INTERNS/PRACTICUM STUDENTS

As an intern or practicum student, you become an active member of a professional community and play an important role in the educational setting in which you are placed. Throughout your clinical experience, you will work collaboratively with your mentor teacher/site supervisor, university supervisor, and site host or school administrator as you develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required of a professional educator or practitioner.

Interns and practicum students are expected to:

• Follow the guidance and support of their clinical experience team to successfully meet program requirements, competencies, and professional expectations.
• Maintain consistent attendance and arrive at their placement site on time and prepared to participate fully in daily activities.
• Demonstrate professional conduct, communication, and dress that aligns with the expectations of the placement site and the profession.
• Engage actively in teaching, learning, observation, and other assigned clinical responsibilities.
• Accept and apply constructive feedback provided by supervisors and mentors to support ongoing professional growth.
• Reflect on experiences and participate in meaningful discussions regarding progress toward program goals and competencies.

Through regular observations, feedback, and collaboration with members of the clinical experience team, interns and practicum students will have opportunities to strengthen their professional practice and develop the skills necessary for success in their chosen field.

The University of Florida College of Education places students in a variety of settings based on their program of study and the program’s delivery format. Internship and practicum placements are not limited to Alachua County and may occur anywhere within Florida or, when permitted by program requirements, outside the state.

Because placement requirements can vary significantly by program, school district, school, agency, facility, state, and occasionally international location, students must follow all guidance provided by their program coordinator and the Office of Clinical Experiences through EduGator Central. Adherence to established placement procedures is essential for ensuring compliance with applicable policies, regulations, and approval requirements.

If you anticipate completing your clinical experience outside of Alachua County, please notify your program coordinator as early as possible. Early communication allows sufficient time to determine placement feasibility, establish any required agreements, and address site-specific requirements.

The success of our students’ clinical experiences is a top priority, and early planning plays a critical role in ensuring a smooth and successful placement process.

Placement Process and Notification

• The clinical placement process follows established guidelines, policies, and procedures that are specific to each placement location and site. Requirements may vary by school district, school, agency, facility, state, or other placement setting.
• Students should not independently contact facility personnel, school districts, schools, administrators, or teachers to arrange their own internship or practicum placement. The Office of Clinical Experiences manages placement coordination to ensure compliance with university, district, facility, agency, and state requirements, as well as site-specific approval processes.
• Student placement preferences and needs are collected either from program based Intern or Practicum Placement Applications/Surveys or through consultation with the program coordinator. These preferences are submitted directly to the Office of Clinical Experiences for review and then the placement process officially begins.
• If there are any questions or concerns regarding information about a student’s placement preferences or needs, this will be addressed at this time.
• Then, the Office of Clinical Experiences will contact the district or facility/site for each student’s placement to discuss placement options and processing requirements.
• District/Facility site specific paperwork, background/fingerprint instructions, etc. will be sent to each student to complete before a placement can be finalized. If your program has local intern/practicum placements, then you may receive the fingerprinting/background paperwork earlier in your program of study, during early field experiences, such as with our Elementary Education in-person program.
• Formal requests for internship/practicum placements are always formalized between the College of Education and the district/facility site, not the student.
• Please keep in mind that placement requests and preferences are considered but cannot be guaranteed
• Once a placement has been finalized, the Office of Clinical Experiences or the Program Coordinator (or program related faculty) will notify the student of their official placement. At that time, the placement will be entered into Student Learning and Licensure (SLL) or LiveText, depending on the platform used to manage the student’s clinical experience. Once notified and upon approval by the program coordinator, the student may initiate contact with their assigned mentor/site supervisor and site host (or principal) at the placement site.
• Students should also check the district or facility calendars of the sites of their internship and mark down important dates and temporary closures, as these could affect the days a student is on site for a placement. Students should also research their site and get familiar with the facility or school.
• Approval for placements come in at varying times due to a number of circumstances. Please understand that is is not uncommon for students in your same internship or practicum class to receive their placement information at different times.

• Midterm and final internship/practicum evaluations are completed by both the mentor/site supervisor and the university/faculty supervisor within Student Learning and Licensure (SLL) or LiveText, based on the platform designated by the student’s program. Mentor/site supervisors and university/faculty supervisors are notified of the appropriate platform when a placement is assigned.
• For graduation clearance, students enrolled in certification programs must have a completed Final Internship/Practicum Evaluation with an average rating of 3.0 or higher.
• As the conclusion of an internship or practicum approaches, students are encouraged to follow up with both their mentor/site supervisor and university/faculty supervisor to ensure that all required final evaluations have been completed and submitted.
• Students should regularly monitor their Student Learning and Licensure (SLL) or LiveText account to verify that placement information, evaluations, and other required assessment activities have been completed successfully.

1. Exit Survey (Program Evaluation): Provides feedback on the overall quality and effectiveness of the program of study.

2. Placement Satisfaction Survey (Internship/Practicum Evaluation): Provides feedback on the quality of the internship or practicum placement experience.