The Accelerated Induction into Teaching (AIT) program works with school districts to alleviate teacher shortages in rural and urban schools. AIT provides qualified FAU College of Education students with the opportunity to accelerate their teaching careers. Participants serve as regular, full-time classroom teachers in their respective classrooms during their final semester at FAU.

The AIT program differs from a regular student teaching experience. AIT teachers, supported by a master mentor, an onsite peer teacher, and an FAU supervisor, have complete responsibility for their own classrooms. Additionally, they are under contract with the school district for the five month school district semester and will receive a $5,000 stipend.

In order to qualify and be accepted into the AIT program, you must have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher, be in your final semester, and have successfully passed all portions of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE).

"AIT teachers, Davina and Twayna, are the epitome of all that is great in mentoring. Confidence and wisdom are two of their many attributes. Mentoring these ladies was a pleasure. As a retired educator, I felt needed and appreciated the opportunity to give back to young people." Trudy Lieberman, AIT Mentor

"I I love this job and never want to forget this first experience of teaching. I want to feel this way every day of my career." Samantha Baker 2006 AIT graduate 3rd grade teacher

Enter AIT Application

1. How do I qualify for participation in the AIT Program?
   To be eligible for AIT you must meet the following criteria:
   
   • Documented previous experience with children in formal settings.
   • Grades of A’s in Clinical Experience classes (EDG3323, EDG3324, ESE 3940, EEX 4843).
   • Final Field Experience Evaluation grades of “A” for EDG 3323, EDG 3324 and ESE 3940.
   • Completion of all coursework before AIT placement.
   • Passing of all tests (all parts of the FTCE) before AIT placement.
   • A GPA of 3.5 or better in education courses. Additionally, secondary students must have a minimum 2.75 in all content courses included in their programs. Recommendations from regular College of Education faculty, professors in content areas (for secondary students), your advisor, or your clinical educator An entire completed student teaching application packet with AIT application cover sheet and essay.
   • Demonstration of a thorough awareness of Florida’s Educator Accomplished Practices (EAP) at the pre-professional level. Demonstration could be provided through a portfolio, selected artifacts, or a summary of each EAP and the course and activity in which you demonstrated it. Acceptable method of demonstration will depend on the requirements of your department.
   • Demonstration of employability factors including but not limited to initiative, enthusiasm, cooperation, connecting with students and staff, being a team player, ability to take constructive criticism, positive outlook, organizational skills, being a self-starter and working within University, school district and school-based cultures.
   • Recommendation and approval from FAU’s AIT Screening Committee.
2. When should I apply for the AIT Program?
   You should apply for the AIT Program during the semester prior to your scheduled student teaching semester. The AIT application deadline is approximately one month after the deadline to submit student teaching applications.
   
3. How do I apply for AIT?
   In addition to completing the online application on the FIAT website, you must compile an application packet consisting of the following:
   1. A complete copy of your entire student teaching application;
   2. Copies of all FTCE scores;
   3. A transcript;
   4. Copies of your ETP I final evaluation and your ETP II midterm (if secondary a copy of your ESEE 3940 midterm);
   5. A picture of yourself;
   6. Two professional references from teachers or administrators who know your competency with children;
   7. The appropriate application information sheet and checklist.
4. Who should I ask for professional references?
   A professional reference should be someone who knows your proficiency in the classroom. You can ask a professor from any course that had a field experience component, one of your clinical educators, a teacher in whose classroom you volunteered, or an administrator in any school in which you have worked.
   
5. What kind of picture should I include in my packet and why do you need it?
   The picture can be digital or regular and it can be of you alone or with others. If you have a picture of yourself taken with the students in one of your field experiences, you can use that. The picture assists the professors on the screening committee to identify you if they haven’t taught you in a few semesters. The picture will not be returned to you.
   
6. How does AIT differ from regular student teaching?
   There are several major differences between AIT and traditional student teaching.
   1. The AIT teacher has 100% of the responsibility for the class from Day 1.
   2. Instead of a Clinical Educator the AIT teacher has a Master Mentor who is in the classroom daily.
   3. The expectations of an AIT by his/her University Supervisor are slightly different from those of a regular student teacher. Those variations are reviewed with the AIT and the University Supervisor.
   4. The AIT teacher is under contract with the district as an AIT for the full district semester (not the FAU semester) and receives a $5000 stipend for those 5 months. Fall AIT’s remain in their positions from January to June and are paid as regular first-year teachers with benefits for those 5 months. Spring AIT’s are usually reappointed to their positions for the following school year.
7. If I am a candidate for AIT in the fall semester, am I allowed to take remaining coursework in the summer? What about any portions of the FTCE that I haven’t passed?
   Coursework may be completed in the summer prior to your AIT semester provided there is no conflict between the last class of the final summer session at the college and the first day you must report for work in your district. That date will be approximately one week before the students report but you must also be available for AIT Orientation at FAU and for New Teacher Orientation in your district. You MUST have passed ALL portions of the FTCE before your name will be submitted to your district as a candidate for AIT; thus, you can not interview for available positions until you have submitted your passing scores to you AIT Coordinator.