Pre-Service Teaching

Clinical/Observing Students

Clinical students are in MMSD schools for what is usually a brief period of time, observing but not interacting with MMSD students. Like all district volunteers/observers, a background check will be required if the individual will be working in an unsupervised capacity with MMSD students. Due to the nature of these observations, MMSD HR anticipates that these university students would be under supervision at all times and should not require a background check.

Practicum Students

Practicum students typically have shorter placements than student teachers, and more frequent placement changes. They have more closely supervised contact with students.

• Partner colleges and universities report all practicum teachers to HR prior to the start of the semester.
• HR runs a background check on all practicum students who are placed in our schools, but practicum students are not required to visit HR for fingerprinting.
• Practicum students, like all volunteers or visitors to an MMSD school, must check in with the main office to obtain a visitor pass.

Student Teachers

Student teachers typically have longer (full semester or full year) placements in a school, and have increased visibility, exposure, and connection with our students. For this reason, it’s important to conduct a more extensive background check and ensure all student teachers have ID access cards prior to arriving at any of our schools.

• Partner colleges and universities report all student teachers to HR prior to the start of the semester.
• HR invites student teachers to be fingerprinted by Fieldprint (for a background check) and issues an ID access card.
• By the time a student teacher arrives at any of our schools, the student teacher will have an ID access card and an approved background check on file in HR.

Student Interns

Student interns may have a placement that aligns more closely with a practicum experience, or one that more closely mirrors a student teaching experience. To determine what is required for these pre-service professionals, we work with our partners and reach out to those students whose experience warrants fingerprinting.

• Partner colleges and universities report all student interns to HR prior to the start of the semester.
• HR invites those interns to be fingerprinted by Fieldprint (for a background check), if warranted.
• Student interns, like all volunteers or visitors to an MMSD school, must check in with the main office to obtain a visitor pass.

Resources

• List of College and University Partners
• Guidelines for ID Badge Issuance for Pre-Service Teachers

All colleges/universities seeking pre-service placements with MMSD must become a contracted partner and follow our placement procedures. We require that student teacher placements be approved by principals and that each student teacher have a local supervisor.

Steps to Student Teacher Placement

1. Sign Student Affiliation Agreement with MMSD and email to June Wilson, Assistant Legal Counsel.
2. Placement coordinator secures placement(s) by contacting principals directly. The coordinator may reach out to HR if struggling with a placement. HR may or may not be able to accommodate facilitation of a placement.
3. Enter all confirmed placements on the Placement Registration Form and email to HR (contacts listed below)
4. Instruct your students to complete the required steps prior to their start date:

• Practicum: background check
• Student Teacher: fingerprinting & district ID Badge

Resources

• Placement Registration Form
• Guidelines for ID Badge Issuance for Pre-Service Teachers

Principals (or Designated Student Teacher Representative)

Pre-service teacher placements are coordinated between the college/university and the principal or designated student teacher representative at each school. HR is tracking placements made at each school and may help facilitate placements when our college/university partners need assistance. Our goal is to develop and support a pipeline of dynamic teachers while maintaining the safety and security of MMSD students.

When you receive a placement request directly from a college/university:

1. Check the List of College and University Partners to be sure that the college/university has a MMSD affiliation agreement
2. Determine if you can accommodate the request for a placement in your school based on: the placement meeting the needs of your school, reflecting a district/school shortage area, and/or availability and willingness of a strong cooperating teacher who can mentor the teacher
3. Connect your recommended teachers with the college/university representative
4. HR will reach out to college/university partners prior to the start of the semester to get placement details and facilitate security steps (ie background check & ID badge) with students.

MMSD Teachers

All pre-service teaching placements are facilitated through the school principal. Anytime a college or university contacts you regarding a student placement, please be sure your principal has approved it.

In order to host a student teacher, you must meet the Cooperating Teacher Criteria as determined by the state legislature and followed by each partner college/university.

WI DPI rule, PI 34.15(6), requires cooperating teachers to meet these criteria:

1. Hold a Wisconsin license, or an equivalent license where the clinical program occurs, and have volunteered for assignment as a cooperating teacher or practicum supervisor.
2. Have at least three years of teaching experience with at least one year of teaching experience in the school or school system of current employment.
3. Have completed training in both the supervision of clinical students and in the applicable WI Educator Standards.

If you are selected as a Cooperating Teacher, the placement details and student information will be reported to Human Resources prior to the start of the upcoming semester by the college/university.

Many of our college/university partners also solicit observation/practicum/etc. placements for their students. Each institution will have its own requirements to determine who can host these pre-service teachers.

Resources

• List of College and University Partners
• Guidelines for ID Badge Issuance for Pre-Service Teachers