Basic Requirements
- Field experiences must be completed in at least three different sites/schools over the course of your academic career, with a minimum of fifteen hours within each grade level/program category for which licensure is being pursued.
- Within these requirements, students are required to complete a specified number of hours with exceptional children and in a multicultural setting.
- Field experiences must be completed in a classroom setting while school is in session and students are present.
- Field experiences must be unpaid and supervised by an IL licensed educator. Professional behavior and dress are expected at all times.
Site & School Clearance Process
In order to complete field experience within an approved site or school in Chicagoland, students must complete a site or school clearance process. Field experience includes any students completing observations, pre-clinical hours, practicum experiences and any pre-student teaching experiences in schools or sites where you will be interacting with Pre-K-12
students.
The College of Education requires that all students seeking to complete field experience hours must submit the following three documents for review:
- DCFS Mandated Reporter Training Certificate of Completion
All school personnel, including administrators and both certified and non- certified school employees, are considered to be mandated reporters. Student teachers and student observers are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect when acting in their professional or official capacity.
All students completing field experience or student teaching requirements in a teacher education program are required to complete Mandated Reporter training. Please go to DCFS Training to create an account or log in to complete the Mandated Reporter training. At the end of the training students will take a quiz and then receive the Certificate of Completion (which must be downloaded & saved at the time of completion).
- CPS Approval Notice linked to the student’s background check from Accurate Biometrics
As a university partner of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the College of Education (COE) uses the CPS Background Check Completion & Approval Process as part of our site/school clearance process. All COE students are required to fill out the CPS Field Experience application, complete a background check with Accurate Biometrics, and receive the CPS Approval Notice before being able to begin accruing field experience hours, regardless of the final placement site/school. The COE provides opportunities throughout the year to get your background check requirements done in the COE on the Lincoln Park Campus.
- Signed acknowledgement of the DePaul COE Field Experience Guidelines
Mandated Reporter
All school personnel, including administrators and both certified and non-certified school employees, are considered to be mandated reporters. Student teachers and student observers are mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect when acting in their professional or official capacity.
While completing field experiences and preparing for student teaching, students should be aware of the Mandated Reporter Training, which will be required before student teaching. Student teachers and student observers are required to complete Mandated Re porter training. Please go to
DCFS Training to create an account or log in to complete the Mandated Reporter training.
At the end of the training students will take a quiz and then receive the Certificate of Completion (which must be printed out at the time of completion). Please make at least two copies and retain them with important documents. To complete the process, you must submit a digital copy of your certificate.