Field experience and clinical practice. Providers offer field-based learning experiences and formalized clinical practice experiences for candidates to develop and demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed for their role.

(1) Providers establish and maintain field placement practices, relationships, and agreements with all school districts in which candidates are placed for field experiences leading to certification or endorsement under WAC 181-78A-125.

(a) The program provider and school partners cooperatively design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practices conforming to board standards and requirements for the role.

(b) Clinical practice for teacher candidates in programs approved to offer traditional routes to teacher certification must consist of no less than 450 hours in a classroom setting, with a qualifying mentor teacher. Clinical practice for teacher candidates in programs approved to offer alternative routes to certification must consist of no less than 540 hours in a classroom setting with a qualifying mentor.

(c) Principal candidates complete an internship for a full school year, consisting of at least 540 hours, half of which must be during school hours when students and/or staff are present. Interning candidates must demonstrate that they have the appropriate, specific skills pursuant to the standards identified in WAC 181-78A-220 and 181-78A-232.

(d) Superintendent candidates must complete an internship of at least 360 hours. Interning candidates must demonstrate that they have the appropriate, specific skills pursuant to the standards identified in WAC 181-78A-220 and 181-78A-232.

(e) Candidates in career and technical education teacher preparation programs as described in WAC 181-77-031 must complete a student teaching experience of at least 450 hours. Candidates must demonstrate that they have the appropriate, specific skills pursuant to the standards identified in the career and technical education standards approved by the professional educator standards board.

(f) Candidates in career and technical education administrator and business and industry route programs must complete a practicum of at least 60 hours. Candidates must demonstrate that they have the appropriate, specific skills pursuant to the standards identified in the career and technical education standards approved by the professional educator standards board.

(g) Providers articulate in writing clear entry and exit criteria as well as a process for mitigating concerns during clinical practice for candidates, school leader(s), and the mentor.

(2) Providers ensure that candidates integrate knowledge and skills developed through field and industry experiences with the content of programs' course work.

(a) Providers offer field experiences in which teacher and principal candidates plan, practice, discuss, and reflect upon methods of instruction and differentiation, and all educator candidates demonstrate that they have the appropriate, specific relevant skills pursuant to WAC 181-78A-220 and 181-78A-232 to be effective in the role.

(b) Integrate assignments, assessments, and actionable feedback throughout candidates' field experiences.

(c) Provide faculty supervision, including supervisory visits, on an ongoing basis.

(d) Identify and recruit mentors for candidates who are educational leaders collaboratively with the partner school(s) or district(s).

(e) Ensure that candidates' mentors are fully certificated school personnel and have a minimum of three years of professional experience in the role they are supervising.

(f) Mentors and school leaders are provided with a set of internship expectations and receive, or provide evidence of having received, training and experience mentoring adult learners and culturally responsive teaching and learning.

(g) Effectiveness of mentor preparation and communication are reviewed annually by program faculty.

(3) Providers offer field experiences in accordance with chapter 181-78A WAC and the board approved candidate assessment requirements.

(a) Ensure that educator candidates are placed in settings where they can be evaluated and given actionable feedback, including on the cultural competency, diversity, equity, and inclusion standards under WAC 181-85-204.

(b) Ensure that educator candidates are fingerprinted and have completed required character clearance prior to placement in field experience settings.

(4) Providers ensure that candidates participate in field experiences in school settings with students and teachers who differ from themselves in race, ethnicity, home language, socio-economic status or local population density.

(a) Field experiences provide opportunities to work in communities or with student populations with backgrounds dissimilar to the background of the candidate.

(b) Course assignments and discussions offer candidates opportunities to reflect upon interactions with diverse populations and communities in order to integrate professional growth in cultural responsiveness as a habit of practice.

(c) Candidates have opportunities to design, implement and receive feedback on cultural responsiveness in lessons, assignments, and activities.