School Librarianship, MEd

Dr. Kevin S. Doyle, Chair
Department of Education and Counseling
434.395.2328, doyleks@longwood.edu

Dr. Audrey P. Church, Graduate Program Director
434.395.2682, churchap@longwood.edu

The Master of Education in School Librarianship program follows the Standards for Initial Preparation of School Librarians from the American Library Association/American Association of School Librarians (ALA/AASL) and the Virginia Department of Education Licensure Regulations for School Personnel. The program is nationally recognized by AASL and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and approved by the Virginia Department of Education.

Coursework prepares individuals to meet the varied roles required of a school librarian in the 21st century - the roles of instructional partner, teacher, information specialist, leader, and program administrator. The concept of the librarian as a catalyst for academic achievement is emphasized, as is the importance of helping our preK-12 students become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information. Collaboration, leadership, and technology are themes which run throughout the program. Successful completion of this program meets current eligibility requirements for the Virginia Postgraduate Professional License with an endorsement in Library Media grades preK-12. The program offers two tracks for those interested in becoming a school librarian:

• Track 1 - Licensed Teacher Track for candidates who possess a valid Virginia Collegiate Professional License or equivalent from another state and wish to add the endorsement
• Track 2 - Initial Licensure Track for candidates who wish to pursue initial licensure as a school librarian.

Admission

Track 1 - Applicants to this program must possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and a valid Virginia Collegiate Professional License or equivalent from another state at the time of admission to the program.

In addition to the above, applicants must have:

• a 2.75 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
• provide a minimum of two recommendations
• a 500-word personal essay
• a résumé
• official transcripts of the bachelor’s degree and any course work completed after that degree.

Track 2 - Applicants to this program must possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, must have a 2.75 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale), provide a minimum of two recommendations, a 500-word personal essay, a résumé, and official transcripts of the bachelor’s degree as well as any for course work completed after that degree. 

In addition to the above, applicants must submit a copy of one of the qualifying test scores listed below:

• SAT
  • ​taken after March 1, 2016: SAT composite score of 1170 with no less than 580 on Evidence-based Reading & Writing section and 560 on the Math Section;
  • taken after April 1, 1995 & Prior to March 1, 2016: SAT composite score of 1100 with, no less than 530 on both the math and verbal sections of the test;
  • taken prior to April 1, 1995: SAT composite score of 1000 with no less than 450 verbal and 510 math 
• ACT
  • taken after April 1, 1995 - composite score of 24, math minimum 22, English plus Reading total 46;
  • taken prior to April 1, 1995: ACT composite score of 21, with the ACT mathematics score no less than 21, and an ACT English plus Reading score no less than 37 
• Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators
  • taken afeter January 1, 2014 - Reading Score of 156; Writing Score of 162, and Mathematics Score of 150;
  • taken prior to January 1, 2014 - Praxis 1: composite score of 532 
• Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) Reading and Writing subtest scores of 235 or composite score of 470 PLUS a qualifying Math score from:
  • ​SAT Mathematics score
  • ACT Mathematics score
  • Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Mathematics score

Professional Portfolio

All students in the Master of Education in School Librarianship complete The Professional Portfolio, SLIB 691 , as the culminating experience and exit requirement for the program. Students are scaffolded by their advisor throughout the program regarding professional portfolio requirements. The portfolio is electronic. Grading is Pass/Not Pass. A grade of incomplete (I) may not be assigned. A student who earns a Not Pass is allowed to retake SLIB 691  once. Should the student earn a second Not Pass, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program.

General Requirements: Development of a portfolio provides each candidate opportunities for reflection and self-evaluation, which documents their mastery of program standards and highlights their growth throughout the program.

Administrative procedures for culmination of the process:

• student registers for SLIB 691  - Professional Portfolio;
• portfolio will be reviewed and evaluated by program faculty members;
• candidate will present a synopsis of the Professional Portfolio to the faculty committee and his/her program peers on a date selected within the semester enrolled in SLIB 691  ; and
• instructor will record the collaborated grade of P/NP for the course.

Clinical Experiences

Track 1: Students in Track 1, the Licensed Teacher Track, enroll in SLIB 690 - Clinical Experience in School Libraries . Placements are coordinated by the program director for the school librarianship graduate program. Students enrolled in SLIB 690  complete a minimum of 150 clock hours in a school library setting supervised by Longwood program faculty.

Grading is pass (P) / satisfactory progress (SP) / not pass (NP) and will not be used in calculating the grade point average. A grade of incomplete (I) may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor ONLY if all field clock hours have been successfully completed. All students must be enrolled in a minimum of one (1) credit hour of the applicable field experience to be completing any clock hours of placement in the field in order to be in compliance with insurance regulations per the Attorney General’s office.  Students cannot begin a placement prior to registering for the required course in the semester they wish to begin observing all applicable deadlines.

Track 2: Students in Track 2, the Initial Licensure Track, enroll in SLIB 689 - Supervised Experience in School Libraries . Prior to enrollment in SLIB 689 , students must meet Virginia Department of Education professional studies requirements by completing the following Longwood University courses or their equivalents: EDUC245, EDUC 521 , or COUN 507 ; EDUC487 or EDUC 550 ; EDUC 506  or undergraduate equivalent; EDUC430 or EDUC 530 . Students enrolled in SLIB 689  complete a minimum of 300 clock hours in a school library supervised by Longwood program faculty - 100 hours each in elementary, middle, and high school settings.

Graduate Initial Licensure Process

Students in Track 2, the Initial Licensure Track, must complete a professional semester to meet state licensing requirements. This professional semester is designed as the capstone course in these programs. For those students who are already teaching under a Provisional or Special Education Conditional License, enrollment in the professional semester is still a requirement, but will be a mentorship of their current teaching position.

Upon acceptance to the graduate program, Initial Licensure Candidates will apply to the Teacher Preparation Program by the end of the first semester of enrollment after acceptance.

To be admitted to the Teacher Prep Program, the teacher candidate must:

• Complete the Admission Application to Teacher Preparation in Tk20 Watermark observing all deadlines.
• Submit with the Admission Application to Teacher Preparation in Tk20 a copy of the qualifying test scores used for admission to the graduate program.
• Meet the GPA requirement via admission to the graduate program.
• Two faculty recommendations are required. Faculty complete the recommendations using the faculty tab on myLongwood and need the student to generate the request in myLongwood.
• The Admission Application to Teacher Preparation in Tk20 includes submission of the covenant agreement, a criminal background check, a negative TB test, automobile insurance information, and completion of the online Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention Training Module and Dyslexia Awareness Training Module. Upon complete of modules, a certificate of completion is submitted in Tk20.

Graduate Studies Professional Semester

Students who wish to graduate in a timely manner must complete the Field Placement Request for SLIB 570  and SLIB 689  form in Tk20 Watermark and meet all requirements by the required deadline. Failure to meet any requirement by the deadline will delay placement in practicum and/or the professional semester.

• Maintaining an overall GPA of 3.0.
• The Field Placement Request for SLIB 570  and SLIB 689  form includes submission of a card or certificate proff of hands-on training in Emergency First Aid & CPR with AED for adults & children and passing VCLA scores if not submitted with the Admission Application to Teacher preparation.

NOTE: Teacher candidates bear any costs associated with meeting placement requirements. All documents must be current within one year of actual placement in the professional semester. In addition to these Longwood requirements, school divisions may have other forms to complete and procedures to follow. It is the teacher candidate’s responsibility to access the information and comply by the appropriate deadline.

Meet remaining program area requirements by the deadline established by the program area, which in most instances is prior to starting the professional semester (Seminar Day).

• The OTP will obtain professional semester placements for the initial licensure candidates who are not employed as full time teachers. 
• If you have a provisional license, you will work with the school division personnel in completing and submitting the licensure packet to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). OTP  will work with all other teacher candidates to apply for initial licensure with the VDOE.