PURPOSE: The State Board of Education is authorized to grant certificates of license to teach in any of the public schools of the state and establish requirements and qualifications for those certificates. This rule outlines the requirements for application for a certificate of license to teach Middle School Education.

1. (1) An applicant for a Missouri certificate of license to teach Middle School Education who possesses good moral character may be granted an initial Missouri certificate of license to teach Middle School Education subject to the certification requirements found in 5 CSR 20- 400.500 and the following additional certification requirements specific to Middle School Education:

   1. (A) General Requirements. An applicant for a Missouri certificate of license to teach who has successfully completed an educator preparation program approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (department) must comply with the following additional criteria:

      1. 1. The applicant must possess a bac-

calaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university;

1. 2. The applicant must have a recommen-

dation from the designated official at a baccalaureate or higher-level educator preparation program approved by the department;

1. 3. The applicant must possess an overall

grade point average to meet the following specifications:

1. A. For applicants graduating before

the spring semester of the year 2017 from a baccalaureate program approved by the department, a grade point average of 2.50 or higher on a 4.00 scale, and in the major area of study;

1. B. For applicants graduating in or

after the spring semester of the year 2017 from a baccalaureate program approved by the department, a cumulative grade point average on a 4.00 scale of 2.75 or higher, and a grade point average of 3.00 or higher in professional education and the specific content area for which certification is sought; or

1. C. For applicants graduating in or

after the spring semester of the year 2017 from a baccalaureate program who do not meet the appropriate cumulative grade point average requirements, competency may otherwise be demonstrated by achievement of exit assessment scores greater than or equal to a score deemed satisfactory by the board to qualify for forgiveness of a disqualifying cumulative grade point average. Such satisfactory score shall be higher than the Missouri qualifying score.

1. 4. The applicant must achieve a score

equal to or in excess of the qualifying score on the required exit assessment(s) as defined in 5 CSR 20-400.310 and 5 CSR 20-400.440. The official score shall be submitted to the department;

1. 5. The applicant must complete the pro-

fessional requirements as determined by the recommending educator preparation program, which may exceed these minimum requirements; and

1. 6. Individuals who completed an educa-

tor preparation program outside of the United States shall provide documentation of completion of coursework in the following:

1. A. English Composition, two (2)

courses, each a minimum of two (2) semester hours;

1. B. U.S. History, three (3) semester

hours; and

1. C. U.S. Government, three (3) semes-

ter hours;

1. (B) Professional Requirements. A minimum of forty-five (45) semester hours in professional education. Competency must be demonstrated in the following areas listed to the satisfaction of the educator preparation program:

   1. 1. Content Planning and Delivery.

Candidates are prepared with a deep knowledge of and understand the relationship among curriculum, instruction, and assessment—

1. A. Curriculum and Instructional

Planning;

1. B. Instructional Strategies and

Techniques in Content Area Specialty;

1. C. Assessment, Student Data, and

Data-Based Decision-Making;

1. D. Strategies for Content Literacy;
2. E. Critical Thinking and Problem

Solving; and

1. F. English Language Learning;
2. 2. Individual Student Needs. Candidates

build a robust knowledge of learners and the learning environment—

1. A. Psychological Development of the

Child and Adolescent;

1. B. Psychology/Education of the

Exceptional Child;

1. C. Differentiated Learning;
2. D. Classroom Management;
3. E. Cultural Diversity; and
4. F. Educational Psychology;
5. 3. Schools and the Teaching Profession.

Candidates fully understand the role of schools and schooling as well as the professional responsibilities of teachers, including a means of professional growth—

1. A. Consultation and Collaboration;
2. B. Legal/Ethical Aspects of Teaching;

and

1. C. Middle School Philosophy and

Organization;

1. 4. Middle School Literacy (minimum of

six (6) semester hours): to include coursework in methods of teaching reading and writing in the content area, and to include instructional interventions for students with reading deficits; and

1. 5. Content Knowledge for Teaching

(minimum requirement of twenty-four (24) semester hours). Subject area certification in grades five through nine (5-9) will be granted upon the basis of a minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours with appropriate distribution as determined by the educator preparation program and/or the department, in one (1) of the following areas:

1. A. Agricultural Education (5-9);
2. B. Business Education (5-9);
3. C. Technology and Engineering (5-9);
4. D. Language Arts (5-9);
5. E. Mathematics (5-9);
6. F. Science (5-9);
7. G. Social Science (5-9); and
8. H. Speech/Theatre (5-9); and
9. (C) Field and Clinical Experiences (ten

1. (10) semester hours). Field and clinical experiences should be appropriate to the progress of the student through the program and should be supervised through a close partnership of highly-qualified professionals in appropriate school settings.

   1. 1. Early Field Experiences (one (1)

semester hour with a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours). The early field experience includes placements in which candidates observe students, support teachers, and respond to specific class assignments. The candidate may work with students individually and/or in small groups as requested and under the supervision of the classroom teacher.

1. 2. Mid-Level Field Experiences (one (1)

semester hour with a minimum of forty-five (45) clock hours). The mid-level experience occurs between the initial placement and the culminating clinical experiences. At the midlevel, candidates continue to observe; respond 5 CSR 20-400

to specific class assignments; and work with students individually, in small groups, and in whole class settings as requested and under the supervision of the classroom teacher.

1. 3. Culminating Clinical Experiences

(eight (8) semester hours with a minimum of twelve (12) weeks in one (1) placement). The culminating experience refers to placements typically in the final sequence leading up to and including student teaching. Candidates actively participate and complete required assignments, work with students as requested and under the supervision of the classroom teacher, and have the opportunity and responsibility to lead the class over an extended period of time.

1. (2) The requirements of this rule shall become effective August 1, 2017.

AUTHORITY: sections 168.011, 168.405, and 168.409, RSMo 2000, and sections 161.092, 168.021, 168.071, 168.081, and 168.400, RSMo Supp. 2013.* Original rule filed Oct. 29, 2013, effective May 30, 2014.

*Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 2002, 2003, 2013; 168.011, RSMo 1963, amended 1984; 168.021, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013; 168.071, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2013; 168.081, RSMo 1963, amended 1984, 2002; 168.400, RSMo 1985, amended 1990, 2002; 168.405, RSMo 1985; and 168.409, RSMo 1985.