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College of Education
Dept of Counseling, Leadership, Adult Education & School Psychology

Principal and Superintendent Practica

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  • Principal Practicum/Internship Application

    This form must be completed by May 1st in order to be considered for fall internship placement.

    Rationale and Goals

    Students seeking the Standard Principal Certificate must complete a structured, field-based internship focused on actual experiences with each of the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) standards. The practicum is not a checklist of activities, but an opportunity to plan, produce, participate in, and reflect upon campus leadership. Under the direction of a Texas State University supervisor and the site mentor, the student will demonstrate proficiency in the following:

    Standard 1--Instructional Leadership. The principal is responsible for ensuring every student receives high-quality instruction.
    Standard 2--Human Capital. The principal is responsible for ensuring there are high-quality teachers and staff in every classroom and throughout the school.
    Standard 3--Executive Leadership. The principal is responsible for modeling a consistent focus on and commitment to improving student learning.
    Standard 4--School Culture. The principal is responsible for establishing and implementing a shared vision and culture of high expectations for all staff and students.
    Standard 5--Strategic Operations. The principal is responsible for implementing systems that align with the school's vision and improve the quality of instruction.

    Timeline, Admission and Requirements

    The principal practicum at Texas State University will be for two consecutive semesters, beginning in the fall semester only. Students must register for EDCL 6387 in the fall semester and EDCL 6388 in the spring semester. A completed Application for Principal Certification Practicum form must be received by June 1st.

    Admission

    • The applicant is enrolled in the Texas State EDCL program.
    • The applicant has only 6-12 hours remaining (including the 6 hour internship) in the Texas State EDCL program prior to beginning the practicum.
    • The applicant must arrange for a local administrator to serve as the site mentor.
    • EDCL faculty will approve/reject the practicum arrangement submitted by the applicant.
    • EDCL faculty will approve/reject admission to the practicum based on the applicant's academic records, experience, and EDCL faculty input.

    Roles and Responsibilities

    The Site Mentor

    The site mentor collaborates with the practicum student to develop the Practicum Proposal. The site mentor ensures that the practicum experience includes successful application of a broad range of educational administration theories, concepts, models and experiences. The site mentor may be asked, from time to time, to offer input on the perfomance of the intern.

    The Texas State Supervisor

    The Texas State Supervisor assists the student in the modification and implementation of the Practicum Proposal. The supervisor will determine whether or not the student has successfully completed the practicum through campus visits, input from the site mentor, and assessment of the student's assignments, logs, artifacts, work ethic, portfolio, and other items as applicable. The Texas State supervisor may assign a grade of CR (credit), PR (progress), or F (no credit). A grade of PR requires the practicum student to re-enroll in the practicum for the next term.

    The Practicum Student

    The student participates in the two-semester practicum while completing the duties of his/her contracted school assignment in a manner acceptable to the university supervisor. The student, in collaboration with the site mentor, is expected to establish the Practicum Proposal. The student should use the activities described in the Practicum Proposal to plan a broad array of assignments and experiences. In the event that the student moves to another campus or position, or the site mentor moves to another campus, the student is expected to contact the Texas State supervisor immediately to make alternative plans. EDCL faculty will approve/reject any change in practicum placement. The student is expected to complete all requirements listed in the section above.