The online Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education/Elementary Education program
is designed for Elementary and/or Special Education Para Educator at the Early Childhood
to 6th grade level who wishes to become a licensed teacher at the Early Childhood and/or
Elementary Education (K-6) level.
Teacher Apprentice Program™ (TAP) is built around the philosophy of an "inverted curriculum,"
meaning many of the "professional" courses are at the front end of the program to
focus on heightening the skills of Para Educators in their current position. The goal
is to increase your success in the classroom from the beginning and then build on
those strengths as you matriculate through the program. You will earn college credit
for your experience as a Para every semester which will apply toward your degree.
You will not have to quit work in order to complete this degree.
Cost
In the Teacher Apprentice Program™, you will have a low flat tuition rate per credit
hour. You will also not have to pay an online or student activity fees for our courses,
saving you money throughout the program. You can see a breakdown of the tuition and
program fees to expect below per credit hour.
Tuition and Fees $249.63
TAP Course Fees $5.50 per credit hour
TAP Field Experience / Internship Course Fee $30.00
Teacher Licensure Capstone Course Fee, per course $100.00
Program Qualifications
In order to start the TAP Online Program, you must meet the qualifications listed
below.
Must serve as a paraeducator for at least 8 hours per week or long-term sub with instructional responsibilities at the Early Childhood level (birth-3rd grade including SPED); or Elementary Education level (Kindergarten-6th grade general education) in the initial semesters of the program and full time para educator or Teacher of Record (on LTAP license) the final semester.
The paraeducator position can be in an interrelated (special education) or general education classroom.
The paraeducator position must be held in a building that is accredited by KSDE (Kansas State Department of Education) or licensed by KDHE (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) or a similar setting.
You must have a 2.0 Institutional and overall GPA.
If you do not meet this requirement, your academic advisor can assist you. Contact
parapath@wichita.edu for more information.
Success Coach / Mentor
All students in the TAP program are provided with a success coach once they are eligible
to begin the Internship courses. Success coaches are master teacher educators from
across the state who are trained mentors, and work with the students in order to assist
in their professional growth in designing and delivering instruction in the classroom.
They are considered university supervisors for the students as they progress through
the program.
Will be assigned to TAP students in TAP 605 (after Labor Day in fall, after Feb 1
in spring)
Collaborate with TAP students and host 3-4 monthly zoom meetings per semester with
their mentee groups. Students are required to attend the monthly meetings – as part
of Internship grade.
Provide mentoring & support in your lesson planning, delivery of instruction, professional
dispositions and assist in your growth as a professional.
Continue as your mentor and coach during your progress through the 4 internship courses
in the TAP program.
Review your lesson plans and provide feedback for revision and reflection before teaching.
Review your teaching video on PASS and provide feedback for reflection and professional
growth.
Assess your professional growth using the four KEEP constructs and submit KEEP summative
assessment scores at the end of the semester.
Assess your professional dispositions and submit disposition assessment scores at
the end of the semester.
Communicate with success coaches and attend monthly success coach meetings.
Submit lesson plans (as assigned in Internship Courses) to Success Coach for feedback
1-2 weeks in advance before teaching.
Work with success coaches in order to grow in their professionalism and meet the professional
disposition expectations of the program. Demonstrated in their work with peers, instructors,
coaches, and the education community.
Communicate with success coaches for support and assistance, as needed.
Degree Plans
Please know that these are sample degree plans. If you would like an academic advisor
to create a degree plan for you, please send your unofficial transcripts for all previous
institutions to parapath@wichita.edu.
*If you hold an Associate of Arts or Science degree from a Kansas community college
or technical school your degree plan may look different. Please contact a TAP advisor
atparapath@wichita.edu.
Licensure Options
The degree includes several licensure options.
Licensure available to you after you've completed your degree:
Early Childhood Unified: Birth - 3rd Grade (including SPED)
Elementary Education: K - 6th Grade (general education only)
Early Childhood Unified AND Elementary Education: Birth - 3rd Grade (SPED) and Birth
- 6th Grade (general education)
Licensure available to you while you're in the program:
Limited License
After you meet the qualifications for the Limited TAP License, you'll have the option
to be hired as a teacher of record under the Limited TAP License while completing
the Teacher Apprentice Program™ (TAP Program).
34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v). Wichita State University's teacher education programs are accredited at the national,
regional, and state level. Upon completion of all courses and program assessments,
graduates of these programs will be eligible to apply for the Kansas initial teaching
license for their program of study after they successfully complete the Kansas teacher licensure exams required by the State of Kansas for application for a teacher license or endorsement.
Wichita State has made no determination if this program will lead to licensure in
any state other than Kansas in which a graduate may seek licensure. Because every
state has different requirements that may change frequently, we recommend checking
with the state education department for the state in question to determine current
requirements. The nonprofit organization Education Commission of the States has compiled
Teacher License Reciprocity State Profiles that provide additional information about the teacher license reciprocity agreements
for each state in a searchable format. Kansas Teacher Reciprocity Agreements provides a list of member states of the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement who have signed
reciprocity agreements with Kansas.
