Early Elementary (PK - 4) and Special Education (PK - 12), B.A.

The Division of Education and Human Services offers a program leading to eligibility for dual certification in Early Elementary Education (PK-4) and Special Education (PK-12), in accordance with all established standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) . Program requirements and a suggested four-year curriculum for Early Elementary (PK - 4) and Special Education (PK - 12) can be found in this section.  Students who successfully complete the dual major in Early Elementary Education and Special Education; successfully complete student teaching; and pass all PDE-required certification tests are eligible for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Instructional I Certification. Neumann University provides a dual certification only.

Teacher education at Neumann University emphasizes the liberal arts as the foundation for professional development. The professional component of teacher education is based upon, and combined with, liberal arts in a curriculum which seeks to develop and enhance the student’s level of intellectual curiosity and inquiry and the ability to use the results of inquiry to seek change. Professional ideals and values, consonant with Christian Humanism, are also reinforced as they apply to serving the diverse populations and learning needs of today and the future.

The professional education component of the program includes specialized study of the principles and methods of teaching and learning. Students are involved in actual practice situations from the beginning of their studies through their culminating 14-week student teaching experience. Settings for field experiences and student teaching include public, charter, parochial, and other private schools, as well as preschools, daycare centers, and special education schools and settings. Several courses in the major make specific use of Neumann University’s state-accredited Child Development Center (https://www.neumann.edu/about/cdc.asp).

Program Outcomes

The following program outcomes, based on the PDE student teaching assessment tool are used to evaluate the success of the program and its candidates. 

1. Planning and Preparation:  Education Student demonstrates thorough knowledge of content and pedagogical skills in planning and preparation. Education Student makes plans and sets goals based on the content to be taught/learned, knowledge of assigned students, and the instructional context.

2. Classroom Environment: Education Student establishes and maintains a purposeful and equitable environment for learning, in which students feel safe, valued, and respected, by instituting routines and setting clear expectations for student behavior.

3. Instructional Delivery: Education Student, through knowledge of content, pedagogy and skill in delivering instruction, engages students in learning by using a variety of instructional strategies.

4. Professionalism: Education Student demonstrates qualities that characterize a professional person in aspects that occur in and beyond the classroom/building. Education Student adheres to the standards of integrity, ethical behavior, and professional conduct as stated in Pennsylvania Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators; and local, state, and federal, laws and regulations

Admission and Progression Criteria

The following is an abbreviated description of criteria, policies and procedures that address admission to, retention in, and completion of the Education major. Detailed Field Experience and Student Teaching Handbooks are available to students at all times. Students are required to make application to the Education major at the completion of 48 college-level credits. (NOTE: ENG 094 Successful Writing  and MATH 092 Developmental Algebra  are not applicable to any degree program at Neumann University and cannot be counted in this total.)

Enrollment in any course, Education or other, does not imply acceptance into the major or certification program. Similarly, admission to a certification program does not guarantee that certification will be recommended by Neumann University or granted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Admission Criteria

Neumann University complies fully with the laws and regulations enacted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relevant to admission and exit criteria for teacher education programs in Pennsylvania.

While college catalogs are recognized as a contractual agreement, they are subject to changes in state or federal regulations.The eligibility requirements for admission to an initial professional educator program are:

• Accumulation of 48 credit hours or the full-time equivalent of college-level study. Developmental courses (ENG 094 Successful Writing  and MATH 092 Developmental Algebra  ) are not included in this required total amount of credits.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 for both entrance to and exit from the teacher education program.
• Six (6) semester credit hours, or transfer credits, in college-level mathematics and six (6) semester hour credits, or transfer credits, in English (three [3] in English composition and three [3] in English literature). These courses are to be credit courses of the institution, and the standards of the preparing institution will be used to identify and develop appropriate curricula.
• In compliance with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Chapter 354 Guidelines for the Preparation of Professional Educators, candidates for admission to the certification programs are required to have all credentials reviewed by the Teacher Education Committee.

NOTE: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires the successful completion of the basic skills assessment prior to formal entry in the teacher certification program. Identified professional core courses may only be taken after the student has met the basic skills requirement and received a formal Letter of Acceptance to the Education major. 

• Two courses of college level mathematics (6 credits) are required for all education majors. Students who have not met the PDE Basic Skills Math requirement through SAT or ACT scores should take Math 205 and Math 206. These must be taken at Neumann University.
• Students who have not met the PDE Basic Skills Reading and Writing requirement through SAT or ACT scores should take English 102. This must be taken at Neumann University.

Progression Criteria/Degree Requirements

Progression in the Education major requires students to:

• Maintain a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.
• Achieve a minimum grade of “C” for all major and allied requirements. Students earning lower than a “C” must retake the course; courses may be retaken one time only.

After a review of academic standing and personal qualifications, students apply to the major. Information on the application process can be obtained in the Education office or through the department’s Certification Specialist. 

The Education Department has determined that all students are to be assessed according to the following grading scale for all undergraduate Education courses.

A	(Excellent)	96.00-100
B+	(Very Good)	92.00-95.99
B	(Good)	87.00-91.99
C+	(Above the Average)	83.00-86.99
C	(Average)	78.00-82.99
D+	(Below the Average)	74.00-77.99
D	(Poor)	70.00-73.99
F	(Failure)	69.99 or less

Limitation on Transfer Credit

In addition to the institutional requirement of a grade of “C” or better for all transfer courses, and in order to maintain the most current and highest quality of teacher preparation standards, transfer students are to refer to the following guidelines regarding the acceptance of transfer credits into the degree program: 

• Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited, degree-granting institution and current within a 10-year period. All stipulated transfer criteria as outlined in the University catalog must be met.
• Transfer credits earned more than 10 years ago may be accepted as elective credits, based upon a review by the Division Dean, in consultation with the University Registrar.

Field Experience

Throughout their four-year program at Neumann University, Education majors participate in a clinical field experience sequence which is designed to help them connect theory to practice; enhance their observational, instructional, and analytical skills; and develop their professional ethos. Field experiences expose students to a variety of classroom settings with scaffolded involvement to include observation, one-on-one interaction, instructional aide responsibilities, designing and delivering lessons in small groups, and full class instruction.

Course content and assignments are linked to field experiences, and students are required to take a field experience course every semester. Students must obtain and submit to the Field Experience Coordinator all security clearances that meet current state-approved teaching requirements. For current security clearance requirements, contact the Field Experience Coordinator.

Student Teaching (Practicum)

Application for student teaching must be made the semester prior to the anticipated student teaching semester.

All candidates for certification are supervised in the classroom by a qualified Neumann University Student Teaching Supervisor.  Arrangements are made for the placement of candidates in approved schools by the Coordinator of Student Teaching Placements.  Students may take no additional courses other than EDU 462 Senior Seminar II  during student teaching. Students are required to attend EDU 462 Senior Seminar II  on campus during their student teaching experience.