All graduate students admitted to different programs leading to initial licensure in the Education Division must proceed through a program specific benchmark process, which starts when a student enters Saint Xavier University and continues through admission to clinical practice (residency teaching). Requirements in teacher education are subject to change within the time span of one's university career, due to changing requirements at national, state and local levels.
Please note: The terminology used and requirements described for earning a Professional Educator License (PEL) in Illinois are accurate as of the preparation of this edition of the catalog. Complete information can be found on the Illinois State Board of Education website.
Benchmark I: Teacher Education Candidate Status
Requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Full admission into a graduate program in Education.
- Completion of a criminal history fingerprint check for non-licensed and licensed teachers seeking subsequent endorsements, or licensed but unemployed teachers.
Benchmark II: Admission to Clinical Practice (Residency Teaching)
The process and requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in professional education courses.
- A minimum grade of C must be earned in all professional education courses.
- Proof of passing the appropriate Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) content-area test(s) according to the deadlines established by the Coordinator for School Partnerships.*
- Completion of all required school/district health screening requirements.
- Completion of all required pre-residency field experience hours.
*Licensure test dates, registration materials, study guides, and a practice diagnostic basic skills test are available at the Illinois Licensure Testing System website.
Benchmark III: Exit from Clinical Practice (Residency)
The process and requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Satisfactory ratings by University Coordinator and mentor teacher on clinical practice instructional feedback forms.
- Grade of C or better in clinical practice.
Benchmark IV: Program Completion
The process and requirements for reaching this benchmark include:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in professional education courses.
- Successful completion of the clinical practice experience (EDGCC 517 and EDGCC 524) with a grade of C or better.
- Completion of minimum number of semester hours required by the program.
- Passing score on the program-specific edTPA.*
- Submission of all required documents and fees.
*edTPA is currently paused, per the Illinois State Board of Education.
Appealing Denial to Candidacy in the Education Division and Licensure
An appeal process has been developed for students who are denied admission to candidacy or student teaching, or whose pursuit of program completion is believed by the student to be compromised in some way. For appealing decisions related to the graduate program, please consult the Academic Dismissal and Appeal Process section of the SXU catalog.