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Office of Certification and Accreditation

Certification Help – Pending Candidates – UNDERGRADUATE

This resource is intended as a general guide, applicable to the majority of undergraduate teacher candidates graduating in May 2018. If you have specific questions, please email the UD Teacher Certification Officer, Alyssa Truszkowski, at atrusz@udel.edu or click here to schedule an appointment: Alyssa’s Appointment Scheduling Page.

General overview of the institutional recommendation process:

Candidates earn institutional recommendation, aka complete their full program, by graduating with the degree, passing the relevant Praxis test(s), and passing a performance assessment (edTPA or PPAT.) Candidates have up to one year after graduation to earn the requirements for institutional recommendation.

  • Ideally, candidates will have passed Praxis test(s) and passed performance assessments by the day of graduation.
  • Candidates officially graduate on May 26, 2018.
  • Prior to or around graduation, candidates should apply for certification or begin the application process for their desired state(s).
  • Candidates can also request letters verifying institutional recommendation or Program Verification forms if applying for states other than DE or MD here. Any form or letter confirming institutional recommendation cannot be sent out until June 11th or later, when degrees officially post.
  • Transcripts with conferred degrees post on June 11, 2018 from the UD Registrar’s Office.
  • On June 11, 2018, candidates should check their UNOFFICIAL transcript in UDSIS to make sure they see their degree conferred date and their institutional recommendation stamp(s) (if they’ve also passed Praxis and a performance assessment.) Please note that test scores such as SAT scores do NOT appear on official copies of transcripts.
  • If the degree and institutional recommendation(s) are posted, then you should order copies of your transcripts to be sent off for your teacher certification application(s).
  • If your degree has not posted: look at your transcript and contact your faculty if you are missing or have not passed any course grades. Then contact the Registrar’s Office.
  • If your institutional recommendation has not posted but you’ve received a confirmation email from Alyssa Truszkowski, please email Alyssa at atrusz@udel.edu.

If you will not be eligible to earn institutional recommendation by graduation:

It is not uncommon for candidates to earn institutional recommendation after graduation. Passing the Praxis test(s) or performance assessment is NOT a requirements of graduating with your degree UNLESS your program says this is a specific graduation requirement for your program.

If you are missing just Praxis Scores…  If you are missing just a performance assessment (edTPA or PPAT)… If you are missing BOTH Praxis test scores and a passed performance assessment…

You are not awarded institutional recommendation for that certification area until your Praxis tests are passed.

 

If you’re in an Elementary or Early Childhood major, you can be awarded ONE of your two institutional recommendations at different times, if eligible. (Ex: If you pass the Elementary Praxis but not the Middle School Science Praxis…and you have a passed edTPA, you can get institutional recommendation for just Elementary Ed while you wait to pass the other Praxis test.)

 

You cannot be awarded institutional recommendation until you have a passed performance assessment.

 

In some cases, individual candidates may be able to apply for and might receive licensure and certification in the state of DE or in other states if they are ONLY missing a passed performance assessment. Restrictions and specific conditions apply. Please contact the UD Teacher Certification Officer if you have questions.

You cannot be awarded institutional recommendation until you have a passed your Praxis tests and your performance assessment.

 

Please see the notes in the other two categories, as your options may change as you pass requirements.

  • Once you have met the requirements for institutional recommendation, you can send a PDF copy of your updated Praxis or performance assessment scores to the UD Teacher Certification Officer, Alyssa Truszkowski, and asked to be re-evaluated for institutional recommendation.
  • You may request letters verifying institutional recommendation or Program Verification forms if applying for states other than DE or MD here. Please make this request AFTER you have earned institutional recommendation.
  • The UD Teacher Certification Officer will also regularly review candidate’s eligibility for institutional recommendation, as test score reports come in, for up to one year after graduation.
  • Once you get a confirmation email that you have earned institutional recommendation, check your UNOFFICIAL transcript in UDSIS to make sure you see your degree conferred date and your institutional recommendation stamp(s). Please note that test scores, such as SAT scores, do NOT appear on official copies of transcripts.
  • If the degree and institutional recommendation(s) are posted, then you should order copies of your transcripts to be sent off for your teacher certification application(s).
  • If your institutional recommendation has not posted but you’ve received a confirmation email from Alyssa Truszkowski, please email Alyssa at atrusz@udel.edu.

 

Questions? Contact the UD Teacher Certification Officer.

Alyssa Truszkowski

atrusz@udel.edu

Tel: (302) 831-2617

Schedule a phone or in-person appointment:  https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13193982

Additional Resources

Applying for Certification Overview: https://www.teachered.udel.edu/certification/applying/

Informational Booklets for Certification (updated May 2018): https://www.teachered.udel.edu/certification/informational-booklets/

Certification Overview: https://www.teachered.udel.edu/certification/

Institutional Recommendation Overview: https://www.teachered.udel.edu/certification/institutional-recommendation/

Reciprocity FAQ: https://www.teachered.udel.edu/reciprocity-overview/

Program Verification Form Request: https://www.teachered.udel.edu/program-verification-form-request/