Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When should I meet with a Partnership Teach coordinator?
You should meet with a Partnership Teach coordinator as soon as you have decided to pursue a degree in teacher education or even before you have made a final decision. The earlier you are advised, the more likely you will enroll in the required general education courses at the community colleges. Your freshman year is not too early to meet with the coordinator for the first time. The coordinator will review your current college record to assist you in planning. Please bring a copy of each college transcript to the meeting. They do not need to be official copies.
Will I need to drive to the hub site to talk to the Partnership Teach coordinator?
Face to face meetings are recommended when possible. Partnership Teach Coordinators visit many local community colleges on a regular basis to advise current and potential students. Check with the coordinator for your area to schedule a time that is convenient.
Students can also visit the Partnership Teach Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ECUPartnershipEast to view dates that Partnership Teach coordinators will be visiting community colleges in their region. Likewise, students may be able to find information on upcoming Partnership Teach coordinator advising dates at their community colleges through e-mailed announcements or flyers sent by community college advisors to student e-mail.
Virtual students may be advised by phone, Skype, or face to face with a coordinator.
Which teaching degree completion programs are offered through Partnership Teach?
- Elementary Education
- Special Education-General Curriculum
- Special Education-Adapted Curriculum
- Middle Grade Education-Language Arts and Social Studies
What courses should I take at the community college?
There are checklists for each program area(elementary, middle and special education) which list the courses you need to complete at the community college. Most of the courses are considered general education or foundation courses. Checklists are located on the Partnership Teach Website.
What happens if I have been enrolled in the community college but have not been enrolled in a college transfer program?
The Partnership Teach coordinator will be glad to meet with you to evaluate course work to determine if any of the courses taken in programs other than college transfer will transfer to the university. Transcripts will need to be brought to the advising appointment with the Partnership Teach coordinator.
If I have a D in a course, will it transfer?
ECU only gives transfer credit for grades of C or higher on transfer courses.
When do Partnership Teach courses meet?
Partnership Teach courses are offered through a 100% online delivery model. Students access courses through East Carolina University’s Blackboard site.
In addition, all students will be required to attend a mandatory Partnership Teach orientation and may be required to attend face to face meetings twice a year on campus. During the senior year, all students will be required to come to the ECU campus to attend three (one day each) mandatory senior seminars.
All students are required to participate in one advising session per semester (fall/spring). Advising sessions can be held face-to-face, via the web, or by phone.
All students are required to complete field experiences each term during the day in local public schools. Hours vary each semester but may range from 20 to 40 hours during a 15 week semester. The internship requires one full-day each week in the Intern I semester. Intern II is a full-time internship requiring interns to report and remain for the entire teacher workday every day of the semester.
Where will my practicum or field work take place?
All field (clinical) placements are facilitated by the Office of Clinical Experiences. You will be asked to request a school system and public school in your local area where you would like to be placed for your field work. The Office of Clinical Experiences attempts to place you in the county in which you live. If this is not possible, you will be placed in the next most convenient area to your home. School district personnel determine policies for placing teacher assistants in their counties for field experiences and the internship. The policy for teacher assistants during the Senior Year internship may be found at the ECU Office of Clinical Experiences website.
Can I work while attending ECU as a Partnership Teach student?
Partnership Teach Part-time models are designed for working adults. However, students must be able to complete the required practicum hours (field experiences in public schools) and the internship during the regular public school day.
In both the full-time and part-time models, the Intern I Semester requires the interns to attend one full day each week in the assigned public school. The final semester or Intern II semester is a full-time commitment. Interns report to the school setting each day of the semester prior to the arrival of the students and remain at school until after all school planning, activities, and meetings are completed.
Students should not work during the full-time internship semester. The Intern II internship is the capstone experience for all teacher education programs. As such, the internship requires a significant time commitment such that working during this semester would hinder a student’s ability to be successful in the internship. The full-time elementary model is not appropriate for those who work.
May I attend Partnership Teach full-time?
Only the elementary degree program offers full-time enrollment at this time. Full-time elementary students should expect to be enrolled for 16 hours in the fall and spring and 5 to 7 hours each summer session. Part-time enrollment is an option for elementary and special education. Part-time students are normally enrolled in 6 to 9 hours each semester and in 3 to 6 hours each summer session.
May I take extra courses while enrolled in Partnership Teach so that I can graduate sooner?
Partnership Teach students may not speed up their course planners since courses are scheduled in a specific sequence during consecutive semesters. An excellent advantage of the Partnership Teach cohort model is that registration for needed courses is guaranteed. Seats in online courses are reserved each semester for PE students in planned sequences so taking courses that deviate from assigned cohort planners is not permitted.
May I simply take courses from ECU online to get my elementary or special education degree without being part of a Partnership Teach cohort?
The only way to complete an elementary, middle grades or special education degree totally online from ECU is through Partnership East. Although you may be able to take some courses online from ECU, most courses are not offered online except though Partnership Teach.
What are the criteria for admission in the Partnership Teach part-time programs?
- Minimum 2.5 GPA (grade point average)
- Praxis Core scores within 5 points of passing each section or within 5 points of the composite score requirement, equivalent ACT scores, or equivalent SAT scores (score information located on PT website).
- General education courses completed (See articulation agreements.)
- Interview with a Partnership Teach coordinator (virtual students may interview via phone, Skype, or email).
- Students must meet university requirements for admission.
- Students must be admitted to ECU.
- Candidates who are employees from partnering districts and/or students from NC community colleges are given priority for enrollment.
What are the criteria for admission in the Partnership Teach Full-time Elementary program?
- Minimum 3.0 GPA (grade point average)
- Passing Praxis Core scores, or equivalent ACT scores, or equivalent SAT scores (score information located on Partnership Teach website).
- General education courses completed (see articulation agreements).
- Interview with a Partnership Teach coordinator (virtual students may interview via phone, Skype, or email)
- Students must meet university requirements for admission.
- Students must meet the ECU requirements for admission to the institution. Students are encouraged to apply early as participation is contingent upon successful admission to the university.
- Candidates who are employees from partnering districts and/or students from NC community colleges are given priority for enrollment.
What are the passing scores required on the Praxis Core tests?
Praxis Core passing scores are 150 Math, 162 Writing, and 156 Reading or a composite score of 468.
What are the equivalent SAT and ACT scores needed to meet Praxis Core requirements?
In lieu of Praxis Core, students may submit satisfactory scores on either the ACT or SAT. Please see the required scores below:
| Alternate Scores from SAT | Old SAT / *New SAT | |
| Total Score = Verbal/Reading + Math (writing is not included on “Old” SAT) | To be exempt from all Praxis CORE | 1100 / 1170 |
| SAT- Critical Reading on Old SAT orEBRW on *New SAT | To be exempt from CORE Reading & Writing | 550 / 600 |
| SAT-Mathematics | To be exempt from CORE Mathematics | 550 / 570 |
| *Old SAT scores may not be combined with New SAT scores. | *New = March 2016 or later |
| Alternate Scores from ACT | ||
| Composite | To be exempt from all Praxis CORE | 24 |
| ACT-English | To be exempt from CORE Reading & Writing | 24 |
| ACT-Mathematics | To be exempt from CORE Mathematics | 24 |
What is a cohort?
East Carolina delivers each Partnership Teach program through a cohort model. A cohort is a group of students who begin the ECU program at the same time, take all the classes together in a planned sequence, and graduate at the same time. Charts showing cohort schedules (planned sequences of courses) may be found on the website.
Is there any financial aid for the programs offered through ECU/Partnership Teach?
Financial aid varies depending on the student’s economic situation, the student’s employment status, and scholarship funds that may vary from year to year. All students must complete a FAFSA to be considered for ECU financial aid. Partnership Teach is not a financial program, but a student may qualify for financial aid from the government or the university depending on need. Some scholarship opportunities may be found at www.CFNC.org.
If I am a public school employee, is there any financial assistance available to help pay for my tuition and books?
There may be funding available for school employees. School district employees should check with the Human Resources Department in their district to determine if local funds are available.
How much does it cost to take classes during the Partnership Teach Program?
Cost varies due to legislation. Partnership Teach students are charged distance education tuition rates and pay an hourly technology fee.
What if I already have a four-year degree?
Partnership Teach does not serve second-degree students. East Carolina University’s College of Education offers a wide variety of alternative licensure programs. For information on alternative licensure through East Carolina, visit education.ecu.edu/al/.
Is it mandatory to have Internet connections at my home to participate in Partnership Teach?
The Partnership Teach model is delivered primarily through online instruction. Students should have consistent access to reliable high speed Internet service. Additional information about technology requirements may be obtained from a coordinator.
Partnership Teach students are required to have a technology back-up plan to ensure access to the Internet and computers in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as electrical outages due to adverse weather, computer malfunctions and Internet outages.
Are education degrees offered through Partnership Teach that will license a graduate to teach high school content?
No, there is not a degree being offered in secondary education at this time. If you plan to pursue a secondary education degree (high school teaching), you will need to attend classes at ECU’s campus in Greenville. Some courses may be available online but are often filled by seniors and graduate students. The Special Education-General Curriculum degree does lead to a teaching license in grades K-12. It does not qualify students to teach a content area, but rather to support or teach special needs students in high school.
Do I have to obtain official transcripts to enroll in Partnership Teach?
You may use unofficial transcripts for your advising conference with the Partnership Teach coordinator. However, when you apply to ECU, the ECU Admissions office will require official transcripts from every college or university attended. Students may be required to provide high school transcripts as well when applying to ECU.
If I enroll in Partnership Teach, will I ever need to go on campus in Greenville?
Students will not be required to attend on-campus courses but will have up to two events on campus per year and three events on campus the senior year. However, Partnership Teach students are considered ECU students and may choose to use some of the resources on campus, such as the library. They may also join campus clubs associated with education. Partnership Teach students may order textbooks online and have them mailed to their homes. ECU cordially invites all Partnership Teach students to attend graduation at ECU, which is held on campus in Greenville.