PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS for students who began BEFORE Fall 2024

1. The University of North Texas’ School Librarian Certification program is regulated by the Texas Education Agency. The program’s 160 clock hour practicum and its curriculum are guided by the requirements of the Texas Administrative Code (19TAC 239 subchapter B Rule 239.55, TAC section 33.021, and 19TAC 228 subchapter F) and the American Association of School Librarian Preparation Standards.
2. Students will take 3 practicum courses in their final three semesters of coursework: INFO 5191 Practicum I, INFO 5192 Practicum II, and INFO 5193 Practicum III. Each practicum course is one credit. It is acceptable for a student to take two practicum courses in the same semester. Students should not begin accumulating practicum hours until the first day of their first practicum course.
3. In INFO 5191, students will choose a mentor. After completing the mentor selection process, students will work with their mentor to create a plan to work together to complete all tasks on the School Library Checklist and Timesheet Document. In that document, students will complete library tasks while accumulating 160 practicum hours. Each task completed should be dated and the amount of clock hours spent completing the task should be noted on the Checklist/Timesheet document. The student and the mentor will both sign off on the School Library Checklist and Timesheet Document at the end of each semester of practicum. The document will be turned in as an assignment in each semester of practicum. It is essential the student and mentor maintain regular contact while the student is completing the practicum experience.
4. The 160 practicum hours accumulated must be divided across 2-3 levels:
5. If students choose the 70/30 split, 70% (112 hours) of hours should be accumulated at one level while 30% (48 hours) are accumulated at the opposite level. For the 70/30 split, the two levels are primary (K-6th) and secondary (7th-12th grades). 
6. If students choose the 60/20/20 split, 60% (96 hours) should be accumulated at one level while 20% (32 hours) should be accumulated at the other two levels. In the 60/20/20 split, the 3 levels are primary (K-5th), middle school (6th-8th), and high school (9th-12th). 
7. Students must be observed completing a lesson by a certified Field Supervisor 3 times during the course of their studies. These formal observations will take place as assignments in INFO 5191 Practicum I, INFO 5192 Practicum II, and INFO 5193 Practicum III. The three lesson recording times added together must be a minimum of 135 minutes in length. Records of the students formal observation work is detailed through notes and rubric assessments in the Watermark system. The formal observation process includes 4 parts: a lesson plan, a pre conference, a lesson recording, and a post conference.
8. Students must complete 3 informal observations during each practicum course. The informal observations require the student to record themselves completing library tasks as specified in each task’s instructions. The students will meet with a certified field supervisor to discuss each informal observation.
9. Further information regarding practicum for school librarians can be found in the Practicum Handbook.
10. Completion of the practicum is a requirement for graduation and certification for all students, even if students are currently working in their own library.

ePORTFOLIO

Students will create and maintain an ePortfolio to collect assignments and demonstrations of how assignments meet national standards. The details of the ePortfolio are shared with students when they take INFO 5001 School Librarianship. For Master’s degree students, the ePortfolio is also the Capstone Project. Detailed instructions for completing the ePortfolio can be found in the Community of Information Professionals–ePortfolio Capstone Project site in Canvas. Master’s degree students must submit their completed ePortfolio early in their final semester in which they intend to graduate. Certification only students will submit their ePortfolio as an assignment when they take the INFO 5193 Practicum III course.

PRACTICUM Documents

Practicum Handbook

School Library Checklist and Timesheet Document.

MENTOR PROGRAM

Mentors will be selected by following instructions in an assignment in the first school librarian practicum course, INFO 5191 Practicum I. For more information, please see the mentor program page.

To change mentors, a new application is required. The UNT certification office and the school librarian certification program do routinely contact mentors throughout the students’ practicum period. We suggest that students meet regularly with their mentor either in person, online, on the phone, or by email at least once per week for the duration of the student’s practicum experience.

Mentors can be identified:

• Through a Regional or District Contact if specified in the mentor database.
• As willing to be a mentor if included in the mentor database.
• By locating a school librarian in a convenient location to the student, and requesting that the mentor be added to the mentor database. 

PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS for students who began BEFORE Fall 2024

1. The University of North Texas’ School Librarian Certification program is regulated by the Texas Education Agency. The program’s 160 clock hour practicum and its curriculum are guided by the requirements of the Texas Administrative Code (19TAC 239 subchapter B Rule 239.55, TAC section 33.021, and 19TAC 228 subchapter F) and the American Association of School Librarian Preparation Standards.
2. Students will choose a mentor at the beginning of their school librarian certification program when they take INFO 5001 School Librarianship. After completing the mentor selection process, students will work with their mentor to create a plan to work together to complete all tasks on the Practicum Student Task Checklist. Students will continue to work with their mentor to accumulate practicum hours as they take coursework. 
3. Students record where and how the 160 practicum hours are completed in a Record of Time with Mentor timesheet (xlsx). The student and the mentor will both sign off on the Practicum Student Task Checklist and the Mentor Timesheet when the 160 hour practicum is completed. Both documents will be turned in as assignments when the student takes the INFO 5090.430 Practicum course. It is essential the student maintain regular contact with their mentor while completing the practicum experience.
4. The 160 practicum hours accumulated must be divided across 2-3 levels:
5. If students choose the 70/30 split, 70% (112 hours) of hours should be accumulated at one level while 30% (48 hours) are accumulated at the opposite level. For the 70/30 split, the two levels are primary (K-6th) and secondary (7th-12th grades). 
6. If students choose the 60/20/20 split, 60% (96 hours) should be accumulated at one level while 20% (32 hours) should be accumulated at the other two levels. In the 60/20/20 split, the 3 levels are primary (K-5th), middle school (6th-8th), and high school (9th-12th). 
7. Students must be observed completing a lesson by a certified Field Supervisor 3 times during the course of their studies. These formal observations will take place as course assignments in INFO 5405 Collection Development, INFO 5420 Youth Literature, and INFO 5090 Practicum. The three lessons together must be a minimum of 135 minutes in length. Records of the students formal observation work is detailed through notes and rubric assessments in the Watermark system.
8. The formal observation process includes 4 parts: a lesson plan, a pre conference, a lesson recording, and a post conference.
9. Further information regarding practicum for school librarians can be found in the Practicum Manual for Mentors and Students.
10. Completion of the practicum is a requirement for graduation and certification for all students, even if students are currently working in their own library.
11. Attendance at conferences such as the Texas Library Association (TLA) or American Library Association (ALA) may be used to complete elements of the Proficiencies Checklist (Standard 4), with documentation of sessions attended and approval of the students' mentor and the UNT Field Supervisor.

ePORTFOLIO

Students will create and maintain an ePortfolio to collect assignments and demonstrations of how assignments meet national standards. The details of the ePortfolio are shared with students when they take INFO 5001 School Librarianship. For Master’s degree students, the ePortfolio is also the Capstone Project. Detailed instructions for completing the ePortfolio can be found in the Community of Information Professionals–ePortfolio Capstone Project site in Canvas. Master’s degree students must submit their completed ePortfolio early in their final semester in which they intend to graduate. Certification only students will submit their ePortfolio as an assignment when they take the INFO 5090.430 Practicum course.

PRACTICUM Documents

Practicum Manual for Mentors and Students 

School Library Practicum Checklist updated 2024

Mentor Timesheet options: Option #1 or Option #2 Record of Time with Mentor timesheet (xlsx)

MENTOR PROGRAM

Mentors will be selected by following instructions in an assignment in your first school librarian certification course, INFO 5001 School Librarianship. For more information, please see the mentor program page.

To change mentors, a new application is required. The UNT certification office and the school librarian certification program do routinely contact mentors throughout the students’ practicum period. We suggest that students meet regularly with their  mentors either in person, online, on the phone, or by email at least once per week for the duration of the student’s practicum experience.

Mentors can be identified:

• Through a Regional or District Contact if specified in the mentor database.
• As willing to be a mentor if included in the mentor database.
• By locating a school librarian in a convenient location to the student, and requesting that the mentor be added to the mentor database.