2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHTEEN - Education (§§ 1 — 3510-3520) › PART I - Public Schools (§§ 1 — 596d) › Chapter 22 - Puerto Rico Department of Education Practice Teaching Program (§§ 471 — 475) › § 471 - Definitions

The following terms, wherever they are used or referred to in this chapter, except when incompatible with its purposes, shall mean:
(1) Teaching practice. — The culminating laboratory experience in which the student-teacher or other teaching professional, gradually assumes responsibility in the teaching of one or more subjects to groups of students at the elementary or secondary school level; or in those tasks of direct student services necessary to teaching in accordance with the norms established by each university institution, be it public or private.
(2) Practice centers. — Those accredited public or private schools and other authorized and accredited government agencies, where students of the University of Puerto Rico and those from accredited private universities in Puerto Rico will obtain their experience prior to their formal practice, will carry out their teaching practice or internship and will acquire experience and orientation in all of the regular functions of teachers or of other teaching professionals. This is extended and applied in order to include the graduate level students whose program requires teaching practice.
(3) University of Puerto Rico. — A Commonwealth University that includes the Río Piedras, Mayagüez and Medical Sciences campuses, the Cayey and Humacao University Colleges, the existing regional colleges and any other campus or college organized under the Commonwealth’s direction.
(4) Private school authorized to operate as a practice center. — A school under nongovernmental administration that holds an accreditation certificate granted by the Department of Education.
(5) Teaching practice supervisor. — The university institution professor which is responsible for coordinating, guiding and evaluating the work carried out by the student-teacher or any other professional, in connection with teaching practice.
(6) Practice center cooperating director. — The official in charge of a school selected as a practice center.
(7) Cooperating teacher. — A certified teacher who has passed the teaching practice course, with a minimum of two (2) years experience, and proven academic and professional competence, who will be in charge of the guidance, supervision and evaluation of up to two (2) student teachers.
(8) Student teacher. — A university level student who has completed the minimum university requirements to perform teaching practice and has been accepted for it at a center that meets the requirements established by the teaching practice program of the Department of Education.
(9) Other teaching professional. — That person who has completed the university requirements to perform practice teaching in subject matters such as social work, counseling, school psychology, school directors, research, and [master’s or doctoral] students, who apply to do their practice or internship needed for their license or degree at a public or private school of the country, authorized to operate as a practice center.
(10) Accredited private university. — An institution that requires the secondary school certificate or diploma or an equivalent, as an admission requirement among others, and offers higher education programs at the secondary school level. The term specifically includes universities and professional schools that offer programs that lead to a bachelor’s, master’s, doctor’s or equivalent or superior degrees, and the colleges or higher education institutions such as: junior colleges, community colleges, technological institutes, regional colleges or others of a similar nature and that offer programs leading to an associate degree, or to continue studies towards the associate degree, the bachelor’s, master’s, doctor’s or equivalent degrees and are accredited by the Puerto Rico Council on Higher Education.
(11) Teaching practice coordinator. — An agent who represents the university institution that serves as liaison with the Department of Education, its central offices, the school superintendent, the directors of the centers, cooperating teachers, student teachers and private or public school supervisors. He/she also propitiates [sic] the professional training of the above-mentioned officials and of the student teachers.
History —Aug. 23, 1989, No. 79, p. 344, § 2.