College of Education

Dean, Mark L’Esperance

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Partnerships, Bryan S. Zugelder

Associate Dean for Shared Equity and Student and Faculty Affairs, Oris Griffin

Associate Dean of Internal Supports and Accountability, Amy D. Thelk

Executive Director of Teacher Education and Student Success, Dara Hall

Executive Director of External Initiatives, Jacki Nickel

Executive Director of the JMU Lab School for Innovation and Career Exploration, Donica Hadley

Policy Analyst, M. Graham Davidson

Executive Director of Grow Your Own Teaching Fellows, Joy Myers

Director of Young Children’s Program, Amy Taylor

Academic Units

Department of Early, Elementary and Reading Education 
Joi Merritt, Head

Department of Educational Foundations and Exceptionalities 
Dannette Murray, Head

Department of Learning, Technology and Leadership Education  
Michele Estes, Head

Department of Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education 
Katie Dredger, Head

Department of Military Science
Andrew Bryant, Head

Mission Statement

The mission of the James Madison University College of Education is to prepare educators and leaders to thrive in a complex global environment. The college engages in collaborative, transformative and meaningful work through evidence-based practice to empower all learners, foster continuous growth, and advocate for diversity, equity and justice. The personal and professional development of students is accomplished by emphasizing excellence and continuous innovation in quality undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. The College of Education is distinguished through faculty and student achievements, academic rigor, excellence in teaching, student and faculty interactions and relationships, technological innovations and national recognitions. The college maintains relevance through active and growing interactions with other colleges within the university and with local, state, regional, national and international communities. The college is committed to providing:

• Undergraduate programs that support initial teacher licensure, as well as programs that provide in-depth specialty studies and opportunities for the development of professional knowledge and skills.
• Graduate programs that support initial teacher licensure, advanced preparation and studies that emphasize advanced knowledge in a specialty area and the development of effective leadership and professional skills for addressing the needs of a changing society.
• Continuing professional development and in-service programs in cooperation with public and private schools and agencies, other colleges, institutions and businesses.

The undergraduate and graduate educator preparation programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and approved by the Virginia State Board of Education.

The basic philosophy of the college is reflected in these goals:

• To educate individuals for the multiple professions included in the college at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, not merely by transmitting skills and knowledge but by stimulating creativity, developing cognitive abilities and encouraging the testing of hypotheses and reinterpretation of the human experience.
• To encourage a balanced faculty orientation toward teaching, research, scholarship, community service and professionalism that recognizes individual strengths and preferences of the college’s faculty.
• To create an environment that fosters an atmosphere of open communication among students, faculty members and community.
• To anticipate societal needs and provide necessary resources for implementing effective off-campus programs now and in the future.

The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs designed for initial teacher licensure, advanced programs for teachers, educational leadership, learning design and technology, adult education, human resource development and military science.

Professional Education Unit

The mission of the James Madison University professional education unit is to prepare caring, knowledgeable, skilled and reflective educators who believe that all students can learn and succeed. Our candidates and faculty are committed to lifelong learning and aspire to meet educational needs in a changing, pluralistic and democratic society. The personal and professional development of candidates is accomplished by emphasizing excellence and continuous innovation in quality undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.

The Professional Education Unit is comprised of all programs across the university designed to lead to licensure or advanced study in education.

The following initial licensure programs are offered at the undergraduate level:

• Art Education
• Dance Education
• Early Childhood Education
• Elementary Education
• Foreign Language
• Inclusive Early Childhood Education
• Middle Grades Education
• Music Education
• Secondary Education¹
• Special Education K-12: General and/or Adapted Curriculum
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• Theatre Education

These initial licensure programs are offered at the graduate level for those having baccalaureate degrees:

• Middle Grades Education
• Physical and Health Education
• Secondary Education¹
• Special Education: Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Birth-Age 5
• Special Education K-12: Adapted / General Curriculum

¹ Secondary education licensure programs include Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, English, Mathematics, History and Social Sciences.

Advanced programs are offered at the graduate level for licensed teachers, other school personnel, or professionals in non-profit and businesses:

• Adult Education/Human Resource Development (M.S.Ed.)
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Educational Equity (Ed.D. Concentration)
• Educational Leadership (M.Ed. Concentration and Graduate Certificate)
• Learning Design and Technology (M.Ed. Concentration)
• Learning Design and Technology Graduate Certificate
• Leadership, Equity, Innovation and Learning (Ed.D. Concentration)
• Literacy Education (M.Ed. Concentration)
• Literacy Education (Graduate Certificate)
• Teacher Leadership (M.Ed. Concentration)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (M.Ed. Concentration)

Professional Education Coordinating Council

The Professional Education Coordinating Council (PECC) is the official governing body within the university responsible for the preparation of teachers and other school personnel. The Professional Education Handbook outlines all Professional Education policies and is found on the Education Support Center homepage at www.jmu.edu/coe/esc

Education Support Center

Executive Director of Teacher Education and Student Success, Dara Hall
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/coe/esc

The Education Support Center (ESC) assists students with their pursuit of a teaching license:

• monitors admission to, and retention in, the professional education program;
• provides advising support;
• coordinates field experiences for all programs;
• approves applications for Virginia Licensure; and
• serves as the center for information about professional education programs.

Information and application materials for admission to teacher education, appeals, registration and preparation for entry assessments, student teaching and licensure are available on the ESC website. Also provided is information regarding costs associated with required tests and subscriptions to Tk20.

Admission to Teacher Education

Candidates who want to pursue a course of study leading to the initial Virginia teaching license must be admitted to the teacher education program. Admission is a prerequisite to most education courses; candidates not admitted to teacher education will be blocked from registering for those courses.

Admission Criteria

*Consult the program area coordinator for specific information related to any additional requirements for acceptance into their programs.

Deadline

First year students generally apply to Teacher Education by April 15th of their first year and complete all admission requirements by the following semester.

Transfer, post-baccalaureate and graduate candidates should apply during their first term of enrollment at JMU. Students must complete all requirements for admission into teacher education programs in order to enroll in required education courses. A full schedule of application and admission deadlines can be found on the ESC website.

Students can check the status of their admission to the teacher education program on their Tk20 account.

Field Experiences

Field experiences (including practica and internships) are required for candidates in all programs of the professional education unit. The number and nature of these experiences may differ based on program structure and candidates’ individual needs and/or goals. Transportation and other arrangements for the practicum and internship courses/experiences will be the candidate’s responsibility.

Student Teaching

Student teaching is required as an integral part of the sequence of professional experiences in all teacher education programs.

Its purpose is to enable pre-service teachers to apply acquired skills, understandings and attitudes in PreK-12 classrooms or comprehensive child development programs. Each individual licensure program determines the length of its particular student teaching experience.

The Education Support Center coordinates the student teaching program with participating school divisions, assigning all candidates to their student teaching sites and assisting in the planning and supervision of their work. Experienced teachers serve as cooperating teachers who coach and mentor the student teachers in their classrooms. University supervisors have the major responsibility for the supervision and evaluation of student teachers. Student teaching is graded on a credit/no-credit (undergraduates) or satisfactory/unsatisfactory (graduates) basis.

Candidates must student teach in the area for which they are seeking licensure or endorsement. A candidate enrolled in multiple teacher licensure programs must complete a student teaching experience in each area.

Student teaching placements are made in accredited Virginia public schools, but may be made within accredited Virginia private schools, programs and agencies.

Most placements are made within approximately one hour’s driving distance from campus. Some programs also place students in northern Virginia, Richmond, Tidewater and Roanoke. Other local and non-local placement sites may be assigned in accordance with individual program and/or student needs. All placements are based on availability and efficiency of appropriate supervision. Student teaching is a full-time experience. Permission to take additional course work other than that required by the program will be made only in exceptional cases. Student teachers should not expect to work or participate in excessive extracurricular activities during student teaching. Students with problems and/or special needs must contact the director of the ESC for prior approval.

Opportunities exist for qualified candidates to complete a portion of their student teaching at international locations. Those interested in pursuing this option must meet additional requirements and have permission of their programs at time of application to student teach. Refer to the ESC website for additional information.

Student Teaching Criteria

To be approved for student teaching, all candidates must:

• Complete (prior to acceptance) all stated requirements for admission to teacher education.
• Attend a mandatory student teaching information session and apply for student teaching.
• Complete all course work, assessments, certificates, and stated requirements prior to student teaching.
• Be recommended for student teaching by their licensure program.
• Meet any additional admission and retention standards of their academic department or school.
• Submit paperwork to show that the student is free from exposure to communicable tuberculosis.

Professional behaviors are expected of all candidates throughout the program. School divisions routinely require a background check prior to student teaching. Convictions for criminal offenses or charges pending may result in schools refusing to make a placement for practicum or student teaching. There may also be serious consequences when being considered for a license to teach in Virginia and in other states. Therefore, students are required to inform the Education Support Center in writing of any conviction or pending charges for a felony, violation of a criminal drug law, an alcohol beverage control law or law that governs driving while intoxicated. Notification should be made within five calendar days after such charge or conviction.

Application Deadlines

Student teaching applications are accepted during the fall semester for the next academic year. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of all application requirements and deadlines.

Teacher Education Licensure

Candidates should apply for a Virginia teaching license upon completion of a teacher education program; this license is not issued automatically. Virginia licensure requirements include the following assessments:

• Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) for all licensure areas.
• Praxis Subject Assessments for most licensure areas.
• Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE) for selected programs.

In addition, all candidates shall provide evidence of certification or training in emergency first aid, CPR (including hands-on practice) and the use of AED, as well as Dyslexia and Restraint and Seclusion training.

Licensure Criteria

A statement indicating completion of an approved teacher education program will be entered on the candidate’s transcript after:

• education requirements have been met, including a cumulative 2.5 GPA for undergraduates and a 3.0 for graduates;
• degree is awarded; and
• scores (sufficient for subject area) on all state mandated assessments are achieved.

Out-of-State Licensure

It is recommended that candidates applying for out-of-state licenses first obtain the Virginia license. Out-of-state licensure requirements and application forms must be obtained directly from the desired state agencies. Other states may have additional testing and GPA requirements the applicant must meet.

Educational Technology and Media Center

Phone: (540) 568-6302
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/coe/etmc

The primary goal of the Educational Technology and Media Center (ETMC) is to support students, faculty and staff in their effective use of technologies for learning. This goal is achieved through access, instruction and promotion of educational technologies available within the center. ETMC houses more than 5,000 items including K-12 textbooks, DVDs and videotapes, software, and a variety of other instructional resources. The center houses the children and youth literature collection of James Madison University totaling more than 15,000 volumes.

Computers throughout the facility allow students to work with computer-assisted instruction, web page creation, word processing, digital images, analog and digital video, page layout, data analysis and the creation of multi-media computer presentations. The growing capabilities in instructional technology are evident in this center where interactive video conferencing, video-streaming and other newly emerging technologies expand the potential for learning in multiple environments. Faculty also have access to mobile carts housing laptops, iPads and other mobile device technologies for use in their instructional practice.

For students desiring licensure in Virginia’s schools, ETMC provides opportunities to learn and use many forms of instructional technology. ETMC has a range of production facilities including traditional media, audio and video editing areas, and digital technologies that enable students and faculty to produce a wide variety of instructional materials. College of Education students may also check out digital cameras, camcorders, audio recorders, iPads and laptop computers for their instructional practice.