School districts throughout the country now accept "self-credentials" submitted directly by applicants for teaching positions. Education graduates of UW System schools have been receiving notification of the "self-credentialing" policy from their alma maters since January 2001. Letters of recommendation are now managed by the candidate (thus the term "self-credentialing) and are submitted directly to the employer in the initial screening process.
To better serve alumni of the School of Education at UW-Platteville with their career planning needs, the Career Center has discontinued credentialing services (policy went into effect July 2002). The Clinical Experiences Office and the Career Center announced this new policy to education alumni through personal mailings, announcements in the Alumni Today magazine, and through information listed on the Career Center web site (www.uwplatt.edu/careercenter).
UW-Platteville will continue to assist education alumni and current students in creating their "self-credential" file, but the Career Center will no longer mail credential information to school districts or alumni of UWP.
Please note that your credential file is NOT your official university transcript. Official transcripts are maintained by your institution's Registrar's Office. Due to the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), email or telephone requests for transcripts will not be accepted when requesting official transcripts. The signature of the requester is required for the release of a transcript. To view and print a UW-Platteville "Transcript Request Form," please go to http://www.uwplatt.edu/registrar/transcripts.html. If you have additional questions concerning your official transcripts, please contact your campus directly for assistance.
If you graduated from one of the 13 UW System campuses and have questions concerning your credential file (how to organize it and what to send to prospective employers), please contact your campus directly for assistance. If you are an alumnus of UW-Platteville, please contact the Career Center at 608.342.1183 or visit our web site at www.uwplatt.edu/careercenter.
It is very important to recognize that every school district's application process may be slightly different. Be sure to follow their application instructions precisely. Failure to follow the prescribed directions may cause your application to be eliminated. Typically, a position vacancy specifies submission of some or all of the materials listed below under the heading, "Information for Your Self Credential File."
Your Self Credential file is a set of documents maintained by you (the alumnus of an education program from an accredited degree granting institution of higher education) for your personal use when applying for teaching, counseling, and/or administrative positions in education.
You, as a professional educator, are responsible for keeping an original copy of all of your credential materials. For the application process, you will make copies of your originals for mailing to school districts. All school districts require all or some of your credential materials as part of the application process for their positions.
Official Transcript: you must submit a signed, written request to your alma mater’s Registrar’s Office (for UWP information, go to: http://www.uwplatt.edu/registrar/transcripts.html). Another option is to draft a “record of courses” page. Designed to organize your course material under major, minor and education headings; it allows school districts to more easily sift-through and identify courses taken that are related to the position you are applying for.
New Graduates: Provide copies of your Student Teacher Evaluations (at UW-Platteville, contact the Clinical Experiences Office at 608.342.1271 with questions about your evaluations).
Alumni: Letters of recommendation (usually 3-5 letters) and/or Teacher Recommendations (examples of letters of recommendation are available at: http://www.about.com/education/).
How to Obtain Letters of Recommendation
New Teachers: IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU HAVE A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION IN YOUR SELF CREDENTIAL FILE FROM:
Your Supervising Teacher
Your University Supervisor Legislation for Letters of Recommendation: According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, you have a right to read your letters of recommendation. Examples of Letters of Recommendation can be found online at: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/referencesrecommendations/a/blreference.htm There are several helpful links on this website. (Scroll down to the lower half of the page beginning with the header entitled, “Use a Personal Reference” and continue on from there).
Letters of recommendation are best written by: Your supervising teacher, A school principal who has observed you in the classroom, Your university supervisor, Other educators from your student teaching experience(s), People who know you well through a class, an organization, or job
IMPROTANT: your most important letters of recommendation are from your cooperating teachers, supervisors and principals who have seen you perform in a school setting.
Try to choose a variety of people who know you in different capacities and can speak to your different strengths, abilities, and experiences. Generally, letters written by personal or family friends are not appropriate.
It is advisable to get three to five letters of recommendation, but two to three strong letters which show your specific talents and skills are better than five vague letters.
Letters of Recommendation should be written on school district, organization, or departmental letterhead. You will want to keep your recommendation letters together and in a secure location.
Assist your reference writer: Tell the letter writers your plans or interests and how this recommendation will assist you. Remind them of your past activities and accomplishments. Encourage them to identify specific skills you may want to have mentioned and give examples when possible. If you have completed a resume, give the writer a copy.
Let the reference writer know the date by which you need the letter of recommendation completed. Try to give them at least two weeks to write the letter. Confirm for the letter writer how and when you will receive their letter. Always keep copies of your letters of recommendation.
Thank the reference writer: A thank you note to each person who writes you a letter of recommendation is appreciated. Be sure to let your writers know the results of your search or application.
Graduate school reference letters: If you are considering attending graduate or professional school sometime in the next five years, it is suggested that you obtain at least two letters of recommendation from faculty members now while your class performance is still fresh in their minds. Some graduate schools prefer that you use their own letter of recommendation forms. Check with the individual school to identify their policy. When applying to very competitive programs, a letter on university departmental stationary and written to a specific school will carry more weight. Check with you letter writers to see if they are willing to do this for you.
When asking someone to serve as a reference for you, please confirm the contact information they would like listed. Always provide your references with a copy of your resume and any other information of yours they may need when serving as a reference for you. Also, update your references on how your job search is progressing. Your references can also serve as an informal network for you.
Please review the following guidelines when confirming contact information for references: Name, Position Title School/School District/Employer Name Business Mailing Address Information City, State, Zip Code Business Telephone Cell Number (if available) Email Address (if available)
Note: Some of the contact information listed above may vary depending on what type information (work or home) your reference prefers that you list for him/her.