ENGLISH FLUENCY CERTIFICATION FOR GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT
Last Revision: 11/19/2024

ENGLISH FLUENCY CERTIFICATION FOR GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PURPOSE

To comply with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Act 76 of 1990, The English Fluency Act, by certifying to the Pennsylvania Department of Education that each newly appointed graduate teaching assistant is fluent in the English language. The English Fluency Certification for Graduate Teaching Assistant form is only to be completed for newly appointed graduate teaching assistants.

NOTE: The English Fluency Certification form, located on the Penn State HR site, should be completed for all faculty or full or part time academic appointments who will engage in teaching at the University.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Required Completion: The form is completed for new graduate teaching assistants at time of appointment, prior to processing the new appointment form, under the direction of the graduate assistant's advisor/assistantship supervisor. This form is not required if the graduate teaching assistant is an international student who must take and pass the American English Oral Communicative Test (AEOCPT) before their appointment can be processed. A copy of their LionPATH record showing the test was taken and passed should be submitted in place of the English Proficiency Form.

  • Definition of Graduate Teaching Assistant: Any graduate student who will teach one or more undergraduate credit courses for one or more semesters, regardless of type of appointment (e.g., graduate assistantship, fellowship, traineeship, or volunteer basis).

  • Certification to Department of Education: On behalf of the University, following an annual request by the Department of Education, the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs submits certification for graduate teaching assistants based upon the information submitted with each new appointment form as described above that the graduate teaching assistant is fluent in English.

EXHIBITS AND INSTRUCTIONS

For step-by-step instructions on completing the form, click on link below:

English Fluency Certification for Graduate Assistants Exhibit

FORM REQUIREMENTS

No form may be used that substitutes for an approved official University form without prior review and approval by the steward of the form/central office, as facilitated by the Office of Systems and Procedures (designated representative of the Associate Vice President for Budget and Finance). See Policy FN17 Required Use of Approved University Forms Appearing in the General University Reference Utility (GURU) and Procedure FN2017 Use of Approved Form Templates Appearing on the GURU Website for full details.

This form has the electronic signature/digital ID field enabled. See Procedure FN2017 Use of Approved Form Templates Appearing on the GURU Website for complete details on signing forms electronically.

NUMBR OF COPIES AND ULTIMATE DISTRIBUTIONS

Table of distribution and retention of the English Fluency Certification for Graduate Teaching Assistant Form
Document: Ultimate Distribution: Retention Periods: Disposition Method:
Original Appointing Department and HRSS Retained as long as the graduate student is enrolled at the University Electronic Form - delete from computer and empty computer recycle bin
Transitory Copy* Appointing Department Upon verification of successful upload to HR - end of calendar year Electronic Form - delete from computer and empty computer recycle bin

*Transitory Copies are University Records that have temporary value and, as a result, may be destroyed after they are no longer needed. In no event shall be retained longer than the official copy of the University Records as delineated on the Records Retention Schedule.

WHERE TO SEND COMPLETED FORMS

Completed forms are sent as an attachment to the Manager Form on the WorkLion Portal and kept on file as part of the graduate student profile in Workday. HR Shared Services is responsible for uploading the form to Workday.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions or additional details, please contact the J. Jeffery and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School Office of Graduate Education Financial Administration.

To request changes to this form, please contact the Office of Systems & Procedures by submitting a Technical Support Request form.

CROSS REFERENCES