The Parthenon Marshall University's student newspaper
Higher ACT scores, gpa among
changes in teacher education
by ANNA L. MALLORY
managing editor
Students in the College of Education and Human Services will have to live up to higher standards this fall.
The school of education faculty has approved higher standards for its teacher education program that will affect incoming freshmen and transfer students in the Fall 2001 semester.
The changes include a more strict general admissions policy, requiring a composite score of at least 19 on the ACT and at least a 2.0 high school grade point average.
Admission requirements for the teacher education program are at least a 21 ACT composite and a cumulative gpa of 2.7.
An alternative admissions policy for students who do not meet those requirements are a 20 or less ACT composite with a 2.71 or higher gpa or a 2.5 to 2.69 gpa and a 22 ACT composite. Any student admitted with below a 2.7 gpa is responsible for raising his or her gpa before moving to higher level classes.
The changes were made in response to findings by a West Virginia task force on teacher education.
Dr. Larry Froehlich, dean of the COEHS, said the task force evaluated all teacher education programs and made suggestions to each one they thought might be below state standards.
He said the group suggested Marshall's school of education look at its ACT score requirements. So, the faculty collaborated to make changes to the schoolıs guidelines.
"We took a look at our students who were in our program and though it would be beneficial for them as well as surrounding states," Froehlich said.
He said the changes were not made because of a lack of qualified teacher education graduates.
The COEHS is regarded as one of the top colleges for teacher education.
Sue Wright, director of Career Services, said that was evident at Educator Expo 2001, an annual job fair for education graduates, when 225 school districts from 13 different states came in search of Marshallıs teaching graduates.
"If you were to look at our evaluation forms, you would see that Marshall is a very high profile teacher education program," she said.
Once students gain admission to the teacher education program, they must maintain a 2.7 gpa to graduate.
Froehlich said he hopes the changes will help produce students that are even more academically qualified than in past years.
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