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Annual Institutional Title II Report Card

Teacher Education Mission

The mission of Teacher Education at Bradley University is to prepare teachers who will be effective leaders, advocates, and life-long learners. We believe that teaching and learning are dynamic, interactive, life-long processes based on empowering interactions among learners.

Teacher Preparation Programs

Bradley University offers 18 baccalaureate programs leading to state teacher certification and one graduate-level certification programs in Educational Administration, Special Education, and School Counseling.

Student Characteristics

Most undergraduates (94 percent) are of traditional college age, 94 percent attend full-time, and 85.5 percent are Illinois residents. Twelve percent of all students are minority students. The average ACT score for fall 2007 freshmen was 25.1. Undergraduate enrollment is 5216. Graduate enrollment is 837. Total enrollment is 6053.

Admissions Requirements

Candidates must have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.5 overall, 2.5 in education courses, and a 2.5 in their content major or concentration. Candidates must have earned grades of not less than a C in COM 103, ENG 101, and a mathematics course that meets university general education requirements. They must have completed a prescribed group of education courses for each major with the appropriate GPA and no Ds, passed the Illinois Certification Test of Basic Skills, demonstrated appropriate pre-professional behaviors and dispositions, been cleared on a check of criminal history, and received a satisfactory vote of the faculty.

Admission to Student Teaching: Candidates must have maintained a minimum grade point average of 2.5 overall, 2.5 in education courses, and a 2.5 in their content major or concentration. They must have been advanced to candidacy, passed the Illinois Certification Test in their content area, been cleared on a State Police fingerprint check, and have a negative result on a current TB test.

Best Practices

  • Practicum experiences in the schools begin the freshman year and continue each year of the program, increasing in responsibility.
  • Each candidate will have clinical experiences in the full range of his or her certification and in a diverse setting.
  • The University has Professional Development School partners at each level from early childhood through high school.

Notable Features and Accomplishments

  • Placement of graduates was 98% for this year.
  • Two teacher education professors received the NBPTS (National Board for Professional Teaching Standards) certificate.
  • The College of Education and Health Sciences and the local schools have a professional development schools partnership that provides unique opportunities for students and faculty.
  • Opportunities exist for students to student teach in Department of Defense Schools in England.
  • Teacher education honored undergraduate student Anna Wells for her presentation with Dr. Hwa Lee at the 23rd Division of Early Childhood’s Council for Exceptional Children annual international conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in October. Her presentation was on the topic of working with young children with bipolar disorder. Ms. Wells’ presentation was so well done that attendees thought she was a graduate student and there was standing room only at her session.
  • Kevin Emmons, a graduate of the teacher education program, developed a unit usable for science, math, and social studies using GPS devices. Mr. Emmons shared his presentation with different classes in teacher education and at a local professional association meeting.
  • In partnership with Illinois Central College and Peoria District 150, teacher education is facilitating the matriculation of students through the Peoria Grow Your Own Program (PGYO) and will have its first students entering student teaching this next academic year. This program helps prepare a new cadre of teachers from diverse ethnic backgrounds to remain in Peoria and teach in Peoria Public Schools.
  • Teacher education celebrates the accomplishment of Dr. Shari Britner in receiving the prestigious Caterpillar, Inc. Faculty Achievement Award for Scholarship.
  • Teacher education initiated a new graduate program cohort of master’s students in Early Childhood Education through the Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Center.
  • Teacher education faculty collaborated with 21 undergraduate and 5 graduate students in research development, data collection, performance-based learning projects, and research papers for publication. The topics ranged from emotional learning, modeling math concepts, traumatic brain injury, and robot prototype to multicultural education.
  • Total number of students admitted into teacher preparation, all specializations, in academic year 2007-2008 637
  • Number of candidates in supervised student teaching in academic year 2007-2008 154
  • Number of faculty members who supervised student teachers:
    • Full-time faculty in professional education 4
    • Part-time faculty in professional education but full-time in the institution 1
    • Part-time faculty in professional education, not otherwise employed by the institution 11
  • Total faculty student teaching supervisors 16
  • Student teacher/faculty ratio 9.62:1
  • The average number of student teaching hours per week 35
  • The total number of weeks of supervised student teaching required 14.67 avg.
  • Average total number of hours required 513.45