L. POLICIES; COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES 

General Policies 

  1. In determining whether a student has attained the 2.50 GPA necessary for admission to student teaching, all prior course work, including work at other institutions, is used in the GPA computation. The only exceptions are classes taken more than ten years previously.

  2. In calculating GPA, no rounding is included in calculations. (In other words, 2.49 does not meet the 2.50 minimum.)

  3. In determining the GPA for majors, all classes taken in the major are included in the computation.

  4. Courses in progress are not counted for the requirement that 75% of the courses in the major be completed prior to admission to student teaching.

  5. When a student teaching placement is made outside of Danville for the convenience of the student, that student must assume the cost of mileage for the college supervisor. The student must also attend the weekly seminar on campus.

  6. When a student returns to Centre to student teach after graduation, the tuition cost for student teaching is one-half the usual cost.

  7. At least 60% of the education courses prior to student teaching must be taken at Centre in order to student teach through Centre. 

Complaint Procedures (Note that a grievance procedure has also been established for more serious matters)

  1. The chair of the Education Program is the person who will receive and record complaints. Complaints may be made directly to the program chair. Complaints may also be registered with any education faculty member or with the student members of the Education Program. Complaints should be written (or word processed for anonymity), though they need not be signed.
  2. After receiving a complaint, the chair will record the complaint for discussion at the next Education Program Committee meeting. The minutes of the meeting will serve as the record of the complaint and any action taken.

Student Teaching Policies

  1. No student may be admitted to student teaching without the approval of the major program committee and the Teacher Education Committee.
  2. Student teaching is usually completed in the Danville area, and under most circumstances, student teachers will not be allowed to student teach in a school they attended.
  3. No absences are excused during student teaching. 
  4. If a student teacher is ill, the supervising teacher and the college supervisor should be notified immediately. The Wellness Center should also send notification to the college supervisor. While it is possible for student teachers to go for job interviews, permission should first be secured from the supervising teacher, the principal, and the college supervisor.
  5. Student teaching continues from the first day of classes until the last day of classes in Centre's term. The student teacher will follow the calendar of the cooperating school. Any vacations, inservice days, snow days, etc., that apply to the supervising teachers also apply to student teachers. Centre vacations do not apply.
  6. If, in the judgment of the college supervisor, too many days of teaching have been missed by the student teacher due to illness, snow days, etc., student teaching may be extended beyond the last day of Centre classes.
  7. Because student teaching is considered full-time, student teachers should not arrive late or leave early. Student teachers should spend as much time in the schools as possible and attempt to participate in all phases of the school's program including extracurricular activities.
  8. In general student teachers should consider that their responsibilities are the same as those of the supervising teacher. They should also meet the same expectations as the supervising teacher with regard to dress, behavior, professionalism, etc. 
  9. Student teaching is graded on a pass/unsatisfactory basis. This Pass/Fail does not count against the total courses that can be taken pass/unsatisfactory and counted for graduation.
  10. We would like to call your attention to some information in the Kentucky Revised Statues KRS 161.042, Sub-Section 3,: "The student teacher ... shall have the same legal status and protection as the certified teacher employed within the school district...." As you know, teachers are themselves liable for damages arising from their negligence, and if student teachers have the same legal status as teachers, they too could have liability according to this 1972 statute and an attorney general's opinion. For their protection, Centre requires its student teachers to show proof of liability insurance; membership in KEA provides such insurance.
  11. While student teaching, the student teacher should not serve as a substitute teacher. If the supervising teacher is absent, the student teacher may well do much of the teaching, but a substitute teacher should be present.
  12. A weekly seminar provides opportunities to discuss problems or topics of general interest to student teachers. Student teachers may be asked to complete portfolio tasks as a component of their student teaching. 

Grievance/Appeal Procedures


The established procedures for dealing with grievances or appeals are outlined below and in the Centre College Student Handbook. These procedures apply to a wide variety of situations including appeals dealing with admission decisions of the Teacher Education Committee. 

"At each step in the grievance procedure, an attempt is made to resolve the issue involved. If the issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved in that way, the next step in the procedure is then taken.

The grievance procedure for students is as follows:

  1. If the alleged grievance has occurred in the instructional program of the college, the situation should be discussed with the associate dean; other cases should be discussed with the vice-president-dean of students. If the matter is not resolved, 
  2. review the matter with the appropriate committee of the council of the college. If resolution is not achieved,
  3. discuss the matter with the dean of the college. Prior to this conference, a written statement of the alleged grievance will be required if it has not previously been prepared.
  4. Subsequent to this, a hearing may be requested before the dean of the college; at this hearing there is the right to present additional evidence related to the alleged grievance and to be represented by counsel. 
  5. Final appeal may be made to the president of the college."

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