Missouri Code of State Regulations
Title 5 - DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Division 20 - Division of Learning Services
Chapter 400 - Office of Educator Quality
Section 5 CSR 20-400.520 - Certification Requirements for Teacher of Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)
Universal Citation: 5 MO Code of State Regs 20-400.520
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, March 15, 2024
PURPOSE: This amendment will revise the literacy competencies in the Certification Requirements for Elementary Education (Grades 1-6), which will be effective August 1, 2025.
(1) An applicant for a Missouri certificate of license to teach Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) who possesses good moral character may be granted an initial Missouri certificate of license to teach Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) subject to the certification requirements found in 5 CSR 20-400.500 and the following additional certification requirements specific to Elementary Education (Grades 1-6):
(A) General Requirements. An applicant for a
Missouri certificate of license to teach who has successfully completed an
educator preparation program approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education (department) must comply with the following additional
criteria:
1. The applicant must possess a
baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or
university;
2. The applicant must
have a recommendation from the designated official at a baccalaureate or
higher-level educator preparation program approved by the department;
3. The applicant must possess a grade point
average to meet the following specifications:
A. A grade point average of 3.00 or higher in
professional education and the specific content area for which certification is
sought; or
B. For applicants
graduating from a baccalaureate program who do not meet the appropriate content
area grade point average requirements, competency may otherwise be demonstrated
by achievement of exit assessment scores greater than or equal to a score
deemed satisfactory by the State Board of Education (board) to qualify for
forgiveness of a disqualifying content area grade point average. Such
satisfactory score shall be higher than the Missouri qualifying
score;
4. The applicant
must achieve a score equal to or in excess of the qualifying score on the
required exit assessment(s) as defined in
5 CSR
20-400.440. The official score shall be submitted to
the department;
5. The applicant
must complete the professional requirements as determined by the recommending
educator preparation program, which may exceed these minimum requirements;
and
6. Individuals who completed an
educator preparation program outside of the United States shall provide
documentation of completion of coursework in the following:
A. English Composition, two (2) courses, each
a minimum of two (2) semester hours;
B. U.S. History, three (3) semester hours;
and
C. U.S. Government, three (3)
semester hours;
(B) Professional Requirements Effective until
August 1, 2025. A minimum of thirty-six (36) semester hours of professional
preparation. Competency must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the
educator preparation program for the following topics:
1. Content Planning and Delivery. Candidates
are prepared with a deep knowledge of and understand the relationships among
curriculum, instruction, and assessment-
A.
Curriculum and Instructional Planning;
B. Instructional Strategies and Techniques in
Content Area Specialty;
C.
Assessment, Student Data, and Data-Based Decision-Making;
D. Strategies for Content Literacy;
E. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving;
and
F. English Language
Learning;
2. Individual
Student Needs. Candidates build a robust knowledge of learners and the learning
environment-
A. Psychological Development of
the Child and Adolescent;
B.
Psychology/Education of the Exceptional Child;
C. Differentiated Learning;
D. Classroom Management;
E. Cultural Diversity; and
F. Education Psychology;
3. Schools and the Teaching Profession.
Candidates fully understand the role of schools and schooling as well as the
professional responsibilities of teachers, including a means of professional
growth-
A. Consultation and Collaboration;
and
B. Legal/Ethical Aspects of
Teaching;
4. Content
Knowledge for Teaching and Teaching and Learning Strategies (minimum
requirement of twenty-one (21) semester hours)-
A. At a minimum, the teaching method
competencies shall include:
(I) Elementary
Literacy (minimum total of twelve (12) semester hours)-to address curriculum,
explicit and systematic instruction, and assessment of-
(a) Language acquisition;
(b) Phonological and phonemic
awareness;
(c) Phonics;
(d) Vocabulary;
(e) Fluency;
(f) Comprehension; and
(g) Writing process using authentic text and
purposes;
(II)
Mathematics (minimum of six (6) total semester hours);
(III) Science; and
(IV) Social Science; and
B. Integration of the following areas:
(I) Art;
(II) Music;
(III) Health and Physical Education;
and
(IV) Technology in Education;
(C)
Professional Requirements Effective August 1, 2025. A minimum of thirty-six
(36) semester hours of professional preparation. Competency must be
demonstrated to the satisfaction of the educator preparation program for the
following topics:
1. Content Planning and
Delivery. Candidates are prepared with a deep knowledge of and understand the
relationships among curriculum, instruction, and assessment-
A. Curriculum and Instructional
Planning;
B. Instructional
Strategies and Techniques in Content Area Specialty;
C. Assessment, Student Data, and Data-Based
Decision-Making;
D. Strategies for
Content Literacy;
E. Critical
Thinking and Problem Solving; and
F. English Language
Learning;
2. Individual
Student Needs. Candidates build a robust knowledge of learners and the learning
environment-
A. Psychological Development of
the Child and Adolescent;
B.
Psychology/Education of the Exceptional Child;
C. Differentiated Learning;
D. Classroom Management;
E. Cultural Diversity; and
F. Education Psychology;
3. Schools and the Teaching Profession.
Candidates fully understand the role of schools and schooling as well as the
professional responsibilities of teachers, including a means of professional
growth-
A. Consultation and Collaboration;
and
B. Legal/Ethical Aspects of
Teaching; and
4. Content
Knowledge for Teaching and Teaching and Learning Strategies (minimum
requirement of twenty-one (21) semester hours)-
A. At a minimum, the teaching method
competencies shall include:
(I) Elementary
Literacy (minimum total of twelve (12) semester hours)-to address the following
topics:
(a) Phonological and phonemic
awareness;
(b) Phonics;
(c) Fluency;
(d) Vocabulary;
(e) Reading Comprehension;
(f) Reading Difficulties;
(g) Literacy Curriculum and
Instruction;
(h) Literacy
Assessment;
(i) Application of
Assessment Data;
(j) Writing
Instruction;
(k) Family and
Community Literacies and Partnerships; and
(l) Student Engagement in Literacy;
(II) Mathematics (minimum of six
(6) total semester hours);
(III)
Science; and
(IV) Social
Science;
B. Integration
of the following areas:
(I) Art;
(II) Music;
(III) Health and Physical Education;
and
(IV) Technology in Education;
and
(D) Field and Clinical Experiences (ten (10) semester
hours). Field and clinical experiences should be appropriate to the progress of
the student through the program and should be supervised through a close
partnership of highly-qualified professionals in appropriate school settings.
1. Early Field Experiences (one (1) semester
hour with a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours). The early field experience
includes placements in which candidates observe students, support teachers, and
respond to specific class assignments. The candidate may work with students
individually and/or in small groups as requested and under the supervision of
the classroom teacher.
2. Mid-Level
Field Experiences (one (1) semester hour with a minimum of forty-five (45)
clock hours). The mid-level experience occurs between the initial placement and
the culminating clinical experiences. At the mid-level, candidates continue to
observe; respond to specific class assignments; and work with students
individually, in small groups, and in whole class settings as requested and
under the supervision of the classroom teacher.
3. Culminating Clinical Experiences (eight
(8) semester hours with a minimum of twelve (12) weeks in one (1) placement).
The culminating experience refers to placements typically in the final sequence
leading up to and including student teaching. Candidates actively participate
and complete required assignments, work with students as requested and under
the supervision of the classroom teacher, and have the opportunity and
responsibility to lead the class over an extended period of time.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Missouri may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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