MS in Education with a specialization in Leadership and Administration (Principal Preparation) Program Field Experience Handbook:

The Placement Process

Walden is committed to providing candidates with resources and support in preparation of field experiences. To help ease anxiety in the field experience process, Walden offers a 0-credit Field Experience Preparation course, a structured experience that guides candidates through the application process and currently available readiness resources. The course is designed to complement other pre-requisite courses needed in preparation for field experiences. There may be reasons why a field experience course needs to be postponed, or the readiness course may not be needed if a field experience opportunity has already been secured. In this instance, students may opt-out of the preparation course. 

Candidates are required to apply for their field experiences during course MEDU 6002 - Foundations: Educational Leadership and Administration. The application is located within the Field Experience Application module in their ePortfolio. Failure to complete the application by the deadline will result in a hold being placed on the candidate’s record and will prevent the candidate from beginning their first field experience and accompanying courses, MEDU 6202 - Ensuring Quality Education for Students With Diverse Needs and MEDU 6801, the first field experience course. Once the candidate completes the application and their first field experience placement is secured, the candidate will be registered for the next offering of MEDU 6202 and MEDU 6801.

The application consists of three components: Candidate Information, Field Experiences Preferred Placement Form, and Candidate Agreement. Once the candidate completes all three components of the application, they can submit the application for review by the OFE.

Field Experiences Preferred Placement Form

The Field Experiences Preferred Placement Form is one of the components of the Field Experience Application. Prior to completing this form, candidates should explore the school district(s) where they would like to complete their field experiences at the required three levels: elementary, middle school/junior high, and high school. Once the candidate has identified their preferred school district(s), the candidate should contact the district office (1) to investigate the district’s policies related to principal candidates completing field experiences in the district, and (2) to request preliminary consideration from the district office to complete field experiences in the school district.

Once candidates have explored and received the preliminary consideration to conduct field experiences in the school district, they must complete the Field Experiences Preferred Placement Form.

Requesting a Change in Preferred Placements

Candidates who wish to update their preferred placement to a different location must contact the OFE to do so at least one term before the field placement is scheduled to begin. If the request is not made by the start of the term preceding the placement start date, the candidate may need to drop the associated field experience course(s) for the upcoming term.

If a candidate relocates to another state, the relocation may impact the candidate’s ability to complete field experiences and/or to obtain professional licensure, certification, or other credential in that state. Candidates are advised to carefully review, evaluate, and understand the requirements of the applicable licensure board in the state in which they intend to relocate.

Note: The OFE may request the candidate to resubmit one or more component parts of the Field Experiences Application to request the change.

Upon receiving the completed Field Experiences Application, the OFE will attempt to place the candidate in a district listed on the Field Experiences Preferred Placement Form and enter into an affiliation agreement with the preferred district. The district must agree to host a candidate, and the affiliation agreement must be finalized and fully signed before a placement is considered approved. Placement at a preferred site is not guaranteed. The OFE will, however, make every effort to place candidates according to their indicated preferences, provided the site meets program requirements.

Some placement sites or schools may require candidates to submit a résumé as well as complete an in-person interview before the site, school, or district agrees to host them. Thus, the OFE may submit a candidate’s résumé to the potential placement sites. Interviews may be arranged in one of three ways: a principal or director may make direct contact, the OFE may set up the interview, or the school district office may set up the interview.

Some placement sites may also require additional information such as an official transcript, an application, a criminal background check and/or proof of tuberculosis (TB) clearance or other immunization records. When this occurs, the candidate must fulfill the requirements immediately to ensure placement. Failure to fulfill the placement site’s requirements before the experience is scheduled to begin will result in a delayed placement and may require the candidate to postpone registration in the accompanying course(s) until the next offering.

Once a placement has been confirmed, the candidate will be able to view their placement in their ePortfolio. Additionally, the candidate will receive an email from the OFE via Meditrek regarding the placement information. All email communication between the OFE and principal candidates will take place via the Walden email server, per university policy.

Note: Walden University does not guarantee candidates will be placed in a district listed as preferred on the Field Experiences Preferred Placement Form. The university also does not guarantee that it will be able to enter into an affiliation agreement with a particular site. Candidates must accept the placement confirmed by the OFE, or they can choose to defer field experience to a later term. 

Professional Liability Insurance

Walden University requires all principal candidates to show proof of professional liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence, which covers them as a student during all field experiences. If a candidate does not have professional liability insurance, Walden University suggests researching professional organizations that may offer discounted professional liability coverage as a benefit to its student members. For example, the Association of American Educators (AAE; https://www.aaeteachers.org/) is a professional organization that offers liability insurance as well as other membership benefits that candidates may want to consider as they are eligible for student membership.

Candidates must submit proof of professional liability insurance by completing the Professional Liability Insurance form in their ePortfolio. The form must be completed by the second week of MEDU 6201 – Communication and Collaboration for Leaders. Candidates must provide proof of the insurance when they submit the Professional Liability Insurance form. Examples of the documentation required include an insurance certificate or documentation from a professional organization confirming membership. Proof of the insurance must be on file and approved before a candidate can begin their field experience hours.

Note: While proof of the required insurance is not required in order to submit the Field Experience Application, candidates must upload proof of their insurance within the Field Experience Application module of their ePortfolio.

Failure to submit the form by the end of the second week in MEDU 6201 will result in the cancellation of the candidate’s registration for MEDU 6202 and MEDU 6801, the first field experience course. Once the candidate completes the form and their first field experience placement is secured, the candidate will be registered for the next offering of MEDU 6202 and MEDU 6801. The courses are offered every 12 weeks.

Candidates may be required to renew their professional liability insurance, so it is in effect throughout all field experiences in the program. The renewal forms are also located within the Field Experience Application module of the ePortfolio.

Criminal, Sex Offender, and Other Background Checks

Although the Riley College does not require principal candidates to submit a background and sex offender check, candidates must self-inform if these are necessary in the state for which they are seeking licensure. Each site may have different requirements, so it is important for candidates to discuss this issue with each of their sites as soon as they are notified by the OFE of impending placements.

Proof of Immunization and TB Clearance

Some placement sites will require recent proof of TB clearance and immunization to specified diseases. Candidates should be prepared to provide TB clearance and immunization documentation, as needed.

Candidates have the right to feel safe and secure during their field experience placements throughout their program. Before a candidate starts a field experience placement, it is critical to learn about the safety procedures in the school in which they are placed. Candidates should talk to their host teacher, cooperating teacher, and/or principal to learn about the local policies and procedures implemented at the school, including lockdown drills, fire drills, and other emergency guidelines. Often these safety materials are available online.

If candidates ever feel their safety is at risk at their field experience placement site, they should follow the safety procedures established by the school and leave the situation immediately after appropriate checkout. They should also contact Walden University at 1-800-925-3368. Both the candidates and the field experience sites have the right to cancel the field experience at any time if there is a concern about safety and security.