Selective Admittance & Retention in Teacher Education (SARTE)

Candidates are admitted to MSUM teacher education programs through a process referred to as Selective Admission and Retention in Teacher Education (SARTE). Enrollment in a MSUM teacher licensure program means candidates meet specific requirements to enable licensure application at graduation.

SARTE Information

[ Printable PDF ]

All admission requirements must be met to be eligible for SARTE.

  1. Minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher for Elementary and Early Childhood majors or a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher for Secondary/K-12 majors
  2. Semester grade of C or higher in ED 294
  3. Semester grade of C or higher in ED 205
  4. ED 205 Cooperating Teacher Disposition Assessment
    Any concerns have been addressed by ED 205 professor, field instructor, and/or T-Care team and documented in Tk20.
    • Transfer students: Those who transfer with ED 205 completed are required to provide a disposition assessment from their previous institution or have the option of identifying someone within MSUM to complete it.
  5. Additional Disposition Assessment
    Advisor reviews for concerns and notifies T-Care team if needed. Individuals appropriate for completing additional disposition assessment include:
    • Recommended: Current or Previous College Instructor, Work Study Supervisor, Student Organization Advisor, Advisor
    • Acceptable: Current Employment Supervisor, Volunteer Experience Coordinator/Supervisor
    • Unacceptable: Any family member, previous employment supervisor, or anyone with whom you haven’t had substantial interactions within the past year
  6. Any dispositions concerns from other courses or experiences are addressed and remediated per documentation in Tk20. Also check this off if you have never had a dispositions concern.
  7. Dispositions self-assessment and essay
    Candidate dispositions self-assessment and essay demonstrates an ability to produce an organized articulation of ideas using a professional voice appropriate to discipline and experience. The essay must demonstrate a commitment to professional growth.
    • Dispositions Self-Assessment and Professional Growth Essay
      1. Candidate completes the Educator Disposition Assessment
      2. After reflecting upon responses to the assessment, candidate will respond to written prompt.
        Write a 200-250 word reflection on selected areas where you perceive potential for growth and how you might pursue that growth, including specific actions.
  1. Fulfill the SARTE admissions requirements. Go over the checklist above to see make sure you meet the requirements. If you meet requirements, continue the rest of these steps.
  2. Purchase TK20. Use your StarID username and password to log in.
  3. Once purchased and logged in, click on Applications and create new applications.
  4. Complete the Dispositions Self-Assessment and Essay. The prompt is in TK20 with the SARTE application. Compose your Essay using Word or any other word processing tool, save it, and upload it to TK20. Click Submit.
  5. Ask a person of your choice to fill out a Dispositions Assessment for you. Download the form from TK20 and send it to the person. When complete, upload to TK20.
    • Recommended: Current or Previous College Instructor, Work Study Supervisor, Student Organization Advisor, Advisor
    • Acceptable: Current Employment Supervisor, Volunteer Experience Coordinator/Supervisor
  6. Notify your advisor that you have completed SARTE Steps 1-6 and you are ready to finalize the application process.
  7. Your advisor will verify that you have met the requirements for SARTE.
  8. Your advisor will access TK20 to fill out and submit the SARTE application form.
  9. You and your advisor will receive an email stating that you have been accepted to teacher education. Applications are reviewed once a week.

A student’s advisor may request a one-semester SARTE provisional. Transfer students are likely to request a provisional because their liberal studies are complete and they must begin taking courses in the major right away. A provisional will not be approved if GPA does not meet the minimum requirement.

  1. Purchase TK20. Use your StarID username and password to log in.
  2. Once purchased and logged in, click on Applications and create new SARTE Provisional Application.
  3. You must be certain to list the 6 digit course id number that have pre-requisites that are not met (if that is the reason for the requested override).
  4. Notify your advisor that you have completed your provisional.
  5. Your advisor will access TK20 to review your application and finalize submission.
  6. You must allow 24-48 hours processing time.

Appeals

The student appeal form should be turned in to Keri DeSutter. Your appeal will be given to the Teacher Preparation Committee and a decision will be made about your appeal within 2 weeks.

Student Appeal Form

Basic Skills competence is NOT required to be admitted to Teacher Education (SARTE). It is also NOT required to be a licensed MN teacher.

We highly recommend that you show Basic Skills competence in one of the following ways:

  • Take the ACT+ Writing tests. You most likely have already done so in high school. A score of 23 on the overall test and a 21 on the +writing shows that you have Basic Skills competence.
  • Take the NES Basic Skills tests. If you do not already have eligible scores on the ACT + Writing, these are a set of Basic Skills tests that the State of MN has approved to show competence if a teacher candidate has not taken the ACT+ Writing or does not have high enough scores.

Why do we recommend Basic Skills Competence?

  • School administrators are more likely to hire teacher candidates who have Basic Skills competency.
  • If you do not have Basic Skills competency you are limited to a Tier 3 license. A Tier 4 license has the benefit of moving up on the pay scale and only has to be renewed every 5 years.

Teacher Candidates Retention Points

At Retention Point I, teacher candidates must meet the required minimum GPA for their major, must earn a C- or better in all courses required for the major, and must have only resolved Dispositions Concerns. GPA and Dispositions Concerns can be found in TK20. Grades can be found on the DARS.

Early Childhood Education & Elementary Inclusive Education

During Embed II: At the time of advising, the student and advisor will review GPA, Course Grades in the Major, and Dispositions Concerns. The advisor will be able to check Eligible to continue or Not eligible to continue in TK20.

Secondary & K-12 Education

Semester after taking ED 310: During advising, the student and advisor will review GPA, Course Grades in the Major, and Dispositions Concerns. The advisor will be able to check Eligible to continue or Not eligible to continue in TK20.

Not eligible to continue or Not eligible for student teaching
Students will not be able to register for upper level education courses in the major with prefixes of ED, EECE, SPED, and STL, for the following semester, if retention point I is not passed. Students who are not eligible to student teach at retention point II should be notified by their advisors.

All Majors

Application for Student Teaching

The advisor will determine that the teacher candidate is eligible for student teaching by checking the following.

  1. Minimum GPA for the major is met.
  2. All courses required for the major have been taken.
  3. At least a C- has been earned in all courses required for the major.
  4. Any Dispositions Concerns have been resolved.
  5. Testing requirements have been met.

Completion of Student Teaching

Students must meet all of the requirements for student teaching to be eligible for graduation.

Dismissal from Teacher Education

A student may be dismissed from Teacher Education if remediation of knowledge, skills, and/or dispositions has been unsuccessful. A student may also be dismissed for a violation of The Code of Teacher Ethics as put forth by the Minnesota Board of Teaching. The Code of Ethics can be found in the MSUM Student Teaching Handbook and on the Minnesota Board of Teaching website.

Minnesota Teacher Licensure Requirements

MSUM will recommend you for licensure to the state of Minnesota when you have completed all teacher education licensure requirements.

The application for Minnesota licensure must be submitted online.

Minnesota State University Moorhead prepares students for Minnesota teacher licensure. A student interested in licensure from other states (including North Dakota) should contact departments of teacher licensure in those states for specific information, as it is the student’s responsibility to meet individual states’ requirements for licensure.