Secondary Education
Alternative Certification Program
@ USM Hagerstown Center

This resident teaching program shortens the time for qualified applicants to become the highly qualified “teachers of record” in the classrooms while maintaining the professional standards needed to become effective educators. Through a partnership with Frederick County Public Schools and Washington County Public Schools, the program includes:

• A pre-residency in Professional Development Schools.
• Summer methods in teaching courses, which prepare candidates for independent teaching during the school year.
• A paid yearlong residency with sustained professional development and support by both local School System (LSS) and FSU.

This program targets only the critical teacher shortage areas (currently English, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science) as designated by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The program also offers a clear pathway for qualified applicants accepted to be eligible for Maryland's Standard Professional Certificate I (SPC I) and to pursue a master's degree with or beyond initial certification.

Program Performance Outcomes

The program will provide candidates with:

• Integrated, quality, and intensive research-driven experiences for teacher preparation.
• The knowledge, skills, and dispositions of highly effective teachers.
• Relevant knowledge concerning National, State, and constituent professional association program standards for the specialization area and the expectations of the College of Education's Conceptual Framework.
• Collaborative experiences in Professional Development Schools.
• Practice in the acquisition of learning, literacy, and the skills to promote effective learning across curricular areas.

Entrance Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in one of the critical shortage areas with a GPA of at least 3.0 from an accredited college or university.  OR

• Bachelor's degree in another field including 30 credit hours in one of the critical shortage areas from an accredited college or university. At least 50 % of the coursework must be from the same institution, and 12 credits must be at the 300 level or above. No credits with grades less than C will be considered. Pass/fail” credits will not be considered unless accompanied by a transcript statement that Pass equates to C or better.

            (Masters of Arts in Teaching degree requires 36 credit hours with acombination of courses. See Program Coordinator to review requirements.)

• Passage of Praxis I and appropriate Praxis II Content Knowledge at Maryland standards.(You may apply for acceptance and enroll in the program prior to receiving your Praxis scores, but you may not interview for positions or be considered for employment without qualifying scores.) For information on Praxis tests, refer to http://www.ets.org/praxis       

• Course credit may be granted through examination.

• ACE can provide military personnel with course evaluations for credit. Final approval for transfer credits are granted through FSU based on transfer credit criteria.

• Acceptance by a county to place candidate into openings for resident teachers.

Critical Shortage areas in Maryland:
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
English
Foreign Language

Entrance Procedures

• Contact Frederick County Public Schools to apply as a Resident Teacher.
  http://www.fcps.org/dept/hr/Residentteacher.htm

Frederick County Public Schools: The application is available on http://www.fcps.org/content/hrforms.cfm . Check the box labeled “Resident Teacher” on the application. Be sure to complete all parts of the application and submit all required documentation. Send your application to:

Department of Human Resources
Frederick County Public Schools
7630 Hayward Rd.
Frederick, MD 21702

Washington County Public Schools: Contact Personnel Office for specific details on signifying Resident Teacher status.
301-766-2800 or www.wcboe.k12.md.us

• Complete screening interview with the county(ies).
• Applications will be screened and evaluated.
• Qualified candidates will be interviewed by the appropriate curriculum specialist.
• Candidates who are recommended for acceptance by the curriculum specialist will be advised to contact Frostburg State University to enroll in the program and register for classes.
• Candidates who complete the program and present qualifying scores on Praxis 1 and the content portion of Praxis 2 interview for positions in FCPS as they become available.
• Successful applicants begin the application process with Frostburg State University.
• Applicants can simultaneously apply to the Secondary Master of Arts in Teaching program (MAT). (www.frostburg.edu; go to Prospective Students; Quick Link – Catalog Graduate.) Note: If candidates are considering moving beyond Maryland, they are encouraged to consider completing the Master of Arts in Teaching degree to ensure reciprocity with other states.
• Complete an Entrance Portfolio and Interview for the Resident Teacher and/or Secondary MAT program. 
• Rolling admission up until the deadline of February 1.

Program Information:

• Candidates who are selected for employment become Resident Teachers and are issued a Resident Teacher Certificate.
• Resident teachers complete remaining coursework and take the pedagogy portion of the Praxis 2 test.
• Successfully completing this program as outline in the exit requirements will provide eligibility for a Standard Professional Teaching Certificate I in Maryland. 
• Certified teachers need to obtain a master's degree or equivalency within an allotted time. It is advisable to complete your Master of Arts in Teaching degree simultaneously or within the following year. Graduates of this certification program may choose to apply university credits towards a Master of Education degree instead of a Master of Arts in Teaching degree.

Program Outline

Exit Requirements:

Successful completion of:

1. Required courses with a B or better in each class.
2. Acceptable residency evaluations by the school system.
3. Passing appropriate Praxis 2 Pedagogy scores for Maryland's required score.
4. Completion of an Exit Interview.

Contact Information:

Alternative Teacher Certification Program

Kim Rotruck
240-527-2736
krotruck@frostburg.edu
USM Hagerstown

Secondary MAT

William Childs
301-687-4216
wchilds@frostburg.edu
Frostburg main campus