Student Teaching Placements

Placement Information

• A Placement Preference form is collected from each student upon completion of their Professional Level/Student Teaching Cohort Application.
• Resumes are sent to potential cooperating teachers and principals. Students should present themselves in the best light possible to ensure quick placement confirmation.
• Since placements are completed on an individual basis, the timing for notification varies and is dependent upon multiple circumstances. Turning in your Professional Level/Student Teaching Cohort Application early will give you the best opportunity to have your placement confirmed as soon as possible.
• The College of Education has a policy regarding placing a teacher candidate at a school where a relative or member of the household of the teacher candidate works or attends. Such information should be disclosed by the teacher candidate, in the Placement Preference form, at the time of the program application.
• The Oregon State University (OSU) College of Education provides an opportunity for one student teaching placement that meets the minimum placement requirements for each program (outlined in the Teacher Candidate Placement policy). You need the ability to meet the key essential skills on becoming a teacher. This placement will be in the teacher candidate’s primary endorsement area and will be within a 60-mile radius of the hosting OSU campus (Cascades or Corvallis). Placement in a district that is further than 60-miles from the hosting OSU campus will be considered upon request and must be approved by the Program Coordinator and/or the Director of Licensure.

Fingerprints and Background Checks

The safety of children is always our highest priority, and we are vigilant in assuring that the appropriate clearance has been given for each OSU student we place in a K-12 setting.

The College of Education requires two distinct levels of clearance for all OSU students that we place in K-12 classrooms. Any OSU student who has not enrolled in a practicum course or student teaching will not have either of the following clearances, and we recommend school districts treat them as they would any other community volunteer.

1. Criminal History Verification (CHV): For those completing a practicum for Non-Education Major that is NOT student teaching (e.g., ED 309). Students fill out and upload their Criminal History Verification (CHV) form when completing ED 309 Field Practicum Intake/Override Form before they are given an override to register for a practicum. This clearance costs five dollars (cash/check only) and lasts one year. Once received, these forms are sent to the Oregon Department of Education, with enough time for us to receive clearances before the practicum begins. Any student who has not cleared does not proceed with the practicum. If you would like to request the status of a particular individual, please contact the Student Services Office at 541-737-4661.
2. TSPC Fingerprint/Background Clearance: For those completing a field placement for practicum or student teaching through an approved OSU Licensure program. Students will complete the TSPC online C-1 form via TSPC’s eLicensing system (submission of form costs $61 with additional fees). Please complete the background/fingerprint sections of the form and for license category select “Clinical Practices.” After the C-1 is submitted, students will receive an email from TSPC with instructions and a code to be used to make a fingerprinting appointment with Fieldprint. Fieldprint charges a $12.50 fee per appointment. You will receive an email confirmation for fingerprinting appointment. Upload a copy of this confirmation email to the Canvas Support Site.

Please allow up to two months for prints to process and clear. Note that TSPC does not notify the College of Education about student clearance status. Once TSPC (OSP) and the FBI have validated the fingerprints, the student submits a copy of their clearance email in SLL (Student Learning & Licensure Platform) to the College of Education A screen shot of the TSPC clearance email is from a  third party (NIC USA) will suffice for proof of clearance.  No student is allowed to proceed with student teaching without evidence of clearance in their file. This fingerprint clearance is valid for three years. If a student knows early on in their tenure at OSU that they will be student teaching within three years, we encourage them to complete a fingerprint check rather than a CHV.

NOTE: Full disclosure on the character questions is imperative to fingerprint/background check clearance, success in a teacher preparation program, and ultimate eligibility for a teaching license. Providing false information on a background check may result in consequences regarding academic dishonesty, as well as possible denial of student teaching clearance and a teaching license. If you answer "yes" on any of the character questions on the C-1 fingerprint online application, please refer to the TSPC Instructions for Answering Character Questions page for instructions on submitting the required supporting documentation.

ESOL or ESOL/Bilingual Internship Placement Request

If you are in the ESOL or ESOL/Bilingual Endorsement Program and plan to complete your internship during the upcoming year, please contact Holly Mitchell ([email protected]).