Throughout your teacher preparation program, you will participate in various clinical experiences. These experiences are intentionally scaffolded to provide diverse experiences to develop your skills as a professional educator.

The Teacher Education Clinical Experiences Policy Manual outlines policies and procedures for all clinical experiences. Associated forms are linked below.

• Clinical Appeal
• Digital Consent Agreement
• Digital Consent for Teacher Candidates
• Grow Your Own Clinical Placement Policy
• Long-Term Substitute Permit Agreement
• Long-Term Substitute Permit Mentoring Plan
• On-The-Job Request
• Educator Credential Recommendation: Post-Time Limit Request
• Student Support Plan

Below is the list of clinical experience courses and the corresponding handbook.

• Winter 2025
  • TED 2205 and 6205 Foundations Handbook
  • ELE 6211, 6216, 6375, and 6385 Elementary Literacy and Mathematics Handbook
  • TED 5150 and 5650 Pre-Student Teacher Handbook
  • TED 5791 BK Preschool Student Handbook
  • TED 6790 and 6795 SED Internship Handbook
  • Student Teaching Handbook

Requirements

Application Process

All teacher education students enrolling in a clinical experience must complete a Clinical Application in the Exxat system each semester they are scheduled to take it. The application ensures the placement office has the time and information needed to assign students to a cooperating teacher and supervisor.

The placement office makes all placements. You are not permitted to coordinate your own placements. You may not contact a school district, school administrator, teacher, or other staff member concerning a clinical or student teaching placement request. All placements will be assigned within a 25-mile radius of Wanye State.

Deadlines to Apply for Clinical and Student Teaching Experiences

• Fall Semester - March 15
• Winter Semester - September 15

CastleBranch Background Check

All College of Education candidates must have a valid CastleBranch Background Check before being notified of their assigned placement. The background check must be cleared at least two weeks before orientation, as candidates must communicate with the Cooperating Teacher (CT) before starting the clinical experience. After the clinical application is confirmed, EdP&E will send the teaching candidate a link to the CastleBranch site.

The CastleBranch Background Check is valid for six months and is the only approved background check WSU College of Education accepts. Please note that some school districts may also require a background check. The candidate is responsible for all costs related to the background checks.

Please note: If you have lived in New York, there will be an additional fee due to the State of New York background check laws.

Clinical Orientation

Orientation provides an overview of the expectations and requirements of each clinical experience. As such, you are required to attend an orientation for each clinical course before the semester begins.

Orientation for Fall clinicals will take place in August, and Winter clinicals will take place in December. You will receive orientation dates upon approval of your clinical application.