LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education
School Requirements
Selection, Admission, Retention, and Teacher Licensure
The LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education has selective admission, retention, and graduation requirements for the completion of a program at The University of Akron.
For all students applying to a School of Education Professional Education program, the admission and degree requirements outlined in the current UA Undergraduate Bulletin will be used to determine admission (or readmission) and degree requirements for all programs.
From admission through graduation, all decisions are made following the School's approved criteria. Prior to admission to a program, Ohio requires all colleges and universities preparing teachers and educational personnel to assess students in the areas of verbal communication and academic achievement. The University of Akron’s School of Education admission procedures are designed to establish admission criteria, provide for assessments, allow for skills enhancement, reassessment and reapplication where appropriate.
General Education Requirements: To be admitted to the LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education teacher education programs, all students must be able to meet the following criteria: English Comp I (or equivalent): Grade C or better, English Comp II: Grade C or better, Any Gen Ed Quantitative Reasoning, Speaking Requirement, Any Gen Ed Natural Science (7 credits including one lab course), and Any Gen Ed Social Science.
Grade-Point Average: For admission, a minimum grade point average of 2.5 or better overall for the above Gen Ed courses and minimum and 2.5 or better cumulative GPA.
Bureau of Criminal Investigation Clearance: A signed Criminal Background Check Acknowledgement Form must be submitted and is included in the School of Education Application. Current Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background checks are required before you may participate in coursework with clinical or field experience. An active Pre-service Teacher Permit is also required for any clinical or field experience.
School of Education Application: All students must complete the School of Education application. Responses to the questions on the application will help School of Education advisors offer the most effective and efficient advisement. It will also help advisors know students as individuals with unique backgrounds and experiences. Undergraduate students should apply during the semester in which all School of Education pre-admission requirements will be met.
Admission Timeline: Admission to a School of Education Professional Education program is in effect for five years from the date of admission. All criteria and procedures regarding selective admission and retention are available in
The LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education
Zook Hall 431
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-4201
educ@uakron.edu
www.uakron.edu/education
Application for Admission to Professional Education Programs
All students are required to have completed the application process no less than six weeks prior to the semester in which they wish to begin coursework in the School of Education. Additional information and applications are available on the LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education website at https://www.uakron.edu/education/academic-programs/how-to-apply.dot
Program Area of Study: All students are expected to comply with requirements specified by the program to which they are applying. These are available in the Center of Academic Advising & Student Success.
Advisement: All students will be assigned an advisor and meet with them during the first semester of admission. Students are encouraged to see their advisor when necessary to assure they are maintaining progress in their program.
Retention: Retention of students in each program will be evaluation based. Students will have opportunities to upgrade their skills and achievement in areas where such needs may exist. Completion of program requirements will be reviewed by the student and faculty advisor. Approval to student teach is contingent on the student’s progress through the program of study with satisfactory grades. Graduation is contingent on completion of coursework, student teaching, GPA of 2.50 overall, 2.50 in education classes, and 2.50 in the student’s major.
Licensure: After graduation, students may apply for licensure through the Ohio State Board of Education. The State of Ohio requires all applicants for licensure to submit a current BCI/FBI Clearance and a Pre-service Teacher Permit. A BCI/FBI Clearance is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Ohio also requires all applicants for licensure to pass appropriate examination(s) for intended area(s) of licensure. Information about specific licenses can be obtained from the School of Education.
Transfer Students: Transfer students will be expected to meet the same admission standards as University of Akron students.
Post-Baccalaureate Students: Qualified post-baccalaureate students seeking licensure will be admitted to the LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education and to the appropriate program once they meet all admission requirements.
Bachelor’s Degrees
The Professional Education Program prepares students to teach in one or more of the following areas/fields: primary inclusive teacher preparation (age 3 through grade 5); middle childhood (grades 4 through 9) dual licensure with intervention specialist; the conventional academic fields found in programs for adolescent to young adult students (grades 7 through 12); in special education as an intervention specialist for mild/moderate/intensive (K-12); and multi-age (grades PK through 12). To qualify for the bachelor’s degree, the minimum credits as required by the student’s degree program at the time of admission with a grade-point average of 2.50 overall, 2.50 in education classes, and 2.50 in the student’s major must be completed.
The specific subjects required for degrees in certain fields are set forth in subsequent pages. In all cases, the requirements include courses in general education, professional education and content areas.
The Bachelor of Arts in Education degree is granted to those whose major is in one of the academic fields. The Bachelor of Science in Education is granted to those whose major is in the other special fields or in primary inclusive or middle childhood education.
Professional Education Programs
The LeBron James Family Foundation School of Education is a learning and teaching community that prepares educational professionals across varied organizations, who are committed to diversity, equity, excellence and who conduct, utilize, and critique research through scholarship, leadership, collaboration, inclusive education, innovation, and professionalism. Decision-making is stressed in the standards-based programs that prepare teachers and other school personnel for professional practice. Initial professional education programs are aligned with the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession, and Specialized Professional Association Standards. Advanced Programs for practicing teachers are aligned with the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession. For more complete information about the professional education program, consult the School of Education at educ@uakron.edu.
Students must complete appropriate professional education courses with grades of ‘C’ or better before progressing through the program.
Professional Preparation
Throughout their program, teacher candidates take a combination of core courses, field experiences, and courses in their program studies area. Students should note the sequence of core and program courses. The core courses cover the knowledge base that is common for all teachers, regardless of their teaching field. The field experiences provide teacher candidates with experience in schools from the beginning of their program. Additionally during their field and clinical experiences, teacher candidates learn to apply what they are learning in courses.
Program content area courses are related to teacher candidates’ intended area of licensure. In addition, teacher candidates have a faculty advisor to help plan what to study and to review what has been accomplished.
The culminating experience for teacher candidates is student teaching. Under the supervision of a team of faculty and a classroom teacher, each student teacher begins to put newly-developed competencies into practice.
For candidates seeking to graduate without licensure, substitute courses for this culminating experience of student teaching and colloquium will be determined with recommendation by the advisor and subject to approval by the Director to assure that candidates meet an equivalent number of Education course hours for the program. Candidates must meet all other program requirements. If the student wishes to seek licensure after graduation, the student would need to apply to be admitted to the appropriate program. The student will be required to complete all necessary requirements for licensure in place at the time admission.
Clinical and Field-Based Experiences
All teacher candidates are required to participate satisfactorily in clinical and field-based experiences prior to recommendation for licensure to teach in Ohio. These clinical and field-based experiences are designed to provide teacher candidates with the opportunity to apply theory and skills related to their areas of licensure in diverse clinical and field-based settings. Clinical experiences are those planned activities in which professional education students apply the principles of teaching.
Student Teaching
Student teaching is an all-day, full-time, planned teaching experience for 16 weeks in an approved public or private school. Placements are made in schools selected and supervised by the School of Education in collaboration with school districts and faculty.
All teacher candidates must have an approved student teaching application on file to be considered for placement.
To qualify for student teaching, teacher candidates must have a 2.50 average overall, a “C” or better in professional education classes, a minimum of a 2.50 and/or a “C” or better in the teacher candidate’s major, and in methods courses as defined by departments. Satisfactory completion of field and pre-clinical experience is also required before student teaching. Students also need to pass at least one Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) in the program area.
Licensure
Every teacher in Ohio public schools is required to have a teaching license covering the fields in which teaching is being done. This license is issued by the Ohio State Board of Education. The teacher candidate must provide evidence of a current BCI/FBI Clearance, must pass appropriate examination(s) required in Ohio, complete the appropriate program requirements successfully, and be recommended for a teaching license.
Endorsements
TESOL Endorsement (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
This program introduces teacher candidates to the key issues in teaching English to non-native speakers through coursework in linguistics, second language theory and methods, and related disciplines.
Teacher candidates seeking this endorsement must have studied a foreign language at some time during their academic career.
Students who do not have English as a native language must demonstrate adequate proficiency in English with a valid TOEFL score of 580 or above and a score of 240 or above on the TSE (Test of Spoken English).
- AYA Earth Science/Physics Licensure, BA
- AYA Integrated Language Arts, BA
- AYA Integrated Mathematics, BA
- AYA Integrated Science Licensure, BA
- AYA Integrated Social Studies, BA
- AYA Life/Biology-Chemistry Licensure, BA
- Early Childhood Intervention Specialist, BS
- Middle Level Education, BS
- Middle Level Education, Dual Licensure, BS
- Mild/Moderate Intervention Specialist, BS
- Moderate/Intensive Intervention Specialist, BS
- Primary Inclusive Teacher Preparation, BS