Teacher Candidate Progress Review Committee (TCPR)

The faculty and staff (including clinical and student teaching personnel) of the School of Education recognize that all individuals seeking certification may not meet certain minimal professional standards; therefore, a procedure has been established to identify and to counsel candidates in need of directed guidance. Additional measures may be taken if deemed necessary. The referral process may lead to the candidate's removal from the teacher education program(s).

The School of Education's Teacher Candidate Progress Review Committee is charged to oversee the development and assessment of knowledge, skills, and dispositions among teacher candidates as assessed by the multiple measures of the Teacher Education Assessment System. Academic and non-academic misconduct (plagiarism, cheating, etc.) are referred directly to the Office of Student Life as outlined in the University's handbook.

 If issues related to the progress of candidates are identified, a referral is initiated using the Teacher Candidate Progress Review Referral Form, and the candidate receives a copy of the referral. The Dean of the School of Education will forward a copy to the candidate's advisor, the Academic Assistant to the Dean / Certification Officer, Department Chair, and the Content Liaison, where appropriate. There are three types of referrals: 1) notice of concern, 2) automatic referral and, 3) program referral.

Quick references:

Initiating the Referral Process

TCPR Meeting Flowchart

Procedure for Filing a Notice of Concern:

• A concerned faculty or staff member completes a written notice of concern. The candidate is required to schedule an appointment to review the content of the notice of concern form. A minimum of 2 faculty or staff members will discuss the referral with the candidate and provide him/her with a copy of the referral form. After the content of the referral form is discussed the candidate signs the referral form acknowledging receipt.

• The faculty or staff member submits the signed referral form to the Office of the Dean of the School of Education; copies of the form are sent to the appropriate individuals (see third paragraph above), as well as placing a copy in the candidate's permanent file.

• If two notices of concern are received, the candidate is automatically referred to the Committee by the Dean of the School of Education.

Candidates enrolled in pupil services certification programs (School Psychology): each notice of concern will be sent to the program director. The program will work with the candidate to develop an action plan.

Automatic referrals include, but are not limited to, concerns needing immediate intervention related to the candidate's knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions OR candidate G.P.A. (Cumulative, major, minor, concentrations, core).

Non-G.P.A.-related automatic referrals

• An issue needing immediate intervention related to the candidate's knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions is identified, and an automatic referral form is completed. The candidate is required to schedule an appointment to review the content of the automatic referral form. A minimum of 2 faculty or staff members will discuss the referral with the candidate and provide him/her with a copy of the referral form. After the content of the referral form is discussed the candidate signs the referral form acknowledging receipt.

• The faculty or staff member submits the signed referral form to the Office of the Dean of the School of Education; copies of the form are sent to the appropriate individuals (see third paragraph above), as well as placing a copy in the candidate's permanent file.

• The candidate is automatically referred to the Committee by the Dean of the School of Education and will be required to appear at the next Committee meeting to address the concerns cited in the automatic referral. When the candidate meets with the Committee the concerns are reviewed and the candidate addresses these concerns. After the candidate has met with the Committee, the Committee recommends further action (following the link below, review "Action 2").   If the candidate fails to meet with the committee, s/he will be unable to continue in his/her program of study.

Program Referrals

Faculty and staff (including clinical and student teaching personnel) who have concerns about a candidate's knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions as described within the Teacher Education's Programs Standards, shall document and initiate the referral process by completing the appropriate Teacher Candidate Progress Review Referral Form. For the purpose of facilitating the referral process, the following procedures are followed:

• The faculty or staff discuss the referral with the candidate and provides him/her with a copy of the referral form.

• The faculty or staff member delivers the Referral Form to the appropriate program director or department chair. The faculty involved decide if the referral form is to be sent to the Teacher Candidate Progress Review Committee or remediated within the program. The candidate is notified regarding the decision within two weeks regarding action or remediation plan. If the remediation plan is unacceptable to the candidate, he/she may appeal the plan to the Committee.

• If so deemed, referral forms, and the referred student's academic record(s) and performance, are reviewed by the Committee at the next monthly meeting in which they are received.