Policies & Exceptions

Oakland University, local schools or school districts may require the OU student to sign a statement identifying all crimes for which they have been convicted, obtain or consent to state and federal criminal history record checks and/or submit fingerprints to the Michigan State Police, all at the student’s expense, before the student may participate in student teaching or field placements. Please check with your district's administration office to confirm their requirements. Oakland University does not need a copy of your fingerprints.
Oakland County School District Fingerprinting Policy
Macomb County School District Fingerprinting/School Safety Policy

No student shall contact either unilaterally or via a surrogate person, a school district, school administrator, teacher or other staff member concerning a request for her/his placement for student teaching. Arrangements for student teaching placement are made only by the university with the central administration of the local school district. Students who violate this policy jeopardize not only their own student placement but also the placement of other students from Oakland University.

It is expected that an OU student adhere to the Michigan Professional Educator's Code of Ethics during their field placement and Student Teaching internship experiences.

If you need to postpone your student teaching for any reason, please let School and Field Services know right away. If you need to postpone your student teaching, you will be required to reapply and start the process over. If you must postpone because you have not passed your MTTC, please apply for the following semester as soon as you receive your passing score. Please make an appointment with your adviser to discuss and/or report your postponement.

Students may not intern in districts/schools in which a potential for conflict of interest for the grade, the learning experience or for the recommendation for certification exists. This will be determined by the Director of School and Field Services. We believe in clustering our interns, therefore a cluster potential must also exist in the district of preference. Those students who are majoring in areas that all schools do not offer need to know that our options for placement are decreased, thus limiting our ability to meet your requests.

From OU
In order for an Oakland University student to complete EED455, student teaching, in a district other than one in which Oakland University has an existing relationship, the following procedure must be followed.

• File a petition of exception requesting approval for a guest student teaching experience in another state or district other than one in which Oakland University has an existing relationship. (Prior to the meeting date for student teacher orientation for application.)
• Be in good academic standing, including completion of field experiences, and without any active faculty-student concern reports.
• If approval is given, student must find a university that will accept them as a guest, understanding that they register at OU for the appropriate number of credits in the student teaching course (EED455, AED455, SED455, TD555 or TD559) and will be responsible for a guest fee payment to the accepting university to cover the cost of placement and supervision.
• Student must forward the name, address, phone number and email address of the contact person at that university to the Director of School & Field Services such that a formal request for placement may be made, that will include our requirements that would need to be met in this placement.
• If the contacted university indicates that they can address our requirements and accepts the student for guest student teaching placement, the student is responsible for seeing that all observation evaluations and final evaluations, along with a grade based on 0.0–4.0 scale that is forwarded to the School & Field Services Director at the completion of the internship. The student cannot be recommended for graduation or certification until this material is received.
• Our student must also be willing to meet any additional requirements of the host school.

Guests at OU
If you wish to complete your student teaching from another university with Oakland University, you would contact the Director of School and Field Services at (248) 370-3083. We will work with the director in your university to complete the paperwork needed. The following requirements must be met:

• You must attend the student teacher orientation and seminars with your supervisor.
• The guest fee must be paid by August 1 for fall or December 1 for winter.
• Have verification of individual liability insurance. This may be obtained by purchasing a student MEA membership for $27 that covers you from September 1 through the school year. We must have a copy of this and your check to the MEA on file with us by August 15.
• You must have completed a bloodborne pathogen training through our University and passed the test with at least 70% accuracy.
• Complete any requirements that Oakland University may have in addition to your regular program.

The goal of our professional education programs is to develop capable practitioners who will prepare children and adults for multiple roles in an ever-changing, global environment.

Retention in the SEHS Professional Education Programs:
Retention in the SEHS professional education programs is based on the expectation that students will demonstrate the characteristics of, and conduct themselves as members of, the profession as described in the Expected Competencies. Students may be removed from a program, removed from a field placement or may not be recommended for certification: (i) if they fail to fulfill any such expectations to Oakland University’s satisfaction, including without limitation the expectation that they demonstrate adequate and appropriate communication ability and character and develop, maintain and fulfill their professional relationships, responsibilities and competencies: (ii) academic misconduct; (iii) violations of the Michigan Code of Ethics for Teachers; (iv) failure to fulfill any Oakland University academic or conduct requirements; or (v) violations of any other program or Oakland University’s policies, rules, regulations or ordinances.

Students may also be removed from field placements: (i) upon request of a building administrator; (ii) for a failure to comply with the requirements of this Competency and Retention Statement; (iii) if Oakland University determines that removal is in the best interests of the student, Oakland University, the professional education programs or the schools where the student is placed; (iv) inadequate planning, classroom management, and/or discipline; (v) lack of content knowledge; (vi) deficiency in oral or written communication skills; (vii) inappropriate personal or professional behavior; (viii) ethical impropriety; (ix) violation(s) of community standards or policies; or (x) failure to exercise appropriate, professional judgments.