Internships

Prerequisites to Become an Intern

1) Department Approval

Program Coordinator Permission: Candidates must obtain university authorization from the Program Coordinator before they are eligible to accept any job offers. University approval is not given automatically. Candidates must request an “Intent to Intern Form” from their coordinator.  If a candidate is approved by their coordinator, they can seek employment. 

If you have experience teaching and running a classroom, you can consider an internship. The intern pathway option is in place of student teaching. The application process for the program is the same. Once you have been admitted to the program, you will receive more information about the internship. 

If admitted, you apply for an internship by submitting an intern approval form to the program coordinator. 

2) Intern Application

Intern Credential Requirements and Application for Recommendation: 

  • The Credential Student Service Center will require the following to recommend a candidate for an Intern Credential:
    • Approval from Program Coordinator-submit Google approval form from the Program Coordinator and receive email verification/approval
    • A submitted Intern Credential Application with the required documents after August 1.
    • Summer courses "B-"or better-Documentation of 120 hours of appropriate coursework have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 with no grades of Incomplete or No Credit;
    • Current enrollment in Fall classes for your program 
    • Verification of Employment from the district signed by HR with an exact start date in the current academic year-page 4 of the Intern Application signed by HR
    • Valid CTC document () 
    • Valid negative TB test (TB Risk Assessment not accepted) 
    • Credential Processing Receipt - of $25.00 for each credential document type. CashNet (attach a copy of your receipt with your application
    • BA degree or higher- (BSR) is met by a Bachelor's Degree
    • Subject Matter Competency (SMC), i.e., CSET score report or SMC-approved coursework evaluation
    • U.S. Constitution verification 

3) Employment

Once approved by the Program Coordinator, you need to find a teaching position for the credential subject you are seeking. The intern credential is directly connected to the employing school site and the university. Interns may seek part-time or full-time employment in their subject area.

  • Part-Time: An intern can work part-time. However, if the position is less than 60% time, they must student teach to meet the 600-hour clinical fieldwork requirement. This will need to be approved by your Program Coordinator. 
  • Full-Time: If an Intern secures a full-time position, a minimum of 60% of the position must be in the subject area of their credential goal.

 

4) Memorandum of Understanding

Internships are limited to Public School Districts and or Charter Public Schools that have a signed (MOU) with CSU Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV. Intern credentials are limited to public schools. 

Intern Credentials for Single and Multiple Subject candidates are not approved for Private School placements.

*You must be continually enrolled in coursework while teaching under an Intern Credential. If you do not apply for your Preliminary Credential at the end of the program, you need to enroll in a fieldwork course, or your Intern Credential will be withdrawn.

 

Intern Support

Candidates working under university internship credentials are assigned an Employer-Provided Mentor and a University Supervisor. Both provide support to the intern throughout the academic year. The mentor is not an educator in an evaluative position. However, interns will be evaluated by the University Supervisor and may also be evaluated by a school or district administrator. Specific intern support hour requirements can be found on the Time2Track page of this handbook. 


School District Support

Employer-Provided Mentor (EPM): The employer will appoint a mentor with an English Learner Authorization prior to an intern assuming daily teaching responsibilities. This Employer-Provided Mentor will provide support that consists of observations, conferences, email and phone calls to the Intern teacher. The EPM will provide 26 hours of support, mentoring and supervision within the school day of the Intern teaching in the general education or special education classroom. Additionally, the Employer-Provided Mentor will provide 10 hours of support and supervision related to English Learners during the school day.


School Site Meetings (90 hours): Interns will attend New Teacher Orientation, Grade Level, Department Meetings, Faculty meetings, and Professional Development Seminars provided to faculty.

 

University Support

Individualized Intern Plan: The University Supervisor, Employer-Provided Mentor, and the Intern shall develop the Individualized Intern Plan (IIP) during the first three weeks of the school year. The IIP will specify the support, mentoring, and supervision the Intern will receive so that the total hours of annual Support/Mentoring and Supervision equal to 144 hours plus 45 additional hours specific to the needs of English Learners. The Individualized Intern Plan Google Form will be submitted for approval to the CSU Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV Intern Coordinator.


Intern Contract: All Interns will be required to sign a contract with CSU Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV that specifies the responsibilities of the Intern and outlines the conditions of the MOU between CSU Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV and the partner school district. Failure to comply with the conditions of the internship may result in the intern credential being revoked.

 

2nd-Year Interns: For an intern credential to remain valid, the intern must be continuously enrolled in fieldwork at CSU Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV and still be teaching at the same school site as the prior year. The intern credential is directly connected to the employing school site and the university.  An intern who has not met the requirements to apply for the preliminary credential may continue to work as an intern for up to one academic year. To do so, the intern must be enrolled in the required fieldwork course throughout the year or until they apply for their preliminary credential. As part of this course, the intern will be assigned a University Supervisor, complete 6 observations per semester, and track their hours via Time2Track. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the cancellation of the intern credential. 

Early Completion Option

Interns are required to meet with the program coordinator to discuss the option of completing the program early. The conditions under which early completion can be achieved are the following:

a) Pass a written assessment adopted by the commission that assesses knowledge of teaching foundations as well as all of the following:

  • Human development as it relates to teaching and learning aligned with the state content and performance standards for K-12 students
  • Techniques to address learning differences, including working with students with special needs
  • Techniques to address working with English learners to provide access to the curriculum
  • Reading instruction in accordance with state standards
  • Assessment of student progress based on the state content and performance standards
  • Classroom management techniques
  • Methods of teaching the subject fields

    (b) Pass the teaching performance assessment. This assessment may be taken only one time by an intern participating in the early completion option.

    (c) Pass the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) (Multiple Subject Credential only).

    (d) Meet the requirements for teacher fitness.

 

Length of Validity of the Intern Credential

Each intern credential will be valid for a period of two years, as long as you are enrolled in the program. However, a certificate may be valid for three years if the intern is participating in a program leading to the attainment of a specialist credential to teach students, or for four years if the intern is participating in a district intern program leading to the attainment of both a multiple subject or a single subject teaching credential and a specialist credential to teach students with mild/moderate support needs.

Reference: Education Code Section 44325 (b).