Teacher Licensing

The Ball State University programs for the preparation of teachers and other public school personnel meet the standards of the Division of Educator Licensing and Development (DELD) of the Indiana Department of Education.

The teacher education programs meet the academic requirements for the initial teaching license. These programs are also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, providing added benefits to students and graduates in terms of transfer of credit, recognition of degrees, and reciprocity of teacher licenses.

Under the Licensure Framework of DELD, the teaching license will reflect the standards for which the candidate has demonstrated competency through the completion of a degree program. The license will state (1) the school setting(s) in which the candidate is licensed to teach, and (2) the content area(s) that the candidate is licensed to teach.

APPLICATION FOR TEACHING LICENSE

Every teaching assignment as a professional teacher in a state-approved school requires a teaching license based upon the recommendation of the teacher preparation institution. An institutional recommendation is based upon meeting the DELD standards required for the licensure program, as indicated by successful performance on all required assessments in the Ball State Unit Assessment System. Details regarding the DELD standards and assessments for specific licensure areas may be found by consulting the Professional Education Handbook.

Students should apply for the Indiana instructional license through the Office of Teacher Education Services no earlier than two weeks before the completion of all academic requirements and always after the completion of all licensing examinations.

Applicants for teacher licensing in other states requiring the recommendation of Ball State University must also submit such applications to the Office of Teacher Education Services.

The Initial Practitioner license issued by the DELD is valid for two years in Indiana. During those two years, the beginning teacher must successfully complete the (IMAP) Indiana Mentoring and Assessment Program, at which point a Proficient Practitioner license is awarded, which is valid for five years. Renewal of the Proficient Practitioner license and awarding of the Accomplished Practitioner license is achieved through a program of continuing professional development based on the DELD standards.

A person who has earned a bachelor’s degree and who wants to complete requirements for an Indiana teaching license or add a teaching area to a license must be evaluated and advised for admission to a postgraduate program by the Office of Teacher Education Services.

A student holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited Indiana institution other than Ball State who wants to be recommended for a teaching license by Ball State University must be admitted as a regular graduate or postgraduate student and must meet the requirements of the approved university teacher education program.

SCHOOL SERVICES INITIAL PRACTITIONER LICENSE

School Counselor
Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree, persons interested in pursuing school counselor licenses must apply to the Graduate School to be admitted to graduate study. After being admitted to graduate study, application must be made to the Department of Counseling Psychology to pursue the master’s degree in Counseling Psychology (School Track). Completion of this master’s degree allows for the recommendation for a school counselor’s license.

School Psychologist
This license will require a minimum of a master’s degree in School Psychology or a related field. The school psychologist license will state “All Schools” under school settings, since the standards ensure that the school psychologist will be well versed in curriculum, pedagogy, and student characteristics of all development levels.

School Nurse
Graduates of Ball State University with Bachelor of Science degrees with departmental majors in nursing are eligible for recommendation for this Indiana license upon application in the Office of Teacher Education Services if they present evidence of licensing as registered nurses (RN) in the state of Indiana. A photocopy of the RN license issued by the Health Professions Bureau must accompany their license application materials. The school nurse license will state “All Schools” under school settings on the license.

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT/DECISION POINTS

Decision Point 1:
Identification with Professional Education
As a prerequisite to applying for admission to teacher education, candidates must have:

• Completed an introductory professional education course with a C or better grade.
• Satisfactorily completed the first-level portfolio review.

Decision Point 2:
Admission to Teacher Education
For admission to a teaching curriculum and to register in any 300-level and above professional education course, candidates must have:

• earned grades of C or better in 100- and 200-level professional education courses and COMM 210 or equivalent.
• earned a minimum of 45 credit hours with an overall grade-point average of at least 2.5.
• passed the Praxis 1: PPST (Pre-Professional Skills Test) at DPS score levels.
• satisfied content requirements specified by the student’s licensure area. For specific requirements, students should see the licensure area Web site or handbook.
• satisfactorily completed the second-level portfolio review.
• met International Society for Technology Education Standards (ISTE) at the General Preparation level.
• maintained clearance from the Office of Student Affairs.

Decision Point 3:
Admission to Student Teaching
To register for student-teaching courses, students must have:

• earned grades of C or better in 300- and 400-level professional education courses.
• earned a minimum of 93 hours with overall grade-point average of at least 2.5.
• be within 9 hours of completion of content courses.
• maintained a grade-point average of at least 2.5 in professional education courses and 2.5 in all content area courses.
• satisfied content requirements specified by the student’s licensure area. For specific requirements, students should see the licensure area Web site or handbook.
• satisfactorily completed the third-level portfolio review.
• met ISTE standards at the Professional Preparation level.
• maintained clearance from the Office of Student Affairs.
• an approved application for student teaching.

Decision Point 4:
Recommendation for Graduation and Licensure
To be recommended for graduation and licensure, students must have:

• earned credit in student teaching. 
• completed all requirements for graduation with an overall grade-point average of 2.5.
• maintained a grade-point average of at least 2.5 in professional education courses and 2.5 in all content area courses.
• satisfactorily complete the fourth-level portfolio review.
• met ISTE standards at the Student Teaching/Internship level.
• successfully completed service learning requirements.
• passed the Praxis II: Specialty Test at DPS score levels. (Elementary Education majors must also pass the Reading Test).
• maintained clearance from the Office of Student Affairs.

EDUCATION: GENERAL (EDGEN)

390 Honors Colloquium in Education. (2) The critical analysis and evaluation of selected controversial issues in American education. Restricted to honors students.


LICENSURE PROGRAMS

License	Level(s)
Business Education and Marketing	Middle School/Jr. High, High School
Career and Technical Education	High School
Chemistry	Middle School/Jr. High, High School
*Computer Education	Same as Basic License
Early Childhood Education	Pre-School, Elementary Primary
Earth/Space Science	Middle School/Jr. High, High School
Elementary Education	Elementary Primary and Intermediate
*English as a New Language	Same as Basic License
Exceptional Needs: Mild Interventions- Dual Major in Special Education and Elementary Education	Elementary Primary and Intermediate
Exceptional Needs: Early Childhood Special Education, Mild Interventions	Pre-school, Elementary Primary, and Intermediate
*Exceptional Needs, Mild Interventions for Middle & Secondary Content Areas (Non-stand alone license)	Same as Basic License
Exceptional Needs: Hearing Impaired/Deaf	All-grade
Exceptional Needs: Mild Interventions	All-grade
Exceptional Needs: Severe Interventions	All-grade
Family & Consumer Sciences	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Foreign Language Education	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Health	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Journalism	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Language Arts	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Life Science	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Mathematics	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Music: Instrumental and General Music	All-grade
Music: Vocal and General Music	All-grade
Physical Education	All-grade
*Physical Education/Secondary License	Same as Basic License
Physical Science	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Physics	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
Social Studies Education	Middle School/Jr.High, High School
*Teacher of Reading for Elementary License	Same as Basic License
*Teacher of Reading for Middle School	Same as Basic License
Technology Education	Middle School/Jr. High, High School
Theatre	Middle School/Jr. High, High School
Visual Arts	All-grade

*Add-on license programs. Require that the candidate complete a regular license in a standard license area.