5641P: Student Teachers

The procedures for schools hosting student teachers are as follows:

1. All student teachers must be enrolled in a teacher preparation program that has an agreement with the District. Human Resources maintains a current list of institutions with valid agreements with the District.
2. The District will not secure student teacher placements on behalf of institutions or individual students. Requests for placement will be made to principals directly.
3. A student teacher will generally be assigned to a teacher with no less than five years of teaching experience.
4. Mentor teachers must be exemplary models for the profession and demonstrate the ability and willingness to share their talent and experience.
5. Mentor teachers must demonstrate the ability to make evaluative judgement and provide meaningful feedback on instruction and assessment practices.
6. A mentor teacher will not be assigned more than one student teacher per school year.
7. The mentor teacher will be responsible for the class and will not delegate instructional responsibilities until the student teacher has displayed the proficiency to accept them.
8. Principals must approve all student teacher placements.
9. Student teachers must not be placed in settings in which personal relationships or previous experience could interfere with objective evaluation of the student teacher.
10. No student teacher may begin their placement experience until the approving principal has completed the Bellevue School District Placement of Student Teachers form (Procedure 5641P – Exhibit A) and submitted copies to the Office of School Support and Human Resources.
11. Upon the principal’s determination of a successful student teaching experience, the principal may recommend to Human Resources a request for emergency certification.
12. Student teachers wanting to do research projects in the Bellevue School District as part of their teacher preparation program or for any other purpose must use the District’s Student Teacher Research Request Form (Procedure 5641P – Exhibit C). The form requires approval from the mentor teacher, principal, university advisor, and the District’s Data & Assessment Department.