Eligibility Requirements - State-Only Post-Baccalaureate Accreditation and Program Approval

Institutions, agencies, and organizations eligible to apply for state-only post-baccalaureate accreditation include those entities seeking to prepare candidates for roles as District of Columbia teachers and administrators.  Successful applicants will be granted Accreditation and Program Approval for three academic years beginning on the date the organization is granted state accreditation and program approval by the State Superintendent of Education and ending on June 30th of the third year following the State Superintendent’s accreditation decision.  No later than six months prior to the expiration of an accredited organization’s term of approval, it must notify OSSE in writing if it intends to seek continuation of their accreditation and approved program status for another three-year term.

Organizational and Fundamental Program Design Requirements

Organizational Requirements

The following organizational criteria are required for institutions, agencies, and organizations seeking state accreditation and program approval in the District of Columbia: 

1. If the applicant is a non-profit organization, it must be able to demonstrate evidence of its 501(c)3 status.  If the organization is an Institution of Higher Education, it must be licensed to operate in the District of Columbia by OSSE’s Education Licensure Commission and regionally accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.

2. There is a defined professional education unit within the organization, institution, or agency that is primarily responsible for the preparation of teachers and other professional education personnel.

3. A Dean, Director, Chair, Executive Director, or other qualified administrator has officially been designated to represent the professional education unit and has been assigned the authority and responsibility for its overall administration and operation.

4. The educator preparation unit has developed a candidate assessment system that evaluates candidate academic and professional competencies at multiple points throughout the program, using multiple evaluation methods.  Specific requirements of the candidate assessment system are outlined in Standard 2 of the DC Organizational Standards for Educator Preparation [PDF]. 

Program Design Requirements

The post-baccalaureate, non-degree program is designed to accommodate recent college graduates and mid-career applicants in gaining entry to the field.  Programs must have a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours (180 contact hours), and last for a minimum of one (1) academic year.  The contact hours may include pre- and in-service coursework.

Field Experiences

Successful field experiences are a critical element of any teacher or administrator preparation program, and require strong partnerships with schools and other institutions.  For this reason, candidates must be placed in pre-service practice prior to taking on full teaching responsibilities. Programs are required to offer a hands-on, student-based field experience.  Programs must also provide at least one-academic year of intensive mentoring for candidates. The state requires programs to provide extensive and frequent mentoring to candidates with intensive contact and support for the first eight weeks of employment, and ongoing mentoring throughout the first academic year.

Admissions

Programs must demonstrate highly selective criteria for candidate admission, and may include evidence of successful work experience.  The table below shows the grade point average requirements for program entry.

The minimum grade-point-average requirements stated above are subject to minor changes to accommodate candidates with exceptional qualifications.

In addition, teacher candidates must successfully complete the Praxis I: Pre-Professional Skills Test and Praxis II – Content assessment (where applicable) prior to taking responsibilities as a full time teacher of record.