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Educator Preparation Information

Required Benchmarks and Levels of Preparation

Admission to Wayne State College does not guarantee entry into its educator preparation programs. Students planning to pursue professional education must meet required benchmark criteria at multiple stages in order to be accepted into educator preparation and advance through the three levels:

Level One - Preparing for Teacher Candidacy

Level Two - Preparing for Clinical Practice

Level Three - Clinical Practice

It is the student’s responsibility to confirm with the Field Experience Office that adequate progress has been made on the benchmarks for each Level. View the Benchmark Chart.

Anthology Portfolio Subscription

All education majors are required to purchase a subscription to our Anthology Portfolio assessment system, an electronic portfolio software that is used for submitting homework and assessing progress. As you submit the required evidence (via your Anthology Portfolio account) to show that you have completed each benchmark, your advisor and others will be able to monitor your progress and assist you with advancing to the next level of preparation. Anthology Portfolio can also be used for building a personal portfolio for future employment.

We are excited to have you join the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences as a future teacher! Your first step on the journey will be to meet with your advisor and make a plan for completing your program. If you have questions about the required benchmarks, please contact the WSC Education and Behavioral Sciences Student Services office located in the Brandenburg Education building, first floor, or by phone at 402-375-7391.

Benchmarks and EDU 245 Preparing for Level 2: Teacher Candidacy

Students wishing to advance in educator preparation must maintain a professional attitude, demonstrate instructional and curriculum development skills, and possess the same high moral and personal standards as required of certified teachers by the laws of the State of Nebraska. Students must also be free from physical, emotional, and mental impairments such as those that would cause revocation of a teaching certificate by the State Board of Education. Violation of college and/or Board of Trustees policies or regulations can be sufficient cause for denial of advancement in the educator preparation program.

We have developed a 0-credit seminar for all students to ensure understanding of requirements. You will learn that we have several initial prerequisites that must be met, as well as a series of benchmarks that must be met in order to advance in educator preparation. Please refer to the Benchmarks for Successful Advancement in Educator Preparation. Although you are ultimately responsible for meeting the required benchmarks for advancement in educator preparation, our faculty and staff look forward to helping you on your journey! Please don’t hesitate to seek assistance when you have questions.

State Authorization Reciprocity Act (SARA)

Our educator preparation programs at WSC are state approved, nationally recognized programs that lead to certification by the Nebraska Department of Education. Even in those states having reciprocity with the state of Nebraska, students must apply for teacher certification to that respective state to be issued a teaching certificate by that respective state in accordance with that state’s laws. WSC does not assume responsibility for teacher certification by states other than Nebraska, but will provide institutional verification that our graduates have completed a state approved Educator Preparation Program. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the student to complete all program requirements before institutional verification of approved program completion will be provided by the WSC Certification Officer.  

*Please note that reciprocity is always easier if you seek to obtain licensure in the state where you completed your program requirements first.  

Other state teaching requirements can change without notice. It is important that candidates seeking licensure in another state obtain the most recent certification/licensure information directly from the state in which you seek employment.  Contact information on each state licensure office can be found on the NASDTEC Directory of Certification/Licensure Offices website.

Background Checks

According to Nebraska Rule 20, students are required to submit results of a background check prior to being placed for the first field experience and prior to being placed for clinical practice semester. Instructions for completing the background check are provided in Anthology Portfolio.

Field Experiences and Clinical Practice

Field experiences are embedded in required coursework. At least 100 clock hours are required before clinical practice. See the course listings in college catalog for more information.

The clinical practice semester consists of both on and off-campus experiences. Student must sign up with the Field Experience office two semesters prior to placement. The application for clinical practice begins the semester before you plan to complete it. Information about the application process is provided in Anthology Portfolio. No applications will be accepted after Oct. 15 for those planning to complete clinical practice in the spring and March 15 for those planning for fall.

View the 2023-24 Clinical Practice Handbook

Praxis Subject Assessments

Although not a WSC graduation requirement, candidates are required to provide proof of registration for the Praxis subject exam. Candidates applying for initial certification in Nebraska or for certain additional subject or endorsement(s) to be placed on a Nebraska certificate must provide evidence they have passed the required Praxis Subject Assessments.  For a list of subjects and their associated tests visit the link below.  Students should request scores be sent to WSC upon taking the exam.

View Nebraska test requirements