A.T. candidates and B.A. in Education candidates register and take the Praxis II in their content area prior to or during student teaching. While passing the Praxis II is not a graduation requirement from Trinity, it is a certification requirement in the District of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions. The College will not be able to process the paperwork for certification now required by the District of Columbia without official notification of passing scores on Praxis II.

Study Abroad: Courses taken through a study abroad program approved by Trinity may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, education courses taken abroad will not count toward the major, minor, or undergraduate portion of the B.A./M.A.T. Program.

Transfer Credits: Transfer credits may be awarded only after appropriate program review. Courses at the 400-level and above must be completed at Trinity.

Teacher Certification Requirements through BA in Education

The School of Education offers a course of study that qualifies a student for a Standard Teaching License in the District of Columbia and a Bachelors of Arts in education degree (BA). Students must meet the following general requirements to qualify for teacher certification and the M.A.T.:

• Complete their bachelor's degree from Trinity. Course work must include:
• 43 to 50 credits in education course work
• 48 credits of general education (liberal arts)
• Foundation for Leadership Curriculum
• 33-36 credits in field of specialization for secondary teachers
• Earn passing scores on the Praxis I and Praxis II examinations

Teacher Certification Requirements through M.A.T.

The School of Education offers a course of study that qualifies a student for a Standard Teaching License in the District of Columbia and a Masters of Arts in Teaching degree (M.A.T.) Students must meet the following general requirements to qualify for teacher certification and the M.A.T.:

• Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Course work must include:
• 33-36 credits in field of specialization for secondary teachers
• 48 credits of general education (liberal arts)
• Earn passing scores on the Praxis I and Praxis II examinations
• Complete 41-51 credits of graduate course work in education

Bachelor's Degree and General Education Requirements

In order to receive state certification, individuals must hold a baccalaureate degree (B.A., B.S., or equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution. Additionally, individuals must have completed at least 33-36 semester hours in their subject of specialization (e.g. English, mathematics, physical science or social studies) and 48 semester hours of general education (GEN.ED.) distributed among the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics, and health and physical education. All GEN.ED. courses must be completed with a “C” or Better. The required general education course distribution is as follows:

• Humanities (at least one course in each area) 12 semester hours minimum
• English grammar and composition (including vocabulary development and reading comprehension)
• Literature, art, music, philosophy
• Foreign language
• Social Sciences (at least one course in each area) 12 semester hours minimum
• American history
• History, anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, geography, psychology, world studies, or contemporary world cultures
• Natural Sciences and Mathematics (at least one course in each area) 12 semester hours minimum
• Laboratory science
• Mathematics
• Health and Physical Education 4 semester hours minimum
• Credits must include coursework in substance abuse education
• An additional 8 semester hours in Humanities, Social Sciences, and/or Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Graduate Course Work in Education

A student must complete 41-51 credits of courses in graduate education including 6 credits in student teaching. These credits must fulfill the minimum requirements of the student's specialization. Specific requirements for each specialization are listed in the respective sections of this catalog.

Praxis I and Praxis II Examinations

The Praxis examinations, administered by the Educational Testing Service, are used by D.C. Public Schools as part of their teacher certification process. The Praxis I examination measures reading, writing, and computational skills vital to all teacher candidates. The Praxis II examinations measure prospective teachers' knowledge of the subjects they will teach, as well as how much they know about teaching that subject and is usually taken in the last semester of course work. Students are responsible for arranging to take these tests and have their scores reported to Trinity as well as appropriate certification agencies. Further information is available from ETS, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 or online at http://www.ets.org. Trinity's school code is RA5796. See Trinity's policy about Praxis Examinations.

Alternative Certification Program (ACP) Requirements

Provisional Certificate

1.Candidates for the Alternative Certification Program must hold a baccalaureate degree having maintained an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.8.

2. Be employed by the District of Columbia as a teacher (or teach in a DC private, charter or parochial school).

3. Taken Praxis I and obtained a passing score according to DC standards.

4. Taken and passed Praxis II level exam in the content area that they are teaching and pursuing.

Standard Certificate

Students in the Alternative Certification Program (ACP) who complete the following program requirements can apply for a Standard Certificate:

• Be employed in the District of Columbia as a teacher in a public, private, charter or parochial school.
• Earn passing scores on the Praxis I examination, a pre-professional skills test in reading, writing, and mathematics and the Praxis II Content area and Pedagogy (in their specialization ) administered by ETS
• Complete the 20 credits of sequenced graduate study in the Alternative Certification Program with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Receive successful mid-term and final course and teaching assessments from Trinity faculty and the local school system.
• Complete a Teaching Portfolio documenting the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for initial licensure in the school district in which the student is teaching.

 A review of undergraduate course work in content and subject areas is also necessary to ensure that the general education requirements that pertain to teacher certification eligibility have been met.  These requirements usually involve 48 credit hours in a range of disciplines that help ensure that future teachers are well-equipped to meet rigorous content standards. All GEN.ED. requirements must be met prior to the ACP participants application for standard teacher certification.

Certification Application Process  

1. Complete the certification processing form obtained from the School of Education Office
2. Complete the application form for the license you wish to obtain. (Most forms can be obtained from the School of Education Office).
3. You must supply your official Trinity transcript in a sealed envelop. Transcript requests are made at the Registrar’s Office on the 1 st floor of the Main Building. Transcripts cost $5 and can be mailed to you or you may pick them un. Normal processing time to receive your transcript is 2 weeks.
4. You must supply a copy of your official tests scores that apply to the credential you are seeking. (Praxis I, Praxis II, or SLLA).
5. A $30.00 money order made out to the “ District of Columbia Public Schools needs to be included.
6. All information is left with the administrative assistant in the School of Education Office. Generally, it takes 2 to 4 weeks to process the forms and send them to the District of Columbia.