Welcome to the School of Education

The School of Education mission is to serve LEARNERS through the ongoing development of professional educators and teacher candidates in a commitment to effective teaching.

International Bridge (above), viewed from Campus.
Brown Hall (right), home for the School of Education
Photo by John Shibley, LSSU staff photographer

Updates for the Spring 2012:

• The next deadline for applying to the School of Education is February 10, 2012.  The process and criteria for applying to the School of Education have been changed.  Please review the information provided on Apply to the School of Education link, and use the new forms available there.  Forms and information are also available at the School of Education in Brown Hall.
• Fall 2012 student teachers must receive a passing score on their Michigan Test for Teacher Certification subject test in their major area of concentration prior to beginning student teaching in August, 2012.  Elementary level students must pass the Elementary MTTC; secondary level students must pass the specific test for their major.  Upcoming test dates are April 14,2012 and July 14,2012.  Note that LSSU is not a test center for the July test date.
• MTTC testing continues to be a requirement for teacher certification. The School of Education has implemented a program of academic content review to assist students as they prepare for these tests.
• STAAR Strategic Assessment and Review. Contact your course instructor in any EDUC course for more information and follow this link for more information.
• NEW - the October 2011 Undergraduate Student Handbook and the Student Teaching Handbook - October 2011
• NOTICE OF CHANGE: The English and Social Studies programs have been SAVED through a reprieve issued from Dr. Fiebelkorn, while the faculty in these areas conduct a review their curriculum alignment and work closely with current students to ensure their success, both academically and in state licensure examinations. We will work with these programs to ensure the continuation of these important teaching fields. Student can continue to use English and Social Studies teaching majors and minors as available until further notice (13oct2011)..
• School of Education Informational Meeting September 13, 2011. Slides.
• The School of Education has implemented a controlled phase-out of selected academic programs, while at the same time reaffirming our institutional commitment to teacher preparation as a whole. Affected programs include only the majors and minors leading to teaching credentials in History, Geography, Economics, Political Science, English and Social Studies. This difficult and important decision was based on careful analysis of the academic fields where student performance on the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification were significantly below state averages. These programs will begin a process of critical review and curriculum realignment, and we will work with the departments and the MDE with a goal of reinstatement. More on the phase-out plan is in the 2011 Phase-Out Narrative.
• Please note that Form F025-c Background Check & Release replaces F025-a or -b.
• The Degree Audits you are currently following must be approved by the School of Education for Major and Minors. If in doubt please check with your advisor or stop by the School of Education. Typically, the degree audits available from the School of Education have the LSSU square logo in the upper left corner.

News & Information:

M.O.R.E Michigan Online Resources for Educators - putting more Tech in TEaCHing
view the many resources focused on educators at http://more.mel.org

 

TEACH Grant

Note:  You should  consider this source of aid as a grant that has a high potential of turning into a LOAN.  If you are not already committed to teaching a high-need subject in a school serving low-income students, you should not consider this as a possible source of aid.  It is estimated that only 20 percent of students who participate in the TEACH Grant Program will be able to use the funds as grants, while many students will see their funds converted to loans with accumulated interest. A student who receives $16,000 in TEACH Grants who fails to fulfill the terms of the Agreement to Serve  and Promise to Pay (ATS)  will incur substantial indebtedness.  On a 10-year term, the monthly payments would be $315.60 for a cumulative payment of $37,871. (source)

National Council on Teacher Quality

Lake Superior State University has been classified as a "Model Design" in a recent report entitled Student Teaching in the United States published in July 2011 by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). This report is the culmination of a two-year study which developed a set of 19 specific and measurable standard, LSSU's program was noted as a 'model' design because we "require that cooperating teachers are fully qualified and also actively participate in the selection of cooperating teachers." (NCTQ Executive Summary p.2) Different assessment criteria can offer very different results for the same program, as is noted below.

State Board of Education Teacher Preparation Institution Performance Scores

Lake Superior State University has been ranked as "Low Performing" based on the 2007-2010 Teacher Preparation Performance Scores. View the complete report here which was submitted by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to the State Board of Education (SBE) on August 9, 2011. The SBE assigns point values to institutions in each of seven categories, such as 'supervisor survey' completion rates, 'ethnic diversity' of the student population, and student performance on a standardized test (the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification -MTTC). During 2007-2010 the LSSU average pass rate across all academic subjects (e.g. history, English, mathematics) was 79%, but a minimum pass rate of 80% is required to earn any points in that category. Without the MTTC points, our institutional overall score placed us into the lowest category.

LSSU is committed to our students and to preparing the very best teacher candidates possible. As a result we are undertaking several corrective steps to address this issue, including a review of those academic areas with the lowest performance. It is possible that some academic majors or minors will not continue as a result of this review, yet LSSU will continue to be able to recommend teachers for Michigan certification. This year we will also work closely with a Mentor institution to bring structural and process improvements to the university and to the School of Education. During the coming year the university will continue to function normally as we work to give our students the very best preparation possible, and we will provide extensive support and opportunities for review of academic content prior to the next cycle of MTTC testing. We welcome your comments or questions, directed to Dr. Myton, Associate Provost. dmyton@lssu.edu

Consultant Report May 2011

In an effort to address the concerns identified by the Michigan Department of Education, Dr. Anderson, Ed.D, Associate Professor within the faculty of Northern Michigan University, School of Education, was hired to consult with LSSU regarding the School of Education. Simply click on REPORT to view the document.

Other Important Announcements EDUC423 and EDUC424 not offered in 2011-2012 will be waived if you graduate by August 2012. Selected audits for the fall 2011 now posted to audit page Elementary students chosing two minors select from Math, Integrated Science, World Languages, and Language Arts, Elemenary majors are available in Social Studies as well as all fields listed for the minors. Student Teaching becomes a graduation requirement for ALL teaching majors, graduation follows student teaching Our Master of Arts: Curriculum & Instruction degree is another avenue for advancement and personal growth. In addition, we offer many courses suitable for your ongoing Professional Development and Licensure Renewal both independently and in cooperation with the local schools and ISDs. Kappa Delta Pi Program Standards & Periodic Review/Program Evaluation All programs leading to teacher certification are subject to review and realignment against standards set by the State Board of Education. Applications for approval for new programs, or for programs where the standards have changed can be reviewed here.

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