Education Senior Checklist

• Degree audits can be found on: my.missouristate.edu > Degree Audit and SEP card > Degree Works
• Degree audits do not automatically update. You MUST click “PROCESS” to update.
• Email your advisor regarding any deficiencies. Your advisor will make updates.
• Post-bac students will not have a degree audit but instead they can view their Individual Program of Study (IPS). Check with your advisor to ensure you have met all requirements. Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students have a degree audit and IPS.

• Fall applications are due by February 1. Spring applications are due by August 1.
• Internship Academy participants must apply to student teach for the spring semester.
• The student teaching application can be found on: my.missouristate.edu > Teacher Education Resources card > Student Teaching Application

Student teachers must read the Student Teaching Handbook in its entirety. It is understood that if the student teacher has questions about the handbook, it is the student teacher’s responsibility to contact their program coordinator and/or university supervisor.

Please note: Not all programs allow out-of-area or out-of-state placement and must be approved by the program on an individual basis.

Review out-of-area student teaching information.

Review student teaching as Teacher of Record information.

Review compliances needed for student teaching.

• To receive credit for student teaching, students must register for student teaching coursework. See advising notes.
• Student teaching fees will be charged accordingly and are the responsibility of the student teacher.
  • All student teachers are charged $350.00.
  • Out-of-area student teachers will be charged an additional $450.00. 
• In some cases, out- of-area expenses will exceed $450. In this case, the out-of-area student teacher will be charged the requested total. All additional charges will be the responsibility of the student teacher.

**Please note: the last day to take the MoGEA and the MoCA is June
23, 2024, however some tests have different dates. Check the MEGA website by clicking on your state-required certification assessment and looking at the top for the last available date. For example, the last day for the Chinese, French, and German MoCA is March 17, 2024 and the last day for the Spanish MoCA is May 12, 2024.
Starting July 1, 2024, the Praxis will replace the MoCA requirement. Details coming soon. All passing MoGEA and MoCA scores will continue to be accepted for certification.**

• When should the assessment be completed?
  • An attempt is required before the student teaching start date. Exception: MAT students must attempt the assessment during their first semester of coursework. Please consult with your academic advisor or program coordinator to determine the best time to attempt the assessment.
  • A passing score on the assessment is required for certification. Exception: MAT students must pass the assessment before the student teaching start date.
  • It is recommended that the assessment is passed before student teaching. Certification will be recommended after the assessment is passed.
• Register for the assessment on the MEGA website. Refer to the “Missouri Content Assessment” section to find your Test code. Costs will vary depending on MoCA(s) required. Additional Fees will apply for retake(s).
• State-required certification assessment fee waivers can be requested. Waivers are distributed based on financial need.

The Career Center is available to you before AND after you graduate

Education Contact: Jacob Miles - JacobMiles@MissouriState.edu 

• Attend the spring College of Education career fair
• Create and revise your professional resume and cover letter
• Participate in mock interviews to better prepare

• Application and approval – Program coordinators review and approve submitted applications and placement requests. All coursework and prerequisites must be completed before student teaching begins.
• Placement process – Field placement specialists collaborate with program coordinators and school districts to secure a placement. The student’s district preferences and district availability are highly considered during this process. This process can take eight to twelve weeks.
  • Neither the student teacher nor other interested parties are to contact schools regarding student teaching assignments. This is the responsibility of the Professional Education Services office.
  • Diverse Placements - All previous field experiences will be reviewed to verify that both a diverse placement and specified proficiencies for working with students with "diverse learning needs" have been completed. If these criteria have not been met, the student teaching placement will be in a diverse setting.
  • Student teachers will not be placed in a school/district where a relative is employed or attends.
  • Secondary and K-12 student teachers will be assigned to a high school other than the one from which they graduated.
• Notification of placement – The student teacher will be notified of their placement after:
  • Placement has been confirmed with the school district.
  • Compliance documents are valid through the end of the student teaching semester.
  • The program coordinator has reviewed and released distribution of final placements.
• Placement information will be provided via MSU email. This is a no reply email which may go to junk mail or clutter. This notification includes finalized placement details including location and cooperating teacher contact information.
• Student teachers are required to contact the cooperating teacher immediately to arrange a time to meet prior to the beginning of student teaching.
• When a university supervisor has been assigned, the supervisor’s contact information will be emailed to the student teacher via MSU email.
• Some school districts require additional compliances and paperwork which must be submitted directly to those school districts. Students will be notified by the district regarding deadlines for submitting this paperwork.
  • Some examples of additional compliances include Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) background check, TB testing, resume, philosophy of education, letters of recommendation, etc.
  • Some student teachers will be required to obtain an additional fingerprinting background check using the district’s four-digit fingerprinting code. The FBI does not allow MSU and school districts to share your information. All fingerprinting costs will be the responsibility of the student teacher. 

• Application to graduate can be accessed on: my.missouristate.edu > Graduation and Commencement card > Graduation Application and Status Review
• Check that ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE MET ON YOUR AUDIT before you apply to graduate.
• Applications must be submitted by October 31st for the fall and March 31st for the spring to ensure your name will be in the commencement program. Please see the Commencement Webpage for details.
• READ YOUR ADVISING NOTES a few days after you apply to graduate. 
  • If denied, email your academic advisor to address deficiences within your audit.
  • If accepted, you will receive an advising note stating that your name was put on the graduation list.
• Summer graduates can elect to participate in spring or fall commencement and can select preference.
• Post-bac only students do not apply for graduation. Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) graduate students must apply to graduate.

•  Expect MSU email communication from the PES office staff, DESE, and the MSU program coordinator.
  • Emails from Patty Claussen will address missing or expiring required compliance documents.
  • Emails from Professional Education Services office staff will address student teaching.
  • Emails from Kim Dubree will address certification.
• Name badges, ordered online (optional)
• Name changes:
  • MSU Registrar’s Office
  • DESE profile
• Share emergency contact information - Provide emergency contact information to the placement school so this information will be available to the building principal, cooperating teacher, and school nurse in the event of an emergency.
• Student teaching online learning platform - Job opportunities will be posted throughout the semester.

• MSU programs require one full semester of student teaching.
• Student teaching begins on the first day of MSU classes and ends on the last day of MSU classes each semester. The district may request that the student teacher begins earlier. If the student teacher begins before the first day of MSU classes, they are still required to continue student teaching until the last day of MSU classes.
• The student teacher follows the daily and weekly schedule of the cooperating teacher.
• During the semester, the student teacher will follow the calendar of the school district for holidays, professional development opportunities, and scheduled breaks.

• Undergraduate Exit Survey: The Exit Survey will be available on the university's online learning platform the semester after completion of 102 credit hours. This occurs in mid-October for the fall semester and mid-March for the spring semester. Please complete the Exit Survey during the student teaching semester. This is a graduation requirement.
• Student teaching surveys: The student teacher surveys will be emailed toward the end of the student teaching semester from the COE assessment office (EducationAssessment@MissouriState.edu). Surveys include:
  • Student teacher evaluation of their university supervisor
  • Student teaching questionnaire
  • Program completer survey
• Complete graduation outcome survey: The survey is available through Handshake. What are your plans after graduation? Where will you work? Will you go to graduate school?

• At mid-term:
  • Throughout student teaching, you can apply for future teaching positions. After midterm grades are posted, you can request a letter from the teacher certification office (TCO@missouristate.edu) stating that we will recommend you for certification upon the successful completion of certification requirements.
  • Student teachers will receive an email from the teacher certification office (TCO@missouristate.edu) which instructs candidates to WAIT to apply for an Initial Professional certificate. Another email will be sent approximately two weeks prior to the end of student teaching with instructions to apply for certification.
• During the last 2 weeks of student teaching:
  • Apply for Initial Professional certificate via the DESE profile. Do not apply prior to 2 weeks before the end of student teaching, or the application may be returned.

PLEASE NOTE: When completing the application, do NOT edit the education section and the institutions attended. Nothing needs to be completed in the education section as it will be completed by the Professional Education Certification office at the time of recommendation. Changing the academic record at this point could delay certification. Do NOT send any transcripts to DESE. MSU transcripts will be sent by the PES office upon graduation.

• After degrees are conferred and certification requirements are verified, the MSU Professional Education Certification office will recommend the student teacher to DESE for certification. This process could take up to 2 weeks.
• After the Professional Education Certification office recommends a student teacher to DESE, it could take up to 4 – 6 weeks for DESE to issue the certificate.
• PLEASE NOTE: The DESE FBI fingerprinting background clearance must be valid at the time DESE issues a certificate. If the DESE FBI fingerprinting background clearance is not valid at the time of certification, DESE will require a new FBI fingerprinting background check for certification.
• The status of the certificate can be checked on the DESE profile.

• Commencement is the ceremony. Graduation is a conferred completed degree after final grades are posted.
  Graduation occurs after the commencement ceremony.
• Details including graduation with honors information can be found on the Commencement Webpage. *Please note that student teaching grades are not calculated in your GPA at the time of commencement.*
• For detailed questions, please contact the Office of Registrar at 417-836-5520 or Registrar@MissouriState.edu.
• Post-bac students do not participate in commencement and do not graduate because they are non-degree seeking. Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students do participate in commencement and graduate with a master's degree.

This is required for students who have student loans.

• Exit counseling helps to make sense of student loans and repayment after graduation.
• It also shows ways to better understand taxes and how to develop a sound financial plan.

• Contact RhondaBishop@MissouriState.edu for information on how to become a bear in your building.
• Stay connected and represent Missouri State College of Education in your new classroom!

The Career Center is available to you before AND after you graduate

Education Contact: Jacob Miles - JacobMiles@MissouriState.edu 

• Attend the spring College of Education career fair
• Create and revise your professional resume and cover letter
• Participate in mock interviews to better prepare

The Graduate College is in Carrington 306. There are many online options! Explore COE graduate programs.