Office of Field Placements and Certification

Overview

Extended field experiences, opening school, practicum and/or student teaching (i.e. experiences involving interactions with students, tutoring or classroom teaching in school settings) will be arranged by the Office of Field Placements and Certification and program coordinators in the educator preparation departments of the students’ major fields of study.

Students must successfully complete the prerequisite courses in their program of study with respect to securing a placement.

It is the responsibility of the student to check with their faculty advisor regarding specific departmental procedures required to request a practicum or student teaching placement.

Students may not contact a school or school system office or report to a school site until they are notified by their department or the Office of Field Placements and Certification of their placement confirmation.

Students accepted into teacher education programs will not be able to begin their field placement(s) until they receive their pre-service certificate number from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and provide proof to the College of Education & Human Development’s Office of Field Placements and Certification. To apply for your pre-service certificate, go to the college’s certification requirements page and follow the instructions.

Opening School Experience

All teacher education programs require an opening school experience in addition to practicum and student teaching placements. Opening school experiences vary by program and can include the Georgia State student spending one to two weeks with a mentor teacher during pre-planning and the first week of school.

Due to the schedules of the county schools where the university places students, the opening school experience may occur prior to the start of the Georgia State’s fall term. Students should check with their program faculty regarding the specific number of days/hours required for their opening school experience for their program.

Become a University Supervisor

University supervisors are carefully selected, as their role is critical in the professional development and success of the teacher candidate. Recommended qualifications include:

• Retired educator or administrator with a minimum of three years’ classroom experience in their chosen field
• Knowledge of current state and program requirements, including standards, best practices, classroom management and mentoring

If you are interested in becoming a university supervisor for Georgia State, submit a cover letter and your current resume to the Office of Field Placements and Certification at [email protected] and we will forward your information to the program faculty, who will contact candidates as the need arises.

Become a University Mentor

Mentor teachers are currently-certified teachers who allow Georgia State student interns to complete their field placements in their classrooms during the fall and/or spring semester. Mentor teachers are a valued member of the education community, as they are expected to assist in shaping future educators.

Recommended qualifications include:

• Current certified teacher employed and teaching in their own classroom.
• Minimum three years of teaching experience.
• Willingness to mentor, collaborate with and assist a pre-service teacher as they assume additional responsibilities in the classroom

If you are interested in becoming a mentor teacher for Georgia State, send an email stating your interest to the Office of Field Placements and Certification at [email protected] with your current teaching position (school, county and content field) and your contact information. We will forward your information to the appropriate Georgia State program faculty.

First, go to https://candidate.precheck.com/StudentCheck. Navigate to the “School and Program” drop-down menu and choose the following:

• If you’re an undergraduate student, select “Georgia State University-Education-Undergraduates”
• If you’re a student in the B.I.S. degree program, select “General”
• If you’re a graduate student, select “Georgia State University-Education-Graduates”

Complete all required fields and hit “Continue” to enter your payment information. The $49.50 payment can be made securely online with a credit or debit card. You may also pay by mail via money order, but that will result in a delay of processing your background check until the money order is received by mail at the PreCheck office.

For your records, you will be provided a receipt and a confirmation page of your background check order placed through PreCheck, Inc.

PreCheck will not use your information for any other purposes other than a background check. Your credit will not be investigated and your name will not be given out to any businesses.

I selected the wrong school, program or need to correct some other information entered. What do I do?

Email [email protected] with the details.

Do I get a copy of the report?

Yes. Log into www.mystudentcheck.com, click “here,” and enter your social security number and date of birth. If your report is complete, you may click on the application number to download and print a copy. This feature is good for 90 days after submittal. After 90 days, you will be charged $14.95 for a copy of your report and will need to contact PreCheck directly to request this.

I am an international student and therefore I do not have a Social Security number. How can I complete the background check?

You can direct your question to the Office of Field Placements and Certification at [email protected] or 404-413-8205.

I have been contacted by my college to provide clarification regarding information on my report and that I should contact PreCheck. Where should I call?

Call PreCheck’s Adverse Action hotline at 800-203-1654. Adverse Action is the procedure established by the Fair Credit Reporting Act that allows you to see the report and to dispute anything reported.

In order to be allowed to visit a Bright From the Start daycare facility, you are required to complete the fingerprinting and background check process. The fee is $51. As a student-in-training, your check is portable and has a two-year validity period.

The steps are:

1. Register with Cogent online.
2. Find a fingerprinting facility.
3. Complete a paper application, choose Georgia State University’s College of Education as the facility (provider number SUPP-48668).
4. The Georgia State University Director of Field Placements will receive the application electronically from DECAL, sign off on it and send it for processing.
5. You will receive your confirmation clearance letter from DECAL via email, which you will take to your assigned facility.

Questions:

DECAL Help Line: 1-855-884-7444
[email protected]

Georgia State University Office of Field Placements
[email protected]
404-413-8152

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