OAR 584-400-0140: Clinical Practices for Teacher Candidates

(1) The Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) must provide clinical practices for the purposes of instruction, assessment of competency, and integration of field work with academic study, as well as to ensure candidates are able to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, competencies, and abilities necessary to be successful candidates for educator licensure, endorsement, or specialization. (2) Education Setting: Clinical practices may occur in the following education settings: (a) Public PreK-12 classrooms, including charter school classrooms; (b) Virtual education classrooms; (c) Private, regionally-accredited PreK-12 classrooms; or (d) Alternative education, post-secondary, or other similar teaching settings closely-related to PreK-12 classroom instruction. (3) Clinical Practice Area: EPPs must assure that candidates complete a clinical placement in the appropriate licensure, endorsement, and specialization area. (a) To be recommended for a license, the candidate must complete a clinical practice in that license area or receive a waiver of clinical practice, as provided in 584-400-0180, Waiver of Program Requirements. (b) To be recommended for an endorsement, the candidate must complete a clinical practice in that endorsement area or receive a waiver of clinical practice, as provided in 584-400-0180, Waiver of Program Requirements. (4) EPP Supervisor: Clinical practices must be supervised by an EPP employee. The supervisor must: (a) Hold a current or expired license and endorsement in the candidate's license and endorsement areas; (b) Demonstrate expertise in the candidate's license and endorsement areas; or (c) Demonstrate expertise in supervising licensed educators in the candidate's license area. (5) International/Out-of-State Field Placements: EPPs may place a candidate in an international or out-of-state field placement, as provided in the Program Review and Standards Handbook. (6) Preservice Candidates: Preservice candidates must complete at least 600 hours (equaling 15 weeks at 40 hours per week) of student teaching according to the program requirements of the accredited Educator Preparation Program (EPP). Length and scope of the clinical placement must be of sufficient length and consistency to allow the student teacher to develop and demonstrate all clinical competencies required for licensure and experience all facets of a typical classroom teacher's day. (a) The student teaching must be in a school setting, with a qualified cooperating teacher, during which the candidate assumes the full range of responsibilities of a classroom teacher for the purpose of developing and demonstrating the competencies required for initial licensure. (b) The assignment of responsibilities may be incremental, in keeping with the objectives of the experience. (c) The student teaching must be supervised by a cooperating teacher, as provided in (3)(a) of this rule and 584-400-0145, Cooperating Teachers. (d) Observations and Evaluations: The EPP must require observations and evaluations of preservice candidates as provided below. (A) EPP Supervisor: The EPP supervisor must conduct observations and evaluations of the preservice candidate during their student teaching which meet the following requirements: (i) At least four formal observations of the candidate; and (ii) At least two formal evaluations of the candidate. Formal evaluations may be completed and submitted as a joint evaluation with the Cooperating Teacher. (iii) Observations and evaluations may be conducted in-person or virtually. (B) Cooperating Teacher: The cooperating teacher must conduct observations and evaluations of the preservice candidate during their student teaching which meet the following requirements: (i) At least four formal observations of the candidate; and (ii) At least two formal evaluations of the candidate. Formal evaluations may be completed and submitted as a joint evaluation with the EPP supervisor. (iii) Observations and evaluations may be conducted in-person or virtually. (C) Unavailable Observations and Evaluations: In the event of extenuating circumstances, a candidate may be recommended without the Cooperating Teacher's observations and evaluations. (i) Recommendations without the required observations and evaluations will be reported to TSPC in the annual report. (ii) All other requirements and expectations will be met before the candidate will be recommended for licensure. NOTE: EPP providers offer clinical placements in which teacher candidates and their cooperating/mentor teachers plan, practice, discuss, and reflect upon methods of instruction, differentiation, culturally responsive practice as relevant to the observed lesson. The cooperating/mentor teacher may present their feedback to the candidate in oral or written form. (e) Substitute Teaching in Student Teaching Placements: EPPs in collaboration with their school partners may determine if candidates may substitute teach. Candidates may substitute teach during their student teaching if they: (A) Hold a Restricted Teaching License; Emergency License, Emergency Substitute License, or a Substitute License; (B) Are granted permission to substitute teach by a state-recognized licensure or endorsement program; and (C) Have one of the following: (i) An internship agreement with the EPP and the employing school district; or (ii) A Restricted Teaching License plan with the EPP and the employing school district. NOTE: The candidate may also substitute teach if the substitute teaching is an approved component of the state-recognized program. (f) The school district must notify the EPP if the school district assigns a candidate as a substitute teacher during the student teaching placement. (7) Dual-Enrolled Preservice Candidates: Preservice candidates enrolled in two endorsement areas must complete student teaching as provided: (a) The candidate must complete student teaching, as provided in subsection (6), in the endorsement area that is the candidate’s main Teacher Candidate Performance Assessment area. During the 600 hours, at least 60 hours of student teaching must be completed in the additional endorsement area. (b) Program Required Endorsements: Program candidates must complete student teaching, as provided in subsection (6). (c) Integrated programs: If Program candidates complete clinical practice where their main and additional endorsement areas are combined, such as an ESOL and math placement, they must complete the 600-hour student teaching. At least 60 hours of the 600 hours of student teaching must be completed in the additional endorsement area. Evidence or assessment of both content areas must be documented in at least some of the observations and evaluations. (d) Observation and evaluation requirements for the additional endorsement area: The EPP must require evaluation and supervision of preservice candidates in the additional endorsement area as provided: (A) EPP supervisor: The EPP supervisor must conduct at least three meetings to evaluate or observe the preservice candidate during their clinical practice. The three meetings must include at least two formal observations of the candidate and at least one formal evaluation of the candidate. (B) Cooperating Teacher: The cooperating teacher must conduct at least three meetings to evaluate or observe the pre-service candidate during their clinical practice. The three meetings must include at least two formal observations of the candidate and at least one formal evaluation of the candidate. (e) If a candidate is enrolled in more than two endorsement areas, or is enrolled in an Integrated Program for multiple endorsement areas, the EPP must consult the agency for guidance on the clinical practice requirements. (8) In-service Candidates Observations and Evaluations: In-service candidates adding endorsements in program-required endorsement areas must complete 60 hours of clinical practice, or meet the equivalent competencies as specified by the approved EPP. The EPP must require evaluation and observation of in-service candidates for program-required endorsements, as provided: (a) EPP Supervisor: The EPP supervisor must conduct at least three observations and evaluations of the in-service candidate during their clinical practice, which meet the following requirements: (A) At least two formal observations of the candidate; and (B) At least one formal evaluation of the candidate. (C) Formal evaluations may be completed and submitted as a joint evaluation with the Cooperating Teacher. (D) Observations and evaluations may be conducted in-person or virtually. (b) Cooperating Teacher: The cooperating teacher must conduct at least three observations and evaluations of the in-service candidate during the clinical practice which meet the following requirements: (A) At least two formal observations of the candidate; and (B) At least one formal evaluation of the candidate. (C) Formal evaluations may be completed and submitted as a joint evaluation with the EPP Supervisor. (D) Evaluations and Observations may be conducted in-person or virtually. (E) Unavailable Observations and Evaluations: In the event of extenuating circumstances, a candidate may be recommended without the Cooperating Teacher's observations and evaluations. (i) Recommendations without the required observations and evaluations will be reported to TSPC in the annual report. (ii) All other requirements and expectations will be met before the candidate will be recommended for licensure. NOTE: This section does not apply to in-service teachers adding single-subject endorsements. The requirements for adding single-subject endorsements to existing licenses are found in Chapter 584, Division 220. (9) Early Literacy Field Experience: Candidates in Elementary– Multiple Subjects, Reading Intervention, and Special Education Generalist programs shall be given opportunity to: (a) Use evidence-based instructional materials aligned to the Oregon Department of Education’s Early Literacy Framework; (b) Implement culturally and linguistically sustaining, evidence-based instructional practices aligned to the Oregon Early Literacy Framework; and (c) Apply knowledge of development of language and literacy as appropriate to meet the needs of prekindergarten through Grade 8, including: (A) Multilingual learners; (B) Bidialectal learners; and (C) Students who experience reading difficulties. (10) Background clearance: Prior to candidate contact with PreK-12 students, as part of their Commission-recognized preparation program, an EPP must verify the candidate has completed a background clearance through the Commission. (a) The background clearance requirement applies to field placements in Oregon, other U.S. jurisdictions and foreign countries. (b) EPPs may require candidates to obtain background clearance through the Commission any time after their admission into the program. (11) Knowledge of Civil Rights: Prior to placing a candidate in student teaching, final internship or practicum experience, an EPP must verify the candidate has demonstrated knowledge of civil rights and ethics, as provided in the Program Review and Standards Handbook. (12) School or district closures: An EPP may grant a partial waiver of the clinical practice requirement(s) if a candidate is unable to complete the clinical practice due to an unforeseen school or district closure. In order to grant a partial waiver, the EPP must submit information in the next annual report to the Commission, as provided in the Program Review and Standards Handbook. (13) EPPs that grant a waiver(s) pursuant to this rule shall not be considered to have made a minor or major modification to their state-recognized program. (14) Reporting on Clinical Practices: EPPs must document in the candidate’s record that candidates have completed clinical practices, as provided in 584-410-0100 Verification of Candidate Recommendations (Field Audit).