Intern Pathway

Overview
Eligibility
Steps to Apply
Deadlines
Program Requirements and Disclosures
Program Partners

Overview

The intern program pathway is designed for individuals who have successful prior experience with lead-teaching in a K-12 classroom and who seek an alternative route to earning their preliminary credential. The Intern program provides qualified candidates who are offered a teaching position an opportunity to complete the credential program as a contracted (paid) teacher under an Internship Credential. Intern candidates receive support from a university field supervisor and an on-site coach from the school while completing their credential coursework.

The intern program pathway is designed for individuals in one of the following contexts:

Candidates who are scheduled to complete their final phase of student teaching and have been offered a teaching position by a partnering school district in the program’s primary service area. Candidates who transition to the intern program at this point will complete the program over 1-2 additional semesters, depending on MA options. Those who are pursuing the MA will complete their final MA project the semester after completing the credential program.
Incoming teacher candidates with documented successful long-term lead-teaching experience, who are teaching on contract for a school district or have been offered a position by a district. Candidates must take pre-intern coursework, which is offered during the summer, to satisfy intern pre-service requirements prior to entering the intern program pathway. This is a 4-5 semester program of study, depending on MA options.

View our Sample Intern Program Course Sequence Models [pdf].

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for our Intern program, applicants must:

Have served as the primary classroom teacher, teacher of record, or as a long-term substitute for a period of five months or more in an in-person setting.
Must hold a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Meet all admission criteria and deadlines for our Single Subject Credential Program or Multiple Subject Credential Program, including the corresponding Subject Matter Competency requirements, as well as the U.S. Constitution prior to qualifying for an intern credential.
While not required to qualify for an intern credential, prior to beginning their intern placement, interns will need to meet the TB requirement.

Be recommended for the Intern Program by our Intern Coordinator and in consultation with subject-area coordinator and phase I supervisor, when applicable. There are limited slots in this program and not every candidate who applies will be selected for the intern pathway. Recommendations will be made based on the candidate’s demonstrated readiness to be the teacher of record in a classroom and the candidate’s skills and dispositions in relation to the CA Teacher Performance Expectations.

Pre-Service Requirement

Must successfully complete the following pre-requisite courses prior to being accepted into the intern pathway: EDTE 262, EDTE 224, EDTE 294. Descriptions of these courses are available on the SJSU Catalog website.

Bilingual Language Proficiency (Spanish only)

Candidates for the Internship program who are authorized to teach in Spanish bilingual classrooms are required to demonstrate proficiency in Spanish and pass Subtest III of the Spanish CSET (aka as Spanish LOTE III). Additionally, they are interviewed before admission to intern status in Spanish by the faculty of the Spanish Bilingual Program.

Early Completion

Information about this option is provided here. [pdf] Candidates who pursue this option will complete the intern field experience requirements (two semesters of 184Y and/or Z) and take the seminars (EDSC 153 and subject-specific seminar) that support them in their field experience and completion of the teacher performance assessment. Candidates considering this option must meet with the Intern Coordinator to discuss the details of this option.

Teaching positions must meet specific intern and subject-matter requirements. University supervisor availability in the subject-area must also be established before an intern position is approved.

Apply for the Intern Pathway

1. If you have not yet applied to the to the Single Subject (SS) Credential Program, please follow all instructions on the Admissions webpage to submit your application to the university and program.
2. Complete and submit this Single Subject Intern Pathway Application form. Note: You may submit this form while you are in the process of applying to the university and SSCP Program.
3. If you have not taken (or are not currently taking) Phase 1 Student-Teaching, you will need to submit two or more forms of documented feedback/evaluation from a current or recent school administrator or department chair. Please email this documentation to the intern coordinator. If you are currently in the program, the intern coordinator will consult with your methods instructor, subject-area coordinator, 184X supervisor, and other instructors.

Deadlines

To be considered for the intern pathway for the fall semester, intern pathway applications must be submitted by April 15th.
To be considered for the intern pathway for the spring semester, intern pathway applications must be submitted by November 15th.

Current Teaching Candidates Completing Phase I Student Teaching

Meet with Intern Coordinator for advising appointment and conditional approval for our intern pathway prior to November 15 for Fall Phase I candidates or prior to April 15 for Spring Phase I candidates. Please allow up to two weeks to schedule an advising appointment. Candidates must also successfully pass Phase I Student Teaching for intern pathway approval to be finalized.
Submit signed Intern Pathway Acknowledgement form [pdf] to the Teacher Education Department prior to the approval dates listed in item #1 above.

Program Requirements and Disclosures

The intern program does not secure a teaching position for students. Candidates must have an offer from a partnering school district for a paid teaching position (letters of intent to hire by districts will be considered).
Intern positions must be approved before a candidate accepts an intern position from a district. Districts/schools must ensure the availability an onsite support provider (mentor) who meets these guidelines [pdf].
Teaching positions must meet specific intern and subject-matter requirements--MSCP [pdf], SSCP [pdf].
University supervisor availability in the subject-area must be established before an intern position is approved.
Positions must be in a public school with a partnering district in our primary service area in Santa Clara County. Interns must be hired as the teacher of record (long-term sub or temporary positions do not qualify).
Phase I candidates must commit to the intern pathway by designated dates (see above). Once approved for the intern pathway, candidates will not be placed for student-teaching for the subsequent semester. If they do not obtain an intern position, their program will be delayed. *Please note that most districts do not hire interns until late July or early August.
Candidates who commit to a student-teaching placement may not switch to the intern track.
In addition to fulfilling intern program responsibilities outlined in the Intern Agreement Form [pdf], interns are required to fulfill all single subject credential program requirements and remain in good standing in the program (with a minimum cumulative GPA OF 3.0 and no less than a B in the methods course).
Interns who exhibit dispositions contrary to the program’s goals and mission, and/or do not demonstrate competence in teaching according the CA Teacher Performance Expectations may be required to exit the intern program.
Interns who do not pass Cycle 1 or Cycle 2 of the CalTPA on their first attempt may not continue in the intern program, and will be required to complete student-teaching.