CHAPTER 79
STANDARDS FOR PRACTITIONER AND ADMINISTRATOR
PREPARATION PROGRAMS
(Effective August 31, 2001)
DIVISION I
GENERAL STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO ALL PRACTITIONER PREPARATION PROGRAMS
281—79.1(256) General statement. Programs of practitioner and administrator preparation leading to licensure in Iowa are subject to approval by the state board of education, as provided in Iowa Code chapter 256. All programs having accreditation on August 31, 2001, are presumed accredited unless or until the state board takes formal action to remove accreditation.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.2(256) Definitions. For purposes of clarity, the following definitions are used throughout the chapter:
“Administrator candidates” means individuals who are enrolled in practitioner preparation programs leading to administrator licensure.
“Administrator preparation programs” means the programs of practitioner preparation leading to licensure of administrators.
“Area education agency” or “AEA” means a regional service agency that provides school improvement services for students, families, teachers, administrators and the community.
“Candidates” means individuals who are preparing to become educational practitioners through a practitioner preparation program.
“Clinical experiences” means a candidate’s direct experiences in PK-12 schools. “Clinical experiences” includes field experiences prior to student teaching or internship; internships for preparation programs other than teacher preparation; and student teaching, a full-time clinical practice experience in which the teacher preparation program culminates.
“College/university supervisors” means qualified employees or individuals contracted by the college or university offering teacher preparation who provide guidance and supervision to teacher candidates during the candidates’ clinical experiences in the schools.
“Cooperating administrators” means school administrators who provide guidance and supervision to administrator candidates during the candidates’ clinical experiences in the schools.
“Cooperating teachers” means appropriately licensed classroom teachers of record who provide guidance and supervision to teacher candidates in the cooperating teachers’ classrooms during the candidates’ field experiences in the schools.
“Delivery model” means the form in which the educator preparation program is delivered to candidates and may include conventional campus-based, face-to-face models, distance learning models, off-campus models, programs delivered through consortia arrangements, and programs or elements delivered by contracted outside providers.
“Department” means department of education.
“Director” means director of the department.
“Distance learning” means a formal education process in which the major portion of the instruction occurs when the learner and the instructor are not in the same place at the same time and occurs through virtually any media including printed materials, videotapes, audio recordings, facsimiles, telephone communications, the ICN, Internet communications through E-mail, and Web-based delivery systems.
“Distance learning program” means a program in which over half of the required courses in the program occur when the learner and the instructor are not in the same place at the same time (see definition of distance learning). These programs include those offered by the professional educational unit through a contract with an outside vendor or in a consortium arrangement with other higher education institutions, area education agencies, or other entities.
“Diverse groups” means one or more groups of individuals possessing certain traits or characteristics, including but not limited to age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or socioeconomic status.
“EPS” means Educational Leadership Policy Standards, national standards for educational administration.
“Facility” means a residential or other setting for a child in which the child receives an appropriate educational program. “Facility” includes a foster care facility as defined in Iowa Code section 237.1, a facility that provides residential treatment pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 125, an approved or licensed shelter care home as defined in Iowa Code section 232.2, subsection 34, an approved juvenile detention home as defined in Iowa Code section 232.2, subsection 32, and a psychiatric medical institution for children as defined in Iowa Code section 135H.1.
“ICN” means the Iowa communications network.
“Institution” means a college or university in Iowa offering practitioner preparation or an educational organization offering administrator preparation and seeking state board approval of its practitioner preparation program(s).
“INTASC” means Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium, the source of national standards for beginning teachers.
“Iowa core curriculum” means a legislatively mandated state initiative that provides local school districts and nonpublic schools a guide to delivering instruction to students based on consistent, challenging and meaningful content.
“ISSL” means Iowa Standards for School Leaders.
“Mentor” means an experienced educator who provides guidance to a practitioner, administrator candidate or novice educator.
“Novice” means an individual in an educational position who has no previous experience in the role of that position or who is newly licensed by the board of educational examiners.
“Off-campus program” means a program offered by a unit on sites other than the main campus. Off-campus programs may be offered in the same state, in other states, or in countries other than the United States.
“Practitioner candidates” means individuals who are enrolled in practitioner preparation programs leading to licensure as teachers, as administrators or as other professional school personnel that require a license issued by the board of educational examiners.
“Practitioner preparation programs” means the programs of practitioner preparation leading to licensure of teachers, administrators, and other professional school personnel.
“Program” means a specific field of specialization leading to a specific endorsement.
“Regional accreditation” means official approval by an agency or organization approved or recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
“State board” means Iowa state board of education.
“Students” means PK-12 pupils.
“Teacher candidates” means individuals who are enrolled in practitioner preparation programs leading to teacher licensure.
“Unit” means the organizational entity within an institution with the responsibility of administering and delivering the practitioner preparation program(s).
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.3(256) Institutions affected. In order to attain the authority to recommend candidates for Iowa licensure, colleges and universities offering practitioner preparation programs in Iowa, as well as other Iowa educational organizations engaged in the preparation of school administrators, shall meet the standards contained in this chapter to gain or maintain state board approval of their programs.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.4(256) Criteria for practitioner preparation programs. Each institution seeking approval by the state board of its programs of practitioner preparation, including those programs offered by distance delivery models or at off-campus locations, must be regionally accredited and shall file evidence of the extent to which each program meets the standards contained in this chapter by means of a written self-evaluation report and an evaluation conducted by the department. The institution shall demonstrate such evidence by means of a template developed by the department and through a site visit conducted by the department. After the state board has approved the practitioner preparation programs of an institution, students who complete the programs and are recommended by the authorized official of that institution will be issued the appropriate license and endorsement(s).
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.5(256) Approval of programs. Approval of institutions’ practitioner preparation programs by the state board shall be based on the recommendation of the director after study of the factual and evaluative evidence on record about each program in terms of the standards contained in this chapter.
Approval, if granted, shall be for a term of seven years; however, approval for a lesser term may be granted by the state board if it determines conditions so warrant.
If approval is not granted, the applying institution will be advised concerning the areas in which improvement or changes appear to be essential for approval. In this case, the institution shall be given the opportunity to present factual information concerning its programs at a regularly scheduled meeting of the state board, not beyond three months of the board’s initial decision. Following a minimum of six months after the board’s decision to deny approval, the institution may reapply when it is ready to show what actions have been taken to address the areas of suggested improvement.
Programs may be granted conditional approval upon review of appropriate documentation. In such an instance, the program shall receive a full review after one year or, in the case of a new program, at the point at which candidates demonstrate mastery of standards for licensure.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.6(256) Visiting teams. Upon application or reapplication for approval, a review team shall visit each institution for evaluation of its practitioner preparation program(s). When an institution offers off-campus practitioner preparation programs, the team may elect to include visits to some or all of the sites of the off-campus programs. The membership of the team shall be selected by the department with the concurrence of the institution being visited. The team may include faculty members of other practitioner preparation institutions; personnel from elementary and secondary schools, to include licensed practitioners; personnel of the state department of education; personnel of the board of educational examiners; and representatives from professional education organizations. Each team member should have appropriate competencies, background, and experiences to enable the member to contribute to the evaluation visit. The expenses for the review team shall be borne by the institution.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.7(256) Periodic reports. Upon request of the department, approved programs shall make periodic reports which shall provide basic information necessary to keep records of each practitioner preparation program up to date and to carry out research studies relating to practitioner preparation. The department may request that information be disaggregated by attendance center or delivery model or both.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.8(256) Reevaluation of practitioner preparation programs. Every seven years or at any time deemed necessary by the director, an institution shall file a written self-evaluation of its practitioner preparation programs to be followed by a review team visit. Any action for continued approval or rescission of approval shall be approved by the state board.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.9(256) Approval of program changes. Upon application by an institution, the director is authorized to approve minor additions to, or changes within, the curricula of an institution’s approved practitioner preparation program. When an institution proposes a revision which exceeds the primary scope of its programs, including revisions which significantly change the delivery model(s), the revisions shall become operative only after having been approved by the state board.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
DIVISION II
SPECIFIC EDUCATION STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO ALL PRACTITIONER PREPARATION PROGRAMS
281—79.10(256) Governance and resources standard. Governance and resources shall adequately support the preparation of practitioner candidates to meet professional, state and institutional standards in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.10(1) A clearly understood governance structure provides guidance and support for the practitioner preparation program(s). Programs offered by various delivery models, including distance learning and off-campus models, are integrated appropriately into the governance structure of the institution.
	79.10(2) The professional education unit has primary responsibility for all programs offered by the institution for the initial and continuing preparation of teachers, administrators and other professional school personnel.
	79.10(3) The unit’s conceptual framework establishes the shared vision for the unit and provides the foundation for coherence among curriculum, instruction, field experiences, clinical practice, assessment, and evaluation aligned with appropriate professional standards and best practice in classroom instruction and school leadership.
	79.10(4) The work climate, policies, and assignments promote intellectual vitality, including best practices in teaching, scholarship and service among faculty.
	79.10(5) The unit provides evidence of ongoing collaboration with the professional community, including evidence that there is an active advisory committee that, at a minimum, is solicited semiannually for program input to inform the unit.
	79.10(6) When a unit is part of a college or university, the unit provides evidence of ongoing collaboration with other departments of the institution, especially regarding content endorsements.
	79.10(7) Procedures for an appeals process for candidates and faculty are clearly communicated and provided to all candidates and faculty.
	79.10(8) The unit administers a systematic and comprehensive evaluation system designed to enhance the teaching competence and intellectual vitality of the professional education unit.
	79.10(9) The institution provides the commitment and resources necessary to support a quality clinical program for all practitioner candidates.
	79.10(10) Institutional commitment to the unit includes financial resources, facilities, appropriate educational materials, library services, and equipment to ensure the fulfillment of the institution’s and unit’s missions, and the delivery of quality programs, regardless of delivery model.
	79.10(11) The unit provides sufficient faculty, administrative, clerical, and technical staff to plan and deliver a quality practitioner program(s).
	79.10(12) Resources are available to support professional development opportunities for faculty.
	79.10(13) Resources are available to support technological and instructional needs to enhance candidate learning.
	79.10(14) The use of part-time faculty and graduate students in teaching roles is purposeful and is managed to ensure integrity, quality, and continuity of all programs, including those delivered by distance learning, off-campus, and other delivery models.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.11(256) Diversity standard. The environment and experiences provided practitioner candidates shall support candidate growth in knowledge, skills, and dispositions to help all students learn in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.11(1) The institution and unit maintain a climate that supports diversity.
	79.11(2) The institution and unit document their efforts in maintaining and increasing a diverse faculty and include teacher education candidates in plans, policies, and practices as required by the Higher Learning Commission.
	79.11(3) Practitioner candidates experience clinical practices in settings that include diverse populations and students of different grade levels and of diverse learning needs.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.12(256) Faculty standard. Faculty qualifications and performance shall facilitate the professional development of practitioner candidates in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.12(1) Faculty members in professional education are adequately prepared for responsibilities assigned to them and have had experiences in situations similar to those for which the practitioner candidates are being prepared. Faculty members have experience and adequate preparation in effective methods for any model of program delivery in which they are assigned responsibilities.
	79.12(2) Faculty members in all program delivery models instruct and model best practices in teaching, including the assessment of their own effectiveness as it relates to candidate performance.
	79.12(3) Faculty members in all program delivery models are engaged in professional development as well as scholarly and service activities that relate to teaching, learning, and practitioner preparation.
	79.12(4) Faculty members in all program delivery models collaborate regularly and in significant ways with colleagues in the professional education unit and other college/university units, schools, the department, area education agencies, and professional associations as well as with community representatives.
	79.12(5) Part-time faculty members and employed graduate assistants in all program delivery models are identified as faculty members and meet the background and experience requirements appropriate for their assigned responsibilities.
	79.12(6) Faculty members preparing in all program delivery models who prepare practitioner candidates maintain an ongoing, meaningful involvement in activities in preschools or elementary, middle, or secondary schools, in AEAs, or in appropriate facilities. A minimum of 60 hours of such activities shall include team teaching or appropriate collaborative experiences during the period between approval visits. A maximum of 30 hours of the 60-hour requirement may be completed by supervising candidates.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.13(256) Assessment system and unit evaluation standard. The unit’s assessment system shall appropriately monitor individual candidate performance and use those data in concert with other information to evaluate and improve the unit and its programs. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.13(1) Unit assessment system.
	a. 	The unit utilizes a clearly defined management system for the collection, analysis, and use of assessment data.
	b. 	The unit provides evidence that the assessment system is congruent with the institution’s mission and the unit’s framework for preparation of effective practitioners.
	c. 	The unit demonstrates an alignment of unit standards with INTASC standards for teacher preparation, ISSL standards for administrator preparation, and appropriate standards for other professional programs, as well as with Iowa teaching standards, Iowa preparation core professional standards in subrule 79.15(7), and the Iowa board of educational examiners’ licensing standards in 282—subrules 13.18(4), 13.18(5), 18.4(1), 18.4(2), and 18.9(1) and rule 282—18.10(272).
	d. 	The unit clearly documents candidates’ attainment of the unit standards.
	e. 	The unit demonstrates propriety, utility, accuracy and fairness of both the overall assessment system and the instruments used and provides scoring rubrics or other criteria used in evaluation instruments.
	f. 	The unit documents the quality of programs through the collective presentation of assessment data related to performance of practitioner candidates. Documentation shall include:
	(1)	Data collected throughout the program, including data from all delivery models;
	(2)	Evidence of evaluative data collected from practitioners who work with the unit’s candidates;
	(3)	Evidence of evaluative data collected by the unit through follow-up studies of graduates and their employers.
	g. 	The unit explains the process for reviewing and revising the assessment system.
	h. 	The unit demonstrates how the information gathered by the unit and from the candidate assessment system is shared with faculty and other stakeholders and used for program improvement.
	79.13(2) Performance assessment system for candidates.
	a. 	The system is an integral part of the unit’s planning and evaluation system.
	b. 	The system has multiple admission criteria and assessments to identify candidates who have the potential to become successful practitioners.
	c. 	For teacher preparation programs, the system includes the administration of a preprofessional skills test offered by a nationally recognized testing service, with program admission denied to any applicant who fails to achieve the institution’s designated criterion score.
	d. 	The system has multiple decision points. (Minimum: admission to professional education program; approval for student teaching, administrative field experience, or other culminating clinical experiences; and recommendation for licensure.)
	e. 	The system includes a coherent, sequential assessment system for individual practitioner candidates. The assessment system is shared with faculty with guidance for course and program improvement, as well as assessment criteria and a process for ongoing feedback to practitioner candidates about their achievement of program standards with guidance for reflection and improvement. Data are drawn from multiple formative and summative assessments of each of the following, including, but not limited to, institutional assessment of content knowledge, professional knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge and their applications, and teaching or leadership performance including the effect on student learning.
	f. 	Practitioner candidate performance is assessed at the same standard regardless of the place or manner in which the program is delivered.
	79.13(3) The unit annually reports to the department such data as are required by the state and federal governments at dates determined by the department.
	79.13(4) The department shall periodically conduct a survey of schools, agencies, or facilities that employ licensed graduates of approved programs to ensure that the graduates’ needs are adequately met by their programs and by the approval process herein.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09; ARC 0476C, IAB 11/28/12, effective 1/2/13]
DIVISION III
SPECIFIC EDUCATION STANDARDS APPLICABLE ONLY TO INITIAL PRACTITIONER PREPARATION
PROGRAMS FOR TEACHER CANDIDATES
281—79.14(256) Teacher preparation clinical practice standard. The unit and its school partners shall provide field experiences and student teaching opportunities that assist candidates in becoming successful teachers in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.14(1) Candidates admitted to a teacher preparation program participate in field experiences including both observation and participation in teaching activities in a variety of school settings and totaling at least 80 hours’ duration, with at least 10 hours occurring prior to acceptance into the program. A maximum of 40 hours of previous experience as a teacher or teaching associate may be credited toward the 80 hours if a program chooses to implement specific criteria for this option.
	79.14(2) Clinical practice for teacher candidates supports the development of knowledge, dispositions, and skills that are identified in the unit standards. The unit ensures that clinical experiences occurring in all locations are well-sequenced, supervised by appropriately qualified personnel, monitored by the unit, and integrated into the conceptual framework of the program.
	79.14(3) Programs document clinical expectations at various developmental levels throughout the program. These expectations are shared with candidates, supervisors, and cooperating teachers.
	79.14(4) Environments for clinical practice support learning in context, and include all of the following:
	a. 	Scheduling and use of time and resources to allow candidates to participate with teachers and other practitioners and learners in the school setting.
	b. 	Teacher candidate learning that takes place in the context of providing high-quality instructional programs for children in a state-approved school or educational facility.
	c. 	Opportunities for teacher candidates to observe and be observed by others and to engage in discussion and reflection on clinical practice.
	d. 	The involvement of teacher candidates in assessment, planning and instruction as well as in activities directed toward the improvement of teaching and learning.
	79.14(5) PK-12 school and college/university personnel share responsibility for the selection of cooperating teachers who demonstrate skills, knowledge, and dispositions of highly accomplished practitioners.
	79.14(6) Cooperating teachers and college/university supervisors share responsibility for supervising the candidate’s achievement of unit standards.
	79.14(7) The unit is responsible for all of the following:
	a. 	Defining qualifications for practitioner candidates entering clinical practice.
	b. 	Providing quality supervision that includes primary responsibility for communication/collaboration with cooperating teachers and candidates.
	c. 	Responding to specific needs of cooperating schools.
	d. 	Implementing an evaluation process that assists in selecting quality cooperating teachers.
	79.14(8) Teacher candidates develop and demonstrate the capacity to utilize assessment data in effecting student learning within their classrooms.
	79.14(9) Accountability for student teaching experiences is demonstrated through all of the following:
	a. 	Involvement of the cooperating teacher in the continuous formative evaluation and support of practitioner candidates.
	b. 	Involvement of the college or university supervisor in the formative evaluation of practitioner candidates through a minimum of biweekly observations and consultations.
	c. 	Collaboration of the cooperating teacher and the college/university supervisor in determining areas for improvement, developing and implementing plans for improvement, and determining final evaluation of the student teacher.
	d. 	Use of written evaluation procedures, with completed evaluation forms included in practitioner candidates’ permanent institutional records.
	79.14(10) The student teaching experience for initial licensure meets all of the following:
	a. 	Includes full-time experience for a minimum of 14 consecutive weeks during the student’s final year of the practitioner preparation program.
	b. 	Takes place in the classroom of an appropriately licensed cooperating teacher in the subject area and grade level endorsement desired.
	c. 	Consists of interactive experiences that involve college or university personnel, the student teacher, and the cooperating teacher.
	d. 	Includes prescribed minimum expectations and responsibilities, including ethical behavior, for the student teacher.
	e. 	Includes prescribed minimum expectations and responsibilities for cooperating teachers, the school district or accredited nonpublic school, and higher education supervising faculty members.
	f. 	Requires the student teacher to become knowledgeable about the Iowa teaching standards and to experience a mock evaluation performed by the cooperating teacher or a person who holds an Iowa evaluator license (see rule 282—20.51(272) and Iowa Code section 284.10), which shall not be used as an assessment tool by the program.
	g. 	Requires the student teacher to bear primary responsibility for planning and instruction within the classroom for a minimum of two weeks (ten school days).
	h. 	Involves the student teacher in professional meetings and other school-based activities directed toward the improvement of teaching and learning.
	i. 	Involves the student teacher in communication and interaction with parents or guardians of students in the student teacher’s classroom.
	79.14(11) The institution annually offers one or more workshops for all cooperating teachers to define the objectives of the student teaching experience, review the responsibilities of the cooperating teacher, and provide the cooperating teacher other information and assistance the institution deems necessary. The cumulative instructional time for the workshops shall be one school day or the equivalent hours, and the workshops shall utilize delivery strategies identified as appropriate for staff development and reflect information gathered through feedback from workshop participants.
	79.14(12) The institution shall enter into a written contract with each cooperating school providing clinical experiences, including field experiences and student teaching, as stipulated in Iowa Code section 272.27.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.15(256) Teacher preparation candidate knowledge, skills and dispositions standard. Teacher candidates shall demonstrate the content knowledge and the pedagogical and professional knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.15(1) Prior to admission to the teacher preparation program, each teacher candidate attains the qualifying score determined by the unit on a preprofessional skills test administered pursuant to paragraph 79.13(2)“c.”
	79.15(2) Each teacher candidate demonstrates the acquisition of a core of liberal arts knowledge, including but not limited to English composition, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
	79.15(3) Each teacher candidate completes specific, dedicated coursework in human relations and cultural competency and thus demonstrates acquisition of knowledge about and skill in interpersonal and intergroup relations that contribute to the development of sensitivity to and understanding of the values, beliefs, life styles, and attitudes of individuals and the diverse groups found in a pluralistic society. The unit shall provide evidence that the human relations and cultural competency coursework is designed to develop the ability of participants to:
	a. 	Be aware of and understand the values, life styles, history, and contributions of various identifiable subgroups in our society.
	b. 	Recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases such as sexism, racism, prejudice, and discrimination and become aware of the impact that such biases have on interpersonal relations.
	c. 	Translate knowledge of human relations into attitudes, skills, and techniques which will result in favorable learning experiences for students.
	d. 	Recognize human diversity and the rights of each individual.
	e. 	Relate effectively to other individuals and various subgroups other than one’s own.
	f. 	Have an awareness of federal and state civil rights legislation as it impacts students.
	79.15(4) Each teacher candidate demonstrates, within specific coursework dedicated to understanding exceptional learners, in other coursework, and in clinical experiences, the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions toward meeting the learning needs of all students, including students from diverse ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, students with disabilities, students who are gifted and talented, English language learners, and students who may be at risk of not succeeding in school.
	79.15(5) Each teacher candidate in elementary education demonstrates acquisition of knowledge about and receives preparation in elementary reading programs, including but not limited to reading recovery.
	79.15(6) Each teacher candidate in secondary education demonstrates acquisition of knowledge about and receives preparation in the integration of reading strategies into secondary content areas.
	79.15(7) Each teacher candidate demonstrates acquisition of the knowledge, skills and dispositions designated by the unit standards and aligned with the INTASC standards embedded in the professional education core for an Iowa teaching license at a level appropriate for a novice teacher. Each candidate exhibits competency in all of the following professional core curricula:
	a. 	Content/subject matter specialization. The candidate demonstrates an understanding of the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structure of the discipline(s) the candidate teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the subject matter meaningful for students. This is evidenced by a completion of a 30-semester-hour teaching major which must minimally include the requirements for at least one of the basic endorsement areas, special education teaching endorsements, or secondary level occupational endorsements. Each candidate must achieve a score above the 25th percentile nationally on subject assessments designed by a nationally recognized testing service that measure pedagogy and knowledge of at least one subject area. Additionally, each elementary candidate must also complete a field of specialization in a single discipline or a formal interdisciplinary program of at least 12 semester hours.
These requirements shall become effective January 2, 2013.
	b. 	Student learning. The candidate demonstrates an understanding of human growth and development and of how students learn and participates in learning opportunities that support intellectual, career, social and personal development.
	c. 	Diverse learners. The candidate demonstrates an understanding of how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are equitable and adaptable to diverse learners.
	d. 	Instructional planning. The candidate plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, curriculum goals, and state curriculum models.
	e. 	Instructional strategies. The candidate demonstrates an understanding of and an ability to use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills.
	f. 	Learning environment/classroom management. The candidate uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior; creates a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation; maintains effective classroom management; and is prepared to address behaviors related to substance abuse and other high-risk behaviors.
	g. 	Communication. The candidate uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques, and other forms of symbolic representation, to foster active inquiry and collaboration and to support interaction in the classroom.
	h. 	Assessment. The candidate understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the student, and effectively uses both formative and summative assessment of students, including student achievement data, to determine appropriate instruction.
	i. 	Foundations, reflective practice and professional development. The candidate develops knowledge of the social, historical, and philosophical foundations of education. The candidate continually evaluates the effects of the candidate’s choices and actions on students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community; actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally; and demonstrates an understanding of teachers as consumers of research and as researchers in the classroom.
	j. 	Collaboration, ethics and relationships. The candidate fosters relationships with parents, school colleagues, and organizations in the larger community to support student learning and development; demonstrates an understanding of educational law and policy, ethics, and the profession of teaching, including the role of boards of education and education agencies; and demonstrates knowledge of and dispositions for cooperation with other educators, especially in collaborative/co-teaching as well as in other educational team situations.
	k. 	Technology. The candidate effectively integrates technology into instruction to support student learning.
	l. 	Methods of teaching. Methods of teaching have an emphasis on the subject and grade level endorsement desired.
	79.15(8) Each teacher candidate meets all requirements established by the board of educational examiners for any endorsement for which the candidate is recommended, as well as standards developed by national professional organizations as appropriate for specific endorsement areas. Programs shall submit curriculum exhibit sheets for approval by the board of educational examiners and the department.
	79.15(9) Candidates seeking an endorsement in elementary education attain the state’s designated criterion score on a content knowledge assessment as a condition precedent to successful program completion and recommendation for licensure.
	79.15(10) Candidates seeking an initial Iowa teaching license demonstrate competency in coursework directly related to the Iowa core curriculum.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09; ARC 0476C, IAB 11/28/12, effective 1/2/13]
DIVISION IV
SPECIFIC EDUCATION STANDARDS APPLICABLE ONLY TO ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS
281—79.16(256) Administrator preparation clinical practice standard. The unit and its school partners shall provide clinical experiences that assist candidates in becoming successful school administrators in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.16(1) Clinical practice for administrator candidates supports the development of knowledge, dispositions, and skills that are identified in the unit standards. The unit ensures that clinical experiences occurring in all locations are well-sequenced, supervised by appropriately qualified personnel, monitored by the unit, and integrated into the conceptual framework of the program.
	79.16(2) Each administrator candidate participates in field experiences that include both observation and involvement in management and leadership responsibilities. Programs document clinical expectations at various developmental levels. Clinical expectations are directly linked to coursework throughout the program, reflect collaboration among program faculty, and are shared with candidates, supervisors and cooperating administrators.
	79.16(3) Environments for clinical practice support learning in context and include all of the following:
	a. 	Scheduling and use of time and resources to allow candidates to participate with administrators and other practitioners and learners in the school setting.
	b. 	Administrator candidate learning that takes place in the context of providing high-quality instructional programs for students in a state-approved school or educational facility.
	c. 	Opportunities for administrator candidates to observe and be observed by others and to engage in discussion and reflection on clinical practice.
	d. 	The involvement of administrator candidates in relevant responsibilities directed toward the improvement of teaching and learning to include demonstration of the capacity to facilitate the use of formative and summative assessment data in effecting student learning within their schools.
	79.16(4) The field experience component for initial administrator licensure meets all of the following requirements:
	a. 	Includes experience for a minimum of 400 hours during each candidate's preparation program.
	b. 	Takes place in multiple educational settings that include diverse populations and students of different age groups.
	c. 	Takes place with appropriately licensed cooperating administrators.
	d. 	Includes communication among institution personnel, the candidate, and the cooperating administrator regarding candidate progress.
	e. 	Includes prescribed minimum expectations and responsibilities of the candidate for both leadership and managerial tasks as well as ethical behavior.
	f. 	Includes minimum expectations and responsibilities for the participating entities: cooperating administrators, school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, AEAs, and higher education supervising faculty members.
	g. 	Involves the candidate in professional meetings and other school-based activities directed toward the improvement of teaching and learning.
	h. 	Involves the candidate in communication and interaction with parents or guardians, community members, faculty and staff, and the cooperating administrator in the school.
	79.16(5) PK-12 school and institution professionals share responsibility for the selection of cooperating administrators who demonstrate skills, knowledge, and dispositions appropriate for administrator practitioners.
	79.16(6) The unit is responsible for all of the following:
	a. 	Defining qualifications for candidates entering clinical practice and for cooperating administrators who mentor candidates in their clinical experiences.
	b. 	Providing quality supervision that includes primary responsibility for communication/collaboration with cooperating administrators and candidates.
	c. 	Responding to specific needs of cooperating schools.
	d. 	Selection, training, evaluation and support of institution faculty members who supervise administrator candidates.
	e. 	Selection, training, evaluation and support of school administrators who mentor administrator candidates.
	79.16(7) Each administrator candidate develops and demonstrates the capacity to utilize assessment data in effecting student learning within the candidate's school(s).
	79.16(8) Accountability for field experiences is demonstrated through the following:
	a. 	Collaboration between the cooperating administrator and the institution supervisors in formative evaluation of candidates to include identifying areas for improvement, developing and implementing plans for improvement, and determining final evaluation of the candidates.
	b. 	Use of authentic performance measures appropriate to the required assignments in the clinical experiences, with written documentation and completed evaluation forms included in administrator candidates’ permanent institutional records.
	79.16(9) The institution annually delivers one or more professional development opportunities for cooperating administrators to define the objectives of the field experience, review the responsibilities of cooperating administrators, build skills in coaching and mentoring, and provide cooperating administrators other information and assistance the institution deems necessary. The professional development opportunities shall utilize delivery strategies identified as appropriate for professional development and reflect information gathered through feedback from workshop participants.
	79.16(10) The institution shall enter into a written contract with each cooperating school district or AEA that provides field experiences for administrator candidates as stipulated in Iowa Code section 272.27.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.17(256) Administrator candidate knowledge, skills and dispositions standard. Administrator candidates shall demonstrate the content knowledge and the pedagogical and professional knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.17(1) Each administrator candidate shall demonstrate through coursework the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to meet the following Iowa Standards for School Leaders (ISSL), at a level appropriate for a novice administrator:
	a. 	Facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community (ISSL Standard 1: Shared Vision). Each administrator candidate:
	(1)	In collaboration with others, uses appropriate data to establish rigorous, concrete goals in the context of student achievement and instructional programs.
	(2)	Uses research and best practices in improving the educational program.
	(3)	Articulates and promotes high expectations for teaching and learning.
	(4)	Aligns and implements the educational programs, plans, actions, and resources with the district’s vision and goals.
	(5)	Provides leadership for major initiatives and change efforts.
	(6)	Communicates effectively to various stakeholders regarding progress with school improvement plan goals.
	b. 	Advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional development (ISSL Standard 2: Culture of Learning). Each administrator candidate:
	(1)	Provides leadership for assessing, developing and improving climate and culture.
	(2)	Systematically and fairly recognizes and celebrates accomplishments of staff and students.
	(3)	Provides leadership, encouragement, opportunities and structure for staff to continually design more effective teaching and learning experiences for all students.
	(4)	Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of curriculum, instruction and assessment.
	(5)	Evaluates staff and provides ongoing coaching for improvement.
	(6)	Ensures that staff members receive professional development that directly enhances their performance and improves student learning.
	(7)	Uses current research and theory about effective schools and leadership to develop and revise the administrator's professional growth plan.
	(8)	Promotes collaboration with all stakeholders.
	(9)	Is easily accessible and approachable to all stakeholders.
	(10)	Is highly visible and engaged in the school community.
	(11)	Articulates the desired school culture and shows evidence about how it is reinforced.
	c. 	Ensuring management of the organization, operations and resources for a safe, efficient and effective learning environment (ISSL Standard 3: Management). Each administrator candidate:
	(1)	Complies with state and federal mandates and local board policies.
	(2)	Recruits, selects, inducts, and retains staff to support quality instruction.
	(3)	Addresses current and potential issues in a timely manner.
	(4)	Manages fiscal and physical resources responsibly, efficiently, and effectively.
	(5)	Protects instructional time by designing and managing operational procedures to maximize learning.
	(6)	Communicates effectively with both internal and external audiences about the operations of the school.
	d. 	Collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs and mobilizing community resources (ISSL Standard 4: Family and Community). Each administrator candidate:
	(1)	Engages family and community by promoting shared responsibility for student learning and support of the education system.
	(2)	Promotes and supports a structure for family and community involvement in the education system.
	(3)	Facilitates the connections of students and families to the health and social services that support a focus on learning.
	(4)	Collaboratively establishes a culture that welcomes and honors families and community and seeks ways to engage them in student learning.
	e. 	Acting with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner (ISSL Standard 5: Ethics). Each administrator candidate:
	(1)	Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
	(2)	Demonstrates values, beliefs, and attitudes that inspire others to higher levels of performance.
	(3)	Fosters and maintains caring professional relationships with staff.
	(4)	Demonstrates appreciation for and sensitivity to diversity in the school community.
	(5)	Is respectful of divergent opinions.
	f. 	Understanding the profile of the community and responding to, and influencing, the larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context (ISSL Standard 6: Societal Context). Each administrator candidate:
	(1)	Collaborates with service providers and other decision makers to improve teaching and learning.
	(2)	Advocates for the welfare of all members of the learning community.
	(3)	Designs and implements appropriate strategies to reach desired goals.
	79.17(2) Each new administrative candidate successfully completes the appropriate evaluator training based on the Iowa teaching standards and ISSL standards provided by a state-approved evaluator trainer.
	79.17(3) Each administrator candidate demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to support the implementation of the Iowa core curriculum.
	79.17(4) Each administrator candidate demonstrates acquisition of knowledge about and skill in interpersonal and intergroup relations that contribute to the development of sensitivity to and understanding of the values, beliefs, cultures, and attitudes of individuals and the diverse groups found in a pluralistic society. The program shall provide evidence of candidates’ attainment of such knowledge and skills through the integration of these human relations and cultural competency issues within the program’s coursework.
	79.17(5) Each administrator candidate demonstrates, within specific coursework dedicated to understanding exceptional learners, in other coursework, and in clinical experiences, the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to meet the learning needs of all students, including students from diverse ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, students with disabilities, students who are gifted and talented, English language learners, and students who may be at risk of not succeeding in school.
	79.17(6) Each administrator candidate meets all requirements established by the board of educational examiners for any endorsement for which the candidate is recommended, as well as standards developed by national professional organizations as appropriate for specific endorsement areas. Programs shall submit curriculum exhibit sheets for approval by the board of educational examiners and the department.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.18 Reserved.
DIVISION V
SPECIFIC EDUCATION STANDARDS APPLICABLE ONLY TO PRACTITIONER PREPARATION PROGRAMS
OTHER THAN TEACHER OR ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS
281—79.19(256) Purpose. This division addresses preparation of an individual seeking a license based on school-centered preparation for employment as one of the following: school guidance counselor, school audiologist, school psychologist, school social worker, speech-language pathologist, supervisor of special education (support and orientation and mobility specialist). (See also the board of educational examiners' 282—Chapter 27, regarding licenses for service other than as a teacher.)
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.20(256) Clinical practice standard. The unit and its school, AEA, and facility partners shall provide clinical experiences that assist candidates in becoming successful practitioners in accordance with the following provisions. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.20(1) Clinical practice for candidates supports the development of knowledge, dispositions, and skills that are identified in the unit standards. The unit ensures that clinical experiences occurring in all locations are well-sequenced, supervised by appropriately qualified personnel, monitored by the unit, and integrated into the conceptual framework of the program.
	79.20(2) Candidates participate in clinical/field experiences that include both observation and involvement in professional responsibilities. Programs document clinical expectations at various developmental levels. Clinical expectations are directly linked to coursework throughout the program, reflect collaboration among program faculty, and are shared with candidates, supervisors and cooperating mentors.
	79.20(3) Environments for clinical/field practice support learning in context and include all of the following:
	a. 	Scheduling and use of time and resources to allow candidates to participate with practitioners and learners in the school/agency/facility setting.
	b. 	Learning that takes place in the context of providing high-quality instructional programs for students in a state-approved school, agency, or educational facility.
	c. 	Opportunities for candidates to observe and be observed by others and to engage in discussion and reflection on clinical practice.
	d. 	The involvement of candidates in relevant responsibilities directed toward the work for which they are preparing.
	79.20(4) PK-12 school, AEA, or facility professionals share responsibility for the selection of cooperating mentors who demonstrate appropriate skills, knowledge, and dispositions.
	79.20(5) The unit is responsible for all of the following:
	a. 	Defining qualifications for candidates entering clinical practice and for cooperating mentors who support candidates in their clinical experiences.
	b. 	Providing quality supervision that includes primary responsibility for communication/collaboration with cooperating mentors and candidates.
	c. 	Responding to specific needs of cooperating schools and agencies.
	d. 	Selection, training, evaluation and support of institution faculty members who supervise candidates.
	79.20(6) Accountability for clinical experiences is demonstrated through the following:
	a. 	Collaboration between the cooperating mentor and the college/university supervisors in formative evaluation of candidates to include identifying areas for improvement, developing and implementing plans for improvement, and determining final evaluation of the candidates.
	b. 	Use of authentic performance measures appropriate to the required assignments in the clinical experiences, with written documentation and completed evaluation forms included in candidates’ permanent institutional records.
	79.20(7) The institution shall enter into a written contract with each cooperating school district, AEA, or facility that provides field experiences for candidates as stipulated in Iowa Code section 272.27.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
281—79.21(256) Candidate knowledge, skills and dispositions standard. Candidates shall demonstrate the content knowledge and the pedagogical and professional knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn in accordance with the provisions of the appropriate professional standards. All provisions of this standard shall be demonstrated appropriately and equitably for all programs regardless of delivery model, including programs delivered by distance learning and programs offered on campus, off campus, and through any other model of delivery.
	79.21(1) Each candidate demonstrates acquisition of knowledge about and skill in interpersonal and intergroup relations that contribute to the development of sensitivity to and understanding of the values, beliefs, cultures, and attitudes of individuals and the diverse groups found in a pluralistic society. The program shall provide evidence of candidates’ attainment of such knowledge and skills through the integration of these human relations and cultural competency issues within the program’s coursework.
	79.21(2) Each candidate meets all requirements established by the board of educational examiners for any endorsement for which the candidate is recommended, including the professional service license. Programs shall submit curriculum exhibit sheets for approval by the board of educational examiners and the department.
[ARC 8053B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 256.7, 256.16 and 272.25(1).
[Filed 10/22/99, Notice 6/30/99—published 11/17/99, effective 8/31/01]
[Filed 8/10/01, Notice 4/18/01—published 9/5/01, effective 10/10/01]
[Filed 8/12/04, Notice 3/31/04—published 9/1/04, effective 10/6/04]
[Filed 9/17/07, Notice 6/6/07—published 10/10/07, effective 11/14/07]
[Filed ARC 8053B (Notice ARC 7780B, IAB 5/20/09), IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]
[Filed ARC 0476C (Notice ARC 0299C, IAB 8/22/12), IAB 11/28/12, effective 1/2/13]