CARE Application FAQs

All applicants must apply online through TK20, an electronic data management system.

The application can be accessed here: https://easternct.tk20.com/campustoolshighered/start.do The application is free and does not have to be completed all at once. You can add materials to your application as you gather them, as long as the application is complete before the deadline.

Only complete applications will be considered.

You can apply to Early Childhood Education (ECE) for Pre-K–Grade 3 certification, Elementary Education (ELE) for grades 1-6, Secondary Education (SEC) for grades 7-12, and Physical Education (HPE) for Pre-K-12 certification.

• October 1 (Grad: All programs; UG: HPE only)
• January 5 (Grad: All programs; UG: HPE only)
• May 1 (Grad: All programs)

• February 15 (Grad and UG, all programs)
• August 1 (Grad: All programs; UG: HPE only)

• Unofficial transcript from Eastern
• Official transcripts from any other college or university you attended (if applicable)
• Praxis I, SAT, ACT, or GRE score report
• Three recommendation forms
• Service Clock Form (or Summary Form)

Having experience working with children can help you know whether the teaching profession is right for you. We require that you will spend at least 50 hours working with children before applying to the Education Program at Eastern. The children you work with should represent a diverse pool of students and should be approximately comparable to the age of students with whom you intend to work as an educator. Half of this time may be paid (e.g., as paid camp counselor or day care employee); the rest should be voluntary (e.g., as an unpaid coach or tutor, or as a volunteer in a community program such as Big Brother/Big Sister). Babysitting does NOT count—sorry!

The Service Clock Form available on the Education Department website contains additional information about the service requirement.

All applications are evaluated by the Committee for Admission and Retention in Education (CARE), a group of Education Department faculty who represent all of the educations programs. CARE monitors all candidate admission to, progress through, and exit from the Education Program.

Remember: CARE is not the program; it is the committee that oversees the program.

Soon after the application deadline, CARE will evaluate each application and render a decision. Because CARE meets monthly, you may not find out the status of your application for up to six weeks. Be patient. We will let you know as soon as possible.

The CT State Department of Education (SDE) no longer requires applicants to pass the Praxis I for state certification. However, state law requires that all teacher candidates must demonstrate basic skills competency through scores from standardized tests (such as the Praxis I) for program admission. Applicants have two options:

1. Pass the Praxis I (comprised of three tests: Reading, Writing, and Mathematics). Note:
   The Praxis may be taken multiple times, if necessary
2. Apply for a waiver if you have sufficient SAT, ACT, or GRE scores under the following conditions:
   1. SAT: Score a minimum of 540 on the Reading and Writing and 530 on the Mathematics subtests, and have a combined Verbal/Math score of at least 1080
   2. ACT: Score a minimum of 21 on the Reading and 20 on the English and 20 on the Mathematics sections
   3. GRE: Score a minimum of 150 on the Verbal, 144 on the Mathematics, and 4.5 on the Writing subtests; and have a combined Verbal/Math score of at least 297

Candidates who do not pass the Praxis and are not eligible for a waiver may A) re-take the failed section(s) of the Praxis I, or B) take alternate courses offered by Eastern and pass with a grade of “C” or better.

Candidates who do not pass the Reading and/or Writing Praxis may take ENG 130, and candidates who do not pass the Math Praxis may take MAT 099 or MAT 135P (SEC and KPE candidates may take MAT 139P instead). These courses must be successfully completed prior to student teaching.

If you are not admitted to the Education Program, you will be told the reasons so that you may improve on the area(s) of deficiency for the future. If you are undergraduate applying in your sophomore year, you can apply as a senior for the Early Start Option (see below). Or you can wait until you have graduated from Eastern, then apply to our traditional graduate program which usually takes three semesters to complete. It is best to discuss your options with an Education Department faculty member.

The Early Start Option enables candidates to enroll in introductory education courses during the spring semester of their senior year. After graduating, you will continue taking graduate-level courses over the summer. In the fall, you begin taking courses as a full-time graduate student, and you will compete the program in the spring, graduating with a Master of Education degree and eligible for certification.

This is a great option for students who decide to become teachers later in their college experience. Pursuing this option still requires acceptance to the Education Program.

Early Start applications must be submitted in time for the October 1 deadline. See an Education Department faculty member for more information.