Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can participants use course work from other universities to satisfy endorsement requirements?
Yes. Course work taken at another university may be used to satisfy endorsement requirements upon the discretion of the program coordinator at Old Dominion
University. A copy of the transcript and description of the course work will be requested before attributing credit.
2. How will participants know what courses to take and when to take them?
The grant program coordinator will review transcripts and the Virginia Department of Education's documentation (CSEEP) to determine remaining courses necessary for full endorsement. This information will be provided to the participant in the course approval letter(s).
3. Where will participants take the courses?
Thirty-four sites have been identified across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Participants will be allowed to take courses at the site of his/her choice. In addition, participants may be allowed to enroll in the on-campus, video streaming, and asynchronous sections of courses.
4. How are participants assigned a mentor?
For CSEEP, the participant's cooperating school division or agency is required to provide a mentor. The mentor must be endorsed in the same area as stated on the participant's conditional/provisional license and have at least three years teaching experience in the area(s) in which the participant is seeking licensure. PPET mentors should be fully endorsed in the area(s) that the participant is considering seeking.
5. How will grant participants complete practicum requirements?
For provisionally/conditionally licensed teachers, practicum requirements can be completed within the participant's current classroom setting since the student population matches the specific endorsement course work (ED, LD, MR) expectations. PPET participants will have to arrange to complete practicum hours in an appropriate classroom.
6. Will participants be required to student teach?
Provisionally/conditionally licensed teachers will have their school divisions verify their classroom experience with official paperwork to the Virginia Department of Education in lieu of student teaching.PPET participants will have to arrange student teaching experiences through Old Dominion University's Teacher Education Services.
7. Can participants be endorsed in more than one area through the grant?
Yes. Provisionally/conditionally licensed participants can receive funding for the learning disabilities, mental retardation and/or emotional disturbance endorsements stated on their licenses. PPET participants may choose from learning disabilities, mental retardation and/or emotional disturbance endorsements. We suggest completing one endorsement area at a time.
8. How many courses can a participant take in a year?
Participants may receive grant assistance for up to four courses each academic year (includes fall, spring, and summer semesters) with written approval from the grant program coordinator. Payment for additional course work may be requested from CSEEP. If funds are not available, participants will have to pay for additional course work.
9. Does the grade a participant receives in a course affect continued participation in the grant?
Yes. CSEEP and PPET participants must earn a minimum grade of B- in each endorsement course supported by grant funds, as well as meeting university grade point average requirements for graduate students. If a participant earns a grade of less than B-, the participant will be required to retake the course at his/her own expense the next time this course is scheduled. The equivalent of this course may be taken at another college or university after receiving approval from the program coordinator. There will be no further tuition assistance from CSEEP until this course has been successfully retaken.
10. What are the consequences for dropping a class after the drop/add deadline?
If a participant drops a class after the drop/add deadline, the participant will be required to inform the CSEEP grant office directly. The participant then must file a tuition appeal. If the tuition appeal is denied, the participant then is required to pay the entire tuition of the dropped course before receiving further tuition assistance from CSEEP.
The class that was dropped must be retaken the next time it is scheduled. The equivalent of the dropped course may be taken at the participant's expense at another college or university after receiving approval from the program coordinator.
11. What are the consequences if a participant receives an incomplete (I) grade in a grant-funded course?
If a participant receives an I grade in a course supported by grant funds, the individual will have one semester to satisfactorily complete any outstanding course work and receive a grade of B- or better. It is the participant's responsibility to contact his or her instructor immediately upon receiving an I grade and complete the required course work. An I will automatically change to an F at the end of the following semester if the instructor has not entered a Grade Change Form. At that point, the conditions as stated in questions number 10 and number 11 will apply. It is also the participant's responsibility to know what grade he or she has received for each class.
12. In addition to course requirements, are there any other responsibilities of grant participants?
Yes. See Grant Participant Responsibilities in the preceding Responsibilities section.
Also, the following assessment documents are required of grant participants:
1) Pre/Post Task Rating Form: Grant participants are asked to complete the Pre Task Rating Form within 2 weeks of notification of acceptance to the grant program and the Post Task Rating Form during the last semester of participation.If the Pre/Post Task Rating Form (PTRF) is not submitted within the specified time period, further tuition assistance or the licensure request to the Virginia Department of Education will be withheld until complete. Any fees assessed by the university on the participants' accounts will be the responsibility of the participant.
2) Compilation of portfolio materials (if requested).
3) CSEEP grant participants are responsible for giving all Mentor Observation Forms to the mentors and arranging times to be observed.
13. When should the participant pay his or her portion of the tuition?
The participant portion of the tuition must be paid on or before the designated ODU tuition payment deadline. The participant must not wait for a bill, nor should the participant wait for the posting of the grant funds. Waiting to pay may result in a late or collection fee. In the case that late or collection fees are applied, the participant will be responsible for his/her portion of the tuition as well as any late or collection fee on his/her portion. For all tuition and academic deadlines, please check the websites of the ODU Offices of Finance and the Registrar.
14. What is the procedure for receiving endorsement once the participant has completed the course work requirements?
The grant office must receive all required assessment documents (Post Task Rating Form and any other assessment instrument(s)) before processing a recommendation for endorsement. Once endorsement requirements have been met, the grant director will send an official letter indicating completion of the program to the grant participant. Participants are responsible for providing their employing education agencies a copy of the letter of verification. The employing agency then will make application to the Virginia Department of Education for licensure.