REQUIRED TEACHER CERTIFICATION DOCUMENTS

2000-2001: DOCUMENTS, DUE DATES AND CHECKLIST

DATE: 01 July 2000

The information included in this memorandum is correct and in effect on this date. All information is subject to change at any time.

Table of Contents:

I. Required Certification Documents

II. Certification Documents - Due Dates

III. Certification Documents - Checklist

IV. Penna Chapter 354 -Messiah College Phase-In Procedures

PLEASE NOTE:

Pennsylvania Department of Education & Messiah College regulations stipulate that Instructional I applications and Program Completion Letters cannot be processed until ALL of the following are successfully completed and verified(Verification normally takes 7-10 days following the end of the student's final semester.):

1. Messiah College Graduation Requirements.

2. Pennsylvania Certification Program Requirements.

3. Pennsylvania Testing Requirements.

4. Criminal History Clearances.

5. Financial obligations with the Messiah College Business Office.

6. Certification documents have been submitted to the Teacher Certification Officer.

I. REQUIRED CERTIFICATION DOCUMENTS

As you complete your teacher education program at Messiah College, there are a number of documents that must be submitted to our office before we can process your certification application in Pennsylvania or any other state. You should complete the items below before leaving Messiah College. Even if you contact us in several years, we must have these documents on file in our office or we cannot sign-off on your certification application.

The items listed below are all required before we can send your application to any state or employment agency:

A. ALL CANDIDATES

  1. Pennsylvania Instructional I Verification Form(Gray), with all required signatures.
  2. Act 34 Criminal History Form.
  3. Act 33/151 Child Abuse Criminal History Form.
  4. FBI Criminal History Form (*Non-Pennsylvania residents).
  5. Clearances from the following Messiah College offices (Our office will secure these clearances for you.):

a. Academic Office.

b. Business Office.

c. Student Life Office.

B. PENNSYLVANIA CERTIFICATION APPLICANTS:

In addition to the above items, you must also submit:

  1. Passing scores on all required Praxis certification tests.
  2. Pennsylvania Instructional I Form 338C.
  3. Pennsylvania Instructional I Form 338G, including physician's signature.

II. CERTIFICATION DOCUMENTS - DUE DATES

The Instructional I application materials are due to the Teacher Certification Officer by one of the following dates:

A. December Graduates

--Application materials are due 01 December.

B. May Graduates

--Application materials are due 01 May.

C. **Late Applications**

1. *Submitting late application materials may affect your chances for teaching employment.

2. *Applications received after 01 May take a significantly longer time to be processed.

3. *NO applications or Program Completion Letters are processed during the month of July.

III. CERTIFICATION DOCUMENTS - CHECKLIST

A. Pennsylvania Instructional I Application Forms:

_____ FORM 338G - Please be sure the doctor signs on the actual form.

_____FORM 338C

These two forms are submitted to the Messiah College Teacher Certification Officer.

***Do NOT send these two forms directly to PDE/Harrisburg.

B. Messiah College Instructional I Verification Form

Complete each section with the required information.

Secure the required signatures.

*Submit this form to the Teacher Certification Officer.

C. Criminal History Clearances:

**Allow three (3) months for processing the following required clearances.

*Forms and required fees should be sent directly to the specified addresses.

COPIES of the results of these criminal checks must be submitted to the Teacher Certification Officer.

_____Act 34, Criminal History Check, FORM SP4-164

_____FBI Fingerprint Check, FORM FD-258 (Non-Pennsylvania Residents only)

_____Act 33/151 Child Abuse History Check, FORM CY-113

D. PRAXIS I & II Tests:

_____Score report must be sent to Messiah College.

_____Score report must be sent to Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IV. Pennsylvania Chapter 354 Phase-In Summary

Penna Chapter 354 -Messiah College Phase-In Procedures