Cohort Eligibility
PACE Cohort 16 is divided into two sections: 16A and 16B.
- Cohort 16A participants are those who are hired by June 15, 2018. They will begin the training program in July 2018 at three regional sites.
- Cohort 16B participants are those hired between June 15 and November 9, 2018. They will begin the training program in December 2018 in Columbia only.
- PACE candidates hired after November 9 will need to work with their employing South Carolina public school district to request a PACE Adjunct certificate.
The PACE Cohort 16A employment requirements deadline is June 15, 2018.
PACE Cohort 16 participants are required to complete all stages of the three-year training program to earn their professional educator certificate. This includes a Pre-service Institute, Seminars, and an In-service Institute completed in the first eighteen months of certification. Attendance at all training sessions is mandatory. Educator certification and potential salary changes will be based on continued employment, successful completion of the entire training sequence, additional college coursework, a passing score on the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching exam, and successful classroom evaluations.
Participant Requirements
Educator must submit a completed application for PACE enrollment in order to receive the following documents from the Office of Educator Services:
- PACE Evaluation Letter
- PACE Statement of Eligibility
- PACE Confirmation of Employment
- Invitation to the PACE Pre-Service Institute
Educators must verify an employment offer with a South Carolina public school district prior to participating in a PACE Cohort Pre-Service Institute. The PACE Cohort 16A employment requirement deadline is June 15, 2018.
Cohort 16A Training Dates (Regional Sites)
- Pre-service Institute (10 days) July 16-27, 2018 Monday-Friday only
- Fall Video Upload Deadline November 2, 2018 Friday
- Spring Seminar March 23, 2019 Saturday
- In-service Institute (10 days) June 17-28, 2019 Monday-Friday only
- Fall Seminar October 26, 2019 Saturday
Cohort 16A Summer Pre-Service Institute Information
The Pre-service Institute, also known as PACE I, is offered twice annually, once in July and once in December of each academic year. Applicants who meet all admission criteria and whose employing public school district has sent confirmation of employment to the Office of Educator Services must successfully complete the next available 10-day Preservice Institute in order to earn the first alternative-route teaching certificate.
Successful completion of the Pre-service Institute is required to earn the initial PACE alternate-route educator certificate for the 2018-19 academic year. The certificate will be valid effective July 01, 2018 through June 30, 2019.
Associated Costs
There is a nonrefundable registration fee that must be pre-paid and covers training costs associated with Pre-Service and the Spring Seminar. The Cohort 16A Summer Pre-Service Institute Registration Form and non-refundable $250.00 Materials Fee must be returned to the Office of Educator Services before June 18, 2018. Participants are also responsible for training expenses related to travel, meals, housing, and assignment submissions.
Locations
The Cohort 16A Summer Pre-service Institute will be offered at the three locations across the state. Site preference will be given on a first come first served basis as indicated on the registration form.
- Upstate – Greenville/Spartanburg area
- Midlands – Greater Columbia area
- Lowcountry – Greater Charleston area
Mandatory On-Site Registration
Mandatory on-site registration will be held Monday, July 16, 2018 between 7:30 A.M. and 8:00 A.M. at your assigned location.
Required Resources
- The First Year Teacher’s Survival Guide by Julia G. Thompson (3rd ed.) will be provided by PACE
- 101 Answers for New Teachers and Their Mentors by Annette L. Breaux (2nd ed.) will be provided by PACE
- Participant Handbook will be provided by PACE
- A textbook for one of the classes you will teach to be provided by your school
- A copy of the state standards for your content area downloaded from the SCDE website
State Standards for Content Area
You should read the state standards in detail prior to the Pre-service Institute. Access the state standards for your content area by clicking the appropriate link below.
Requirements and Resources for Cohort 16
Continued Learning and Seminars
Upon successful completion of the Pre-service, PACE participants must begin the continued learning requirements and seminar sequence for their cohort. Continued learning assignments are extensions of the training institute and require participants to analyze, evaluate, and reflect upon their professional practice in the classroom. Seminars build upon the learning experiences embedded in the training institutes by introducing new content and elaborating on topics from previous sessions.
In-Service Training Institute Registration
A participant’s first year in PACE culminates with the ten-day PACE II In-service Institute. Program participants who were issued the first Alternative Route certificate during a given school year must attend and successfully complete the In-service Institute held during June of that academic year. For example, a participant issued the first Alternative Route certificate during the 2018-19 school year will attend the In-Service held during June 2019. The participant is not required to have a 2019-20 COE on file prior to the training program; however, confirmation of continuous employment is required to receive the second annual alternate-route certificate and to continue PACE participation. The participant must register for and submit a non-refundable registration fee prior to attending the In-service.
Principles of Learning and Teaching Exams
At the conclusion of the In-Service Training Institute, participants must attempt the Praxis II - Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exam that corresponds with their certification field. Passing scores on the appropriate PLT exam must be submitted by the end of the PACE program in order to advance to professional certification. A listing of Currently Required PLT Examinations are available. Please note that Media Specialists are exempt from this requirement.
College/University Coursework Requirement
In order to fulfill requirements of the Program for Alternative Certification of Educators (PACE), participants must successfully complete three college courses from the lists of courses approved by the South Carolina Department of Education on behalf of the State Board of Education. It is recommended that participants begin completing coursework requirements during their 2nd and 3rd years of PACE enrollment.
PACE Loan
Active PACE participants may apply for up to $750 per year, not to exceed a total maximum of $5,000, after successfully completing the Pre-service institute and receiving the official teaching certificate. Under the PACE Loan Program, loan forgiveness is available for recipients who teach during the same year in which funding is received. Please contact SC Student Loan Corporation directly for all the information about this financial assistance program.
Standards of Conduct
The Standards of Conduct review actions that may lead to disciplinary actions for educators and their certificates.
Moodle
During the two training institutes and six seminars, PACE participants will access and upload information through Moodle, the course management software utilized by the South Carolina Department of Education and the Office of Virtual Education. Each PACE participant is responsible for maintaining a current access to Moodle. It is critical that the participant’s e-mail used in the Moodle profile is an account that does not change and is checked on a regular basis. Group announcements and Moodle alerts will be sent using the e-mail address listed in the profile/messaging settings. Many questions that participants have during the program may be answered by reviewing materials readily available through Moodle.
PACE/Moodle Website: http://www.elearningscpd.com/portal/
