Missouri
Teaching Standards and Leadership Standards
Teaching Standards
Is working with students with disabilities and meeting the needs of students with disabilities addressed in state teaching standards?
Standard Two of the Missouri Model Teacher Standards establishes the expectation that teachers will address the varied learning needs of diverse student populations.
Standard 2. Student Learning, Growth and Development
The teacher understands how students learn, develop and differ in their approaches to learning. The teacher provides learning opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners and support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.
Source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Missouri Model Teacher Standards
School Leadership Standards
Is knowledge of working with students with disabilities included in leader standards?
The Missouri Leader Standards do not specifically address required knowledge of working with students with disabilities. However, each of the standards establishes that “education leaders have the knowledge and ability to ensure the success of all students.”
Source: DESE, Missouri Leader Standards
Teacher and Principal Preparation
Teacher Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in teaching special education students/diverse learners
Effective August 1, 2017, Missouri educator certification requirements for general education teachers includes coursework in the Psychology/Education of the Exceptional Child.
Standard 1.2.3 in the Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators (MoSPE): The pre-service teacher must understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. The pre-service teacher must be able to:
- Identify prior experience, learning styles, strengths, and needs;
- Design and implement individualized instruction based on prior experience, learning styles, strengths, and needs;
- Know when and how to access specialized services to meet students’ needs;
- Connect instruction to students’ prior experiences and family, culture, and community.
Sources:
DESE, Missouri Standards for Teacher Education Programs
5 CSR 20-400.330, Rules of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Clinical time in diverse settings/teaching special populations
Effective August 1, 2017, each institution of higher education offering a professional education program for teacher certification must require teacher candidates to complete 10 semester hours of field and clinical experiences, including early, mid-level and culminating experiences.
Sources:
5 CSR 20-400.330, Rules of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
DESE, Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators
Teacher Preparation – Accountability
Quality of teacher preparation programs
The state of Missouri collects some program specific data that reflect educator preparation program performance, including grade point averages, pass rates on the Missouri Content Assessments, and satisfaction by first year teachers and their building-level administration. The Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators articulates the initial approval and continuous approval requirements for educator preparation programs and calls for an Annual Performance Report for Educator Preparation Programs (APR-EPP). The APR-EPP is an annual report from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) that attests to an educator preparation program’s continuing capacity to meet the state standards and requirements based on performance data.
Sources:
References to the Annual Performance Report for Educator Preparation are found in the Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators
DESE, Comprehensive Guide for the Annual Performance Report for Educator Preparation Programs
Principal Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Require course work in leading a school/district that serves special education students/diverse learners
The Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators (MoSPE) went into effect in March 2013, with full implementation slated for spring 2017. Supporting resources such as the Planning and Implementation Guide were developed to assist in the implementation of MoSPE, the Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments, and the new Missouri Certification Requirements. Effective August 1, 2017, state certification rules require candidates for the Initial Administrator Certificate to complete “a course in Psychology/Education of the Exceptional Child.”
Source:
DESE, Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators
5 CSR 20-400.330, Rules of Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Principal Preparation – Accountability
Are programs reviewed based on outcomes of graduates’ success? Can school principals be linked back to institutions of higher education and preparation programs?
The state of Missouri collects some program-specific data that reflect educator preparation program performance. The Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators articulates the initial approval and continuous approval requirements for educator preparation programs and calls for an Annual Performance Report for Educator Preparation Programs (APR-EPP). The APR-EPP is an annual report from DESE that attests to an educator preparation program’s continuing capacity to meet the state standards and requirements based on performance data.
Source: DESE, Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators
Teacher and Principal Certification/Licensure
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Structure
Is a specific certificate, license or endorsement related to special education required?
Missouri offers 13 different K-12 and grade-specific certifications in special education. The state holds its elementary special education teachers to the same preparation and testing requirements as general elementary teachers. The state has developed new elementary and middle/secondary content tests for special education teachers. Each of these would require individual passing scores on English/language arts, math, science and social sciences subtests.
Sources:
DESE, Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA 2013)
DESE, Compendium of Certification
Teacher Certification – Examination
Does the state require teachers to pass a basic skills exam for initial certification? What are the pass rates on the exams? Does the state require Praxis II or more pedagogical assessment for licensure? Does it include anything about teaching diverse learners or special populations?
Prior to entering a teacher education program, students are required to have passed the College Basic Academic Subjects Examination (CBASE) or the newly developed Missouri General Education Assessment (MoGEA). On September 2, 2014, DESE implemented a new series of Missouri Content Assessments for certification purposes. Candidates seeking licensure as special education teachers are required to pass an assessment for the special population they intend to serve. In addition, candidates must pass either the Elementary Education Multi-Content Assessments and/or the Middle/Secondary Multi-Content Assessments.
Source: DESE, Missouri Educator Gateway Assessments (MEGA 2013)
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is professional development around working with special populations required to move from initial to a professional license?
Professional development on working with special student populations is not a requirement for general education teachers to move from an Initial Certificate to a Career Certificate.
Sources:
DESE, Education Certification
DESE, Upgrading from Initial Certificate to Career Certificate
Principal Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is prior teaching experience required to become a principal and/or a superintendent? Is specific coursework or other evidence required around working with special populations?
Missouri requires candidates to obtain a Master’s degree, requires prior teaching experience, requires completion of a state-approved preparation program, and requires candidates to pass a test.
Principals: Candidates must have either a permanent or professional Missouri teaching certificate or a baccalaureate degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program; a recommendation from the designated certification official from a state-approved teacher preparation program; and a score equal to or greater than the Missouri Qualifying Score on the certification assessments. Candidates must also have a minimum of two years of teaching experience, successfully complete the building-level administrators assessment, complete a course in Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child, complete a Master’s degree in educational leadership, and receive a recommendation for certification from the designated official of a college/university approved by DESE.
Superintendents: Candidates must have either a permanent or professional Missouri teaching certificate or a baccalaureate degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program; a recommendation from the designated certification official from a state-approved teacher preparation program; and a score equal to or greater than the Missouri Qualifying Score on the certification assessments. Candidates must also have a minimum of one year’s experience as a building- or district-level administrator at a public or accredited nonpublic school, successfully complete the state’s district level administrator’s assessment, complete a course in Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child, complete an educational specialist or advanced degree program in educational leadership, and receive a recommendation for certification from the designated official of a college/university approved by the Department.
Sources:
DESE, Compendium of Missouri Certification Assessments
Code of State Regulations, 5 CSR20-400.610
DESE, Division of Teacher Quality and Urban Education, Administration Requirements
Education Commission of the States, Administrator License Requirements, Portability, Waivers and Alternative Certification
George W. Bush Institute, Operating in the Dark
Teacher and Principal Induction
Teacher Induction
Is mentoring required for all new teachers and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically address teaching diverse learners?
Missouri law requires every district to operate a “teacher-driven mentor program.” [Missouri Revised Statutes (MRS) 161.375] New teachers are required to “participate in a mentoring program approved and provided by the district for a minimum of two years.” [MRS 168.021] The state’s Mentoring Program Standards addresses classroom equality, race and students with varying abilities.
Sources:
New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction (2012)
DESE, Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success
Principal Induction
Is coaching/mentoring required for all new principals/administrators/ superintendents and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically address serving diverse learners?
Missouri requires new school administrators to participate in a district-provided induction program during their first two years. [5 CSR 80-800.360]
Sources:
New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction (2012)
DESE, Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success
Teacher and Principal Professional Development Standards
Teacher Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for teacher PD?
The Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success is based on the premise that decisions at the district and building level regarding professional learning should be based on district and building performance data on both students and educators. Successful school and classroom implementation will depend on a sustained culture of shared responsibility for the learning of all students coupled with continuous support for educators. The Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success incorporates Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning. In Missouri, the seven standards are seen from three lenses: commitment, practice and impact.
Source: DESE, Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success
Principal Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for leadership PD?
The Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success, like Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning, were designed as guiding documents for all educators―teachers and leaders. The continuous improvement of educators, districts, schools and students depends upon the quality of professional learning opportunities that take place within the system. The seven standards work in partnership to ensure that professional learning is high quality.
Source: DESE, Missouri Professional Learning Guidelines for Student Success