Section 354.24. Academic performance

The preparing institution shall have a procedure to confirm that professional educator candidates maintain academic performance in each academic discipline that the candidates plan to teach or in the academic discipline related to the certificate category in which they plan to serve and in the professional educator courses related to the certificate category the candidates intend to earn. This standard shall be met by the following criteria:

(1) Candidates whose initial preparation program culminates in a bachelor’s degree or higher shall maintain an overall minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in each certificate area the candidates plan to teach or in the certificate category in which the candidates plans to serve, to be phased in as follows:

(i) Academic Year: 2001-2002—2.6 GPA

(ii) Academic Year: 2002-2003—2.8 GPA

(iii) Academic Year: 2003-2004—3.0 GPA

(2) For initial preparation programs culminating in a bachelor’s degree or higher, academic preparation courses under § 354.23 (relating to academic preparation) shall be the same as for a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree.

(3) For initial preparation programs culminating in a bachelor’s degree or higher, academic content area courses for the preparation of professional educators shall include all required core courses and required elective courses in the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science major academic area the candidates intend to teach or in the noninstructional certificate category the candidates plan to serve. Free electives in the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science major and credits in the cognate areas shall be optional.

(4) For initial preparation programs culminating in a bachelor’s degree or higher, candidates for certification in more than one certificate area or certificate category shall meet the requirements in paragraph (3) in the major area and for each additional area that candidates plan to serve.

(5) For initial preparation programs conducted under § 49.91 (relating to intern certificates) candidates for certification shall meet the requirements of this section and § 354.23 (relating to academic preparation).

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 22 Pa. Code § 354.2 (relating to purpose); 22 Pa. Code § 354.31 (relating to admission); and 22 Pa. Code § 403.4 (relating to highly qualified teachers).