Fitness to Teach and Exit Policy
This process has been approved on 01-17-2020, last revised on10/02/2024 and is effective beginning Fall 2024.
Dispositional Assessment Process
- Overview of Professional Disposition Inventory (PDI)
- Fitness to Teach and Exit Policy Overview
- New Teacher Orientation
The Fitness to Teach and Exit Policy includes the Professional Dispositions Inventory (PDI), providing teacher candidates with awareness of professional teaching dispositions prior to admission to teacher education. Entering freshmen will be provided with an overview at Vaquero Roundup and transfer students are provided an overview at the Transfer Student Orientation.
- Apply to Educator Preparation Program (EPP)
- Teacher Candidate Acknowledgment of Fitness to Teach and Exit Policy
Apply to Educator Preparation Program (EPP). The Teacher Candidate Acknowledgment of Fitness to Teach and Exit Policy is provided to teacher candidates with their admissions letter. As part of their acceptance into the teacher education program, teacher candidates must sign and submit the acknowledgment statement to the Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability (OEPA).
PDI completed by faculty members who teach one of the following courses:
• EDCI 3332 (EC-6 Program)
• EDUC 3306 (Secondary 7-12 & All Level EC-12 Programs)
• UTCH 3302 (UTeach Programs 4-8 and 7-12)
The PDI will be administered and collected by EPP faculty in one of the following courses: EDCI 3332 for Elementary (EC-6) program; EDUC 3306 for Secondary (7-12) and All-Level (EC-12) Programs; and UTCH 3302 for Middle School (4-8) and Secondary (7-12) Math and Science Programs. Faculty members who are scheduled to teach these courses will have a two-week period to complete the PDIs for each of their students in Tk20. This two-week period will begin on Week 13 and end on Week 14 each fall and spring semester.
- Teacher Candidate Applies and Gets Admitted to Clinical Teaching
Teacher candidates apply and are formally admitted to their final semester course, full-time Clinical Teaching. For Elementary Education (EC-6) students, clinical teaching is EDCI 4637; Secondary (7-12) and All-Level Programs (EC-12) students take EDUC 4611; and UTCH Middle School (4-8) and Secondary (7-12) students take either UTCH 4101 or UTCH 4601.
PDI completed by teacher candidate, cooperating teacher, and field supervisor in one of the following:
• EDCI 4637 (EC-6)
• EDUC 4611 (7-12 or EC-12)
• UTCH 4101 or UTCH 4601 (4-8 or 7-12)
The PDI is completed and uploaded by Teacher Candidates, Cooperating Teachers and Field Supervisors using Tk20 software during Clinical Teaching. They will have a two-week period to complete and upload the PDI between Week 13 and 14 each fall and spring semester.
Overview of Professional Dispositional Assessment Process
UTRGV Dispositional Assessment Process
Dispositional Concerns Referral Process Pre-Clinical Teaching
- The faculty/staff member will schedule a meeting to discuss the professional dispositional issue that is of concern with the teacher candidate.
- The meeting will be scheduled to take place face-to-face. However, in extenuating circumstances, the meeting may take place virtually via video conference.
- The faculty/staff member will be prepared to provide a copy of the FTT policy to the student at the time of the meeting.
- The faculty/staff member will begin the meeting by informing the student that the meeting is an informal level of review. Its intention is to result in an action plan to help support the student with the dispositional concern(s).
- The faculty/staff member will lead a discussion about the dispositional concerns providing supportive documents and/or other documented evidence that is/are of concern. The student may categorize the concern(s) as low, medium, or high level of concern.
- The faculty/staff member will fill out the Dispositional Concerns Referral and Growth Action Plan agreed upon by faculty/staff member and the student. A copy of the documents will be provided to the student.
- The faculty/staff member will submit the form and necessary documentation via email or as a hard copy to the Director of the Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability (OEPA).
- The faculty/staff member will meet with the student 14 days after the initial meeting to discuss progress made on the growth plan, document it in writing and submit it to the Director of OEPA.
- If the dispositional concern(s) are severe and continue to persist, the faculty/staff member will inform the Director of OEPA, who will inform the Department Chair and provide documentation.
- The Department Chair will forward the form with attached documentation to the CEP Educator Preparation Faculty Committee Chair who will schedule a meeting with the committee to review the case and make recommendations.