Department of Education and Special Education

Kevin Doyle, ED.D., Chair
Lee Moore, Administrative Office Specialist

Education Program

Faculty

Gretchen Braun, PhD, Professor
Jodie Brinkmann, EdD, Assistant Professor
Patricia L. Hastings, PhD, Assistant Professor
Stephen Keith, EdD, Assistant Professor
Corrie Kelly, MEd, Instructor of Education
Evan Long, PhD, Assistant Professor
Katrina Maynard, PhD, Associate Professor, Coordinator Elementary and Middle Education Programs
Sara Miller, EdD, Assistant Professor

In collaboration with Liberal Studies, the Department of Education and Special Education offer the following programs of study:

1. Liberal Studies Elementary Education. In collaboration with the Liberal Studies program, this Department offers the education coursework and field experiences for students who wish to be elementary education (PK - 6) teachers. Students are Liberal Studies Elementary majors.
2. Liberal Studies Elementary and Middle School Education. In collaboration with the Liberal Studies program, this Department offers the education coursework and field experiences for students who wish to be elementary or middle education teachers (6 - 8 add on endorsement). Students are Liberal Studies Elementary and Middle School majors.
3. Liberal Studies Special Education. In collaboration with the Liberal Studies program, this department offers a five-year program in special education with licensure in Special Education: General Curriculum K-12. Students are Liberal Studies majors with a concentration in special education. Students who complete the undergraduate program will receive a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and upon the completion of the fifth year will receive a Master’s degree and licensure in special education. Students must complete the fifth year to be endorsed to teach special education.
4. Master of Education degree in School Librarianship or Reading, Literacy and Learning.
5. Master of Science degree in Education major with concentrations in Elementary & Middle School Mathematics, Educational Leadership, and Special Education. Information on these programs is found in the Graduate Catalog.

(Please refer to requirements listed in Liberal Studies, BA or BS  under the Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences)

Office of Professional Services

Dr. Connie H. Ballard, Assistant Professor of Education/Director
LaTasha Tucker, Assistant Director
Judy Kovach, Administrative Office Specialist

Office of Professional Services: http://www.longwood.edu/professionalservices

The Office of Professional Services (OPS) coordinates the application process for admittance to the Teacher Preparation Program and all field and clinical experience placements that prepare the teacher candidate to enter the field of education with an initial license. Field experiences (Practicum One-Week, Practium Integration, and Practicum Application ) represent a variety of early and ongoing school-based opportunities in which the teacher candidate may observe, assist, tutor, plan and present instruction. The clinical experience is student teaching. It provides the teacher candidate with experiences that allow for full immersion in a school setting so that s/he is able to demonstrate proficiencies in the professional roles for which s/he is preparing. Teacher candidates are placed in diverse educational settings for practica and student teaching placement experiences.

Prior to the first field placement, the teacher candidate, at her/his expense, is asked to present evidence of a criminal background check, negative tuberculosis test results, and an automobile insurance form. The instructions and forms for completing your criminal background, tuberculosis test results, and automobile insurance form may be found in the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course. The teacher candidates will upload these documents into the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course. The teacher candidate must submit all updates and changes to previously submitted forms.

In addition to Longwood requirements, school divisions may have their own forms to complete and additional requirements. This information is found in the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course. It is the teacher candidate’s responsibility to obtain this information. OPS does not require annual updates; however, some school divisions do require current requirements that will be at the candidate’s expense. Travel distance and commute time to and from placements vary. Transportation and lodging, if needed, are at the expense of the candidate. It is the responsibility of the teacher candidate to access the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course on a regular basis for updates regarding requirements, meeting dates, applications for placement and other essential information.

Field Placements:

• EDUC 261 - Introduction to the Teaching Profession: Practicum : The first field experience for elementary and middle school teacher candidates is an in-depth observation and analysis of the school classroom as part of the foundations education course. The teacher candidate is placed in a public school setting for at least 30 hours. The teacher candidate completes this course with embedded placement in the second year of enrollment. An application is required to receive a placement.
• Practicum One-Week (EDUC 270 , MUSC 345 , MUSC 346 ): The first field experience for secondary majors is an in-depth observation and analysis of the school classroom. The teacher candidate is placed in a public school setting for at least 30 hours. The university supervisor is assigned to observe and provide feedback. It is recommended that the teacher candidate complete Practicum One-Week after her/his first year of enrollment. Since Practicum One-Week is not required for all program areas, the teacher candidate must consult with her/his advisor before submitting an application.
• Practicum Experiences embedded in discipline-specific courses (EDUC 473 , HLTH 465 , KINS 364, KINS 377, KINS 378 , MAED 252 , MAED 352 , MUSC 441 , SCED 252 , SLIB 570): The teacher candidate is placed in a public school setting according to program requirements. Your advisor can help you plan the timeline for completion of these field experiences by OPS.
• EDUC 361 - Practicum Integration  The second field experience for elementary and middle school teacher candidates continues to be one of observation and analysis of the public school classroom for at least 60 hours. The university supervisors observe and provide feedback. In order to complete Practicum Integration, the teacher candidate must be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program by the applicable deadlines (posted in the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course). This course must be taken immediately prior to the EDUC 461  term. Corequisites: EDUC 310 , EDUC 380 .
• Practicum Three-Weeks (EDUC 370  or SPED 327 ): The second field experience continues to be one of observation and analysis of the public school classroom for at least 90 hours. In addition, the teacher candidate plans and teaches at least one lesson. The university supervisor observes and provides feedback. In order to complete Practicum Three-Weeks, the teacher candidate must be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program by the applicable deadlines (posted on the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course).
• EDUC 461 - Practicum Application : This is a 90-hour field experience for candidates to implement lessons based on best practice in Literacy, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. This course must be taken immediately prior to Student Teaching. Corequisites: EDUC 423 , EDUC 433 .
• The teacher candidate must notify the OPS on the application if assigned to a school where s/he attended as a student or where an immediate family member attends or is employed. Failure to notify the OPS of such conflict may result in a cancellation of the Practicum placement and/or receiving a failing grade.
• Teacher candidates who need placement by OPS must attend one of the Orientation sessions offered annually that are specific to the placement type (ex: Practicum Integration). These sessions will vary by date and time, but are listed on the OPS website. Practicum One Week, Practicum Integration, Practicum Three Weeks and Practicum Application students must also attend a mandatory meeting with their respective university supervisor before contacting their cooperating teacher. The date, time, and location for this meeting will be posted on the OPS website and announced by email to Practicum students.

Teacher Preparation Program (“Teacher Prep”)

• Admission to Teacher Prep is required before placements can be made for Practicum Integration, Practicum Application and Student Teaching. Admission is also required for higher-level education courses.
  • The elementary, middle, secondary and PK-12 teacher candidate will not be allowed to enroll in 300-400 level EDUC courses until s/he is admitted into Teacher Prep. The SPED teacher candidate will not be allowed to enroll in SPED 321  or SPED/EDUC courses above this level until admitted into Teacher Prep.
• The transfer student must meet requirements and apply for admission to Teacher Prep by March 1 or October 1 of her/his second semester at Longwood. For transfer students seeking admission into Teacher Prep during their first semester at Longwood, the overall GPA from the transferring college/university may be used to meet the GPA admission requirement. These GPA requirements for admission to Teacher Prep are summarized below.
• Requirements for Admission
  • Qualifying Test Scores
    • The OPS needs a copy of the official score report you received submitted to the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course. Batch scores (not individual score reports) from the testing agency are submitted electronically to Longwood’s Registrar and cannot be used by the OPS for admission to Teacher Prep. Please note you will receive your score report electronically, but it will become inactive after 30 days. Make sure you print or save a copy during that window of time or you will need to pay for another copy. Please keep the original for your personal records.
      • Composite SAT score of 1100, with 530 or higher on the subtests for math and reading OR
      • Composite ACT score of 24, with math score of 22, reading and English combined score of 46 OR
      • Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) Composite Score of 470 and SAT Mathematics Score of 530 if composite score was 1100 OR
      • VCLA Composite Score of 470 and ACT Mathematics Score of 22 if composite score was 24 OR
      • VCLA Composite Score of 470 and Praxis I CASE Mathematics Score of 150 (test code 5732) OR
      • Praxis I CASE Reading Score 156, Writing Score 162, Mathematics Score 150
  • Two Positive Faculty Recommendations as specified by the program area
    • Full directions are posted in the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course. Teacher candidate must request recommendations from appropriate faculty using the link in myLongwood.
    • Faculty submit online using myLongwood.
    • Confirm in myLongwood that the required recommendations have been completed (before the deadline).
  • Course Prerequisites
    • You must have a “C-” or better in ENGL 150  or the transfer equivalent regardless of your major/program area.
    • You must have a “C” or better in the introductory courses associated with your program area:
      • PK-6, 6-8 (add-on endorsement), Secondary 6-12: EDUC 245  and EDUC 260  or EDUC 261  depending on your catalog year/program area
      • Special Education: SPED 202  
      • Music Education: MUSC 145  and EDUC 245  
      • Physical and Health Education at least two of the following courses: HLTH 201 , HLTH 205 , KINS 201 , or KINS 203
    • You must have a “C” or better in EDUC 310 , EDUC 380  and EDUC 361  in order to take EDUC 461 - Practicum Application  during the Partnership semester.
    • You must have a “B-” or better in EDUC 423 , EDUC 433 , EDUC 443  and EDUC 461  in order to Student Teach (EDUC 400  or EDUC 401 )
  • Individual applicants with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 will be immediately eligible for admission to Teacher Prep and will have their applications to the program processed after the October 1st or March 1st deadline in advance of the following advising and registration period. Prospective teacher candidates who have an Overall GPA ranging from 2.5 to 2.99 will be put on a waitlist by the OPS and admitted in descending GPA order such that the cohort average GPA remains at 3.0 for that semester. Longwood University requires that the cohort average GPA of students being admitted to Teacher Prep in any given semester be at least 3.0 (overall). The OPS will admit as many other students as mathematically possible while maintaining the cohort’s average GPA at the 3.0 required by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). These calculations will not be completed for these waitlisted students until the end of the semester of application, so any improvements in the GPA during that semester would improve students’ chances of admittance and semesters’ end. In the event that students cannot be admitted as part of the semester’s cohort, they will be expected to work with their academic advisors to develop a plan for improving their overall GPA, which may include course retakes and/or tutoring services. Students will remain on the waitlist until such time as they have the 3.0, can be admitted as part of a future cohort, or request that OPS cancel their application to the Teacher Preparation Program.
  • Complete/submit the application via myLongwood upon selecting an education-related major/concentration.
  • Students need to meet requirements by the applicable deadline (March 1 for summer and fall course registration purposes and October 1 for spring course and Practicum Integration registration purposes) in order for OPS to guarantee processing before the registration window/closes.
  • Email OPS when all requirements have been met so your application will be processed.
  • Complete/submit the application via myLongwood upon selecting an education-related major/concentration.
  • Students need to meet requirements by the applicable deadline (March 1 for summer and fall course registration purposes and October 1 for spring course and Practicum Integration registration purposes) in order for OPS to guarantee processing before the registration window/closes.
  • Email OPS when all requirements have been met so your application will be processed.

Clinical Experience (Student Teaching)

• Student teaching is the pinnacle of a teacher candidate’s preparation for initial licensure. This clinical experience occurs during a teacher candidate’s final semester. The placement is for 15 weeks, which is typically divided into two placements for teacher candidates who require multiple grade level/subject area placements before licensure.
• Students who wish to graduate in a timely manner must complete the online placement application and meet the overall and major GPA requirements of 2.5 or higher one year in advance of the student teaching semester. Teacher candidates must meet the deadline (February 1 for Spring placement or September 1 for Fall placement).
• All other placement requirements must be submitted and met by February 1 for a fall placement and September 1 for a spring placement. Clinical experience placement requests will only be sent to school divisions for the teacher candidates who meet all criteria and requirements by the posted deadlines. Any teacher candidate denied admission to student teaching may reapply upon meeting requirements. Licensure assessments are due on or before the placement requirements deadline. This is also the date by which teacher candidates must submit requests for two positive faculty recommendations via MyLongwood in accordance with program area guidelines.
• The teacher candidate must notify the OPS on the application of any schools where s/he attended or where a family member currently attends or works. Failure to notify the OPS of such conflict may result in a cancellation of the placement and/or receiving a grade of incomplete.
• Important dates for student teaching are included in the OPS Calendar of Important Dates on the website. Student teachers are required to attend the following training sessions and meetings:
  • Student Teaching Orientation Meeting
  • Student Teaching Follow-Up Meeting
  • Seminar Day and Meeting with University Supervisor(s)
  • Wrap-Up Workshop (OPS assists graduating student teachers with completion of initial licensure paperwork. Full details of the workshop options are shared at the appropriate student teaching meetings and by email.)

Initial Licensure

• Admission to the Teacher Preparation Program
• Field Experience Placements
• Clinical Experience Placement (Student Teaching)
• Assessments
  • The teacher candidate seeking initial licensure in Virginia is required to take and submit to the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course evidence of passing scores on all tests required for licensure. Keep the original for your personal records. Scores submitted to Longwood University are not recognized by the Virginia Department of Education and therefore cannot be accepted by the OPS. Consult with your program area and/or advisor to determine which assessments are required for your initial licensure and when they should be taken and completed.
  • Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA)
    • Passing Scores
      • Composite: 470
    • For more information, refer to www.va.nesinc.com
  • Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE)
    • Passing Scores
      • Teachers: 157
      • Reading Specialist: 162
    • For more information, refer to www.ets.org
  • Praxis II
    • Specialty Content Area Tests (if applicable)
    • For more information, refer to www.ets.org
• Required Documents

Child Abuse Recognition and Intervention Training Module

• The certificate of completion needs to be submitted to the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course to fulfill the Virginia Department of Education requirement.
• Go to http://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/cps/mandated_reporters/cws5691/index.html to complete the training module. The link is also on the OPS website.

Civics Education in Virginia Training Module

• Elementary, middle, and history teacher candidates must complete this online module. Special education teacher candidates must also complete the module if seeking dual endorsement in elementary education.
• The certificate of completion needs to be submitted to the OPS Teacher Preparation Canvas course to fulfill a Virginia Department of Education licensure requirement.
• Go to http://www.civiceducationva.org/ to complete the training module. The link is also on the OPS website. NOTE: The module is not very compatible with Internet Explorer. OPS recommends using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari instead.

Training in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED).

• The card or certificate of completion needs to be submitted to the OPS Teacher Preparation Program Canvas Course to fulfill the Virginia Department of Education requirement.

Special Education

Faculty

Kat Alves, PhD, Assistant Professor
Karen Feathers, MS, Assistant Professor
Christopher Jones, PhD, Associate Professor of Special Education and Coordinator
Aftab Khan, PhD, Assistant Professor of Special Education

Programs

• Special Education Minor

• Liberal Studies Elementary and Middle Education (LSTB) Teaching Licensure
• Liberal Studies Elementary Education (LSTE) Teaching Licensure
• Secondary Education Programs 6-12
• Teacher Education Programs Pre-K-12

• Special Education Program/Liberal Studies General Curriculum Five Year (SLG)