Field Experience Requirements (Field Hours, Practicum & Student Teaching)
NLU requires all candidates in programs that include time spent in an Illinois school to have the following requirements completed before beginning field experience:
- an Illinois State Police Criminal background fingerprint check (if you are in a CPS placement, you will complete the CPS background check process)
- a Mandated Reporter Training Certificate of Completion with the Department of Children and Family Services
- Office of Field Experience (OFE) Acknowledgment Form
- Field Experience Application
Listed below are details/links about these requirements:
- Documents and forms should be submitted to the Office of Field Experience. All requirements must be completed by the due date in order to move forward with field experience courses.
- Criminal background checks must be completed by the due dates required for your program. Please use the NLU UCIA Criminal Background Check form. Locations and fingerprinting times are posted on the Accurate Biometrics website. Candidates are responsible for all fees and the results must be sent to the students’ email or home address. NOTE: Some school districts may require their own background check prior to student teaching. If you are an employee of a school district or childcare site, you may give evidence of your employment CBC if it was completed within 1 year of your field experience start date.
- Chicago Public Schools has their own process for field experience applications and background checks. CPS also requires students to complete the district’s student teaching application.
- A candidate may not be placed in any school if the background check determines that he or she has been convicted of criminal behavior that, by law, automatically prohibits him or her from attaining Illinois licensure. The offenses that automatically prohibit licensure include first degree murder, any Class X felony, juvenile pimping, soliciting a juvenile prostitute, exploitation of a child, obscenity, child pornography, criminal sexual assault, aggravated sexual criminal assault, criminal sexual abuse, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, some offenses set forth in the Cannabis Control Act, and some crimes defined in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.
- In the event that no district will accept a student because of his or her criminal history, Academic Advisors will assist the student in choosing an alternative course of study. There is no guarantee that courses will be transferable between programs and no financial reimbursement will be given.
- In some cases, a school district may require record of an additional physical examination by a licensed physician, TB test, or evidence of health insurance. The teacher candidate will be responsible for providing this documentation.
Student teaching field placements are linked with practicum hours for two consecutive quarters (fall/winter or winter/spring). All candidates for initial teacher licensure must successfully complete a student teaching experience of a minimum of 10 weeks in the classroom at an assigned school.
The following criteria must be met to start the linked placement practicum and student teaching in the Traditional B.A. Programs (Early Childhood, Elementary, Early Childhood & Elementary, Special Education, and Secondary Education) and Teacher Residency (Special Education) Program.
- A score of at least 220 on the content test, verification of the score is required ***
- A GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Successful completion of field experiences and practicums with no unresolved student support plans
- Satisfactory Disposition Assessments
- All checks in SONIA completed by the due dates
***Passing the content test with a final score of 240 is not required for degree completion but is required for licensure for the programs listed above.