Art Education
College of Arts and Architecture
School of Visual Arts
EFFECTIVE FALL SEMESTER 2002
No student may proceed with a field experience (AED 101S/AED 297B, AED 489, C&I 495 D/E) until TWO copies of ALL clearances-except the Student Teaching Audit--identified below are presented. All clearances--except professional liability insurance, the student teaching audit and requirements for out-of-state placements--are good for one year. Failure to present these required clearances prior to the beginning of a field experience may result in your dismissal from a field experience course. Follow instructions carefully to prevent delays. See clearance information for specifics.
All students who intend to participate in any student teaching programs or field experiences of any sort are required to procure and maintain liability insurance for the duration of all such programs. You must provide proof of such coverage to the course instructor of the related field experience. The policy purchased must be applicable to teaching situations, and must cover the specific situations that will be presented during your field exercise. Such coverage may or may not be termed "professional liability" insurance, depending upon the carrier or organization that issues the policy. It is your responsibility to choose an appropriate policy and to make a determination as to the amount of coverage. In this regard, we recommend that you contact the college office that coordinates your field experience course in order to determine specific requirements.
The College of Education and the Art Education Program do not specifically endorse or recommend any particular insurance carrier or insurance policy. However, the following are provided for your convenience, as options that you may wish to consider.
Liability insurance may be available as an endorsement, for an additional fee, to a renter's or homeowner's insurance policy. You may also procure a separate liability insurance policy from a private insurance company. If you choose to pursue such options, you should carefully investigate the terms of the policy and speak with your insurance agent in order to ensure that the policy is applicable to your field activities.
You may also wish to consider coverage that is provided by professional associations. The Student Pennsylvania State Education Association's (SPSEA) annual membership fee ($25) includes $1 million of liability protection, which is applicable to classroom situations. SPSEA membership enrollment forms are available from the SPSEA Student Programs Coordinator, who may be reached at FPIERCE@mail.psea.org, or in Penn State's Office of Certification and Education Services, 228 Chambers. You can obtain additional info on PSEA by visiting the following Web site: http://www.psea.org/. In addition to $1,000,000 of liability insurance, membership benefits include access to scholarships, publications, opportunities to attend workshops and professional conferences, and affiliation with the National Education Association (NEA) and the professional library. Membership in the Penn State Student Chapter of PSEA at University Park provides opportunities to socialize with other education students while participating in professional development programs and discussing current issues in education. This student organization also provides opportunities for members to get more involved with school and community volunteer service and leadership activities.
Insurance is also available through the Professional Liability Protection Plan for Student Teachers. This benefit is available through membership in one of sixty sponsoring educational associations, and is offered by the Trust for Insuring Educators, administered by Forrest T. Jones & Co. A list of sponsoring associations and applications are available on-line at http://www.ftj.com. PA CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE (ACT 151) ANDPA STATE POLICE CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK (ACT 34)
Pennsylvania laws require all employees of public and private schools to acquire child abuse history clearance (Act 151) and criminal history clearance (Act 34) prior to employment. Many school districts require volunteers and others working directly with children to have these clearances. Accordingly, the College of Education requires all students enrolled in field experiences to have both Act 151 and Act 34 clearances. In addition, out-of-state students must have an FBI fingerprint check (see below).
PA CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE forms are available at http://www.dpw.state.pa.us (see Forms & Publications). Indicate SCHOOL as the "Purpose of Clearance."
CRIMINAL HISTORY REQUEST forms SP-164 are available at http://www.psp.state.pa.us (see Documents, Brochures & Forms, then PSP Forms Available for Public). Indicate EMPLOYMENT as the "Reason for Request."
Mail completed forms directly to the Harrisburg agencies identified on each form. EACH application must be accompanied by a certified check or money order--no personal checks accepted. As a precaution in case of loss or delay, make copies of completed forms prior to mailing them. Allow 6-8 weeks for processing.
FBI CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK (Non-Pennsylvania Residents ONLY)
In addition to the PA State Police Criminal Record Check (Act 34), out-of-state students are also required to undergo an FBI background check requiring fingerprints. FBI Fingerprint Cards (form FD-258) are available in 182 Chambers. Fingerprint cards may not be folded.
Due to a change in procedures instituted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, effective May 9, 2001, applications for FBI Criminal History Records submitted to the PA Department of Education by residents of Pennsylvania cannot be processed. This means that you must indicate an out-of-state address when providing "Residence of Person Fingerprinted" information. Take the FBI Fingerprint Card to Penn State's Security Office or a state or local police station for fingerprinting. Indicate "Applicant school employee" as reason for fingerprinting. Allow 8-10 weeks for processing.
Send the completed fingerprint card, along with a certified check or money order for $24 made payable to "FBI," to the following address:
PA Dept of Education
School Services Unit
333 Market St.
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
(717) 783-3750
TUBERCULOSIS TEST
In compliance with regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Penn State Office of Preservice Teaching Experiences requires students enrolled in all field experiences to present proof of a negative T.B. test prior to beginning any field experience. You may have the test administered by your family doctor or at the Ritenour Health Center. Since skin tests must be read 48 hours after administration, schedule your test to ensure that the health facility will be open for your follow-up visit. Students who test positively because of previous health conditions must submit proof of X-ray examinations.
Submit TWO copies, not the original, of your test results to the field experience instructor during one of your orientation meetings. Copy on letter-size (8.5 X 11 ) paper.
GUEST HOST FORM
TWO signed copies of the Guest Host Form indicate your agreement to abide by the governing principles of your field experience host. It also indicates your understanding that, should your personal and professional behavior not be compatible with the expectations of the host school, you could be dismissed from the school and the field experience. This form can be downloaded from the Office of Preservice Teaching Experiences (OPTE) Web site at http://www.ed.psu.edu/preservice/forms.asp.