BlackletterCalifornia law

CHAPTER 2. Teacher Credentialing [44200. - 44418.]

Heading of Chapter 2 amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1355, Sec. 2.

§§ 44200–44418 · 281 sections

  1. ARTICLE 1. General Provisions §§ 44200–44203 · 3 sections
    • § 44200 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Teacher Credentialing Law of 1988” or “The Bergeson Act.”
    • § 44202 It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission shall exercise authority over all services provided to pupils in grade 12 or below. It is not the…
    • § 44203 In this chapter, the following terms shall be defined as specified in this section: (a) “Authorization” means the designation that appears on a credential,…
  2. ARTICLE 2. Commission on Teacher Credentialing §§ 44210–44239 · 47 sections
    • § 44210 (a) There is hereby established in the state government the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, to consist of 15 voting members, 14 of whom shall be appointed…
    • § 44210.5 It is the intent of the Legislature that appointees to the commission reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the California public schools.
    • § 44211 Representatives of statewide organizations may submit for the Governor’s consideration the names of distinguished individuals to serve on the commission.
    • § 44212 (a) The Regents of the University of California, the Trustees of the California State University, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges,…
    • § 44213 Except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 44210, upon the expiration of the term of office of an appointive member of the commission, the member’s…
    • § 44214 If a member is absent from any four regularly scheduled meetings in any calendar year, his or her office as a member of the commission shall be deemed vacant.…
    • § 44215 Except as provided pursuant to Section 44217 with respect to private citizens, the members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be…
    • § 44216 Whenever an employee of any public school district, state college, or other public agency is appointed to membership on the commission, his employer shall…
    • § 44217 The compensation of the members of the commission who are public employees shall not be reduced by the agency or body by which they are regularly employed for…
    • § 44218 The commission by majority vote of all its members shall elect its own chairman from among its members.
    • § 44219 The commission shall meet as deemed appropriate and necessary by the chairperson and the executive committee to accomplish its duties, but shall meet no fewer…
    • § 44220 (a) The commission shall appoint an executive director, who shall be exempt from the provisions of the State Civil Service Act, and may in its discretion…
    • § 44221 The commission may employ personnel as necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities. The staff of the commission shall be subject to the provisions…
    • § 44221.1 (a) The Governor may appoint one deputy to the executive director of the commission. A deputy to the executive director appointed pursuant to this section…
    • § 44222 The Department of Education shall assist the commission in any manner the commission may request in implementing this chapter; provided that the department…
    • § 44223 (a) (1) The commission and the department shall develop a survey no later than July 1, 2023, for purposes of collecting data from teachers of local educational…
    • § 44224 (a) For purposes of this section, “campaign” means the public awareness campaign described in subdivision (b). (b) The commission shall contract with a public…
    • § 44225 The commission shall do all of the following: (a) Establish professional standards, assessments, and examinations for entry and advancement in the education…
    • § 44225.5 The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall adopt standards for the issuance of teaching credentials to persons who received a score equal to or exceeding…
    • § 44225.6 (a) By April 15 of each year, the commission shall report to the Legislature and the Governor on the availability of teachers in California. This report shall…
    • § 44225.7 (a) The commission may approve a school district request for the assignment of an individual pursuant to subdivision (m) of Section 44225 or Section 44300 if…
    • § 44225.8 (a) All teacher preparation programs, regardless of program sponsor, including, but not limited to, local educational agencies or other programs that are not…
    • § 44226 The commission may receive donations, bequests, grants, and philanthropic funding, subject to such conditions or restrictions as the executive director of the…
    • § 44227 (a) The commission may approve any regionally accredited institution of higher education to recommend to the commission the issuance of credentials to persons…
    • § 44227.2 (a) The Legislature hereby establishes the Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Career Technical Education Educator Credentialing Program for purposes…
    • § 44227.5 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that college and university faculty members who teach courses relating to teaching or administrative methods in…
    • § 44227.7 The Legislature encourages institutions of higher education to provide, in teacher training programs, increased emphasis on the recognition of, and teaching…
    • § 44228 To assist in approving teacher education programs, the commission may appoint panels of educators, including public school classroom teachers, and lay persons…
    • § 44229 The commission shall invite the public, the teaching profession, and interested professional groups and associations to appear before it and submit proposals…
    • § 44230 (a) (1) The commission shall maintain for public record, and may disclose, only the following information relating to the credentials, certificates, permits,…
    • § 44230.5 (a) The commission shall establish a nonpersonally identifiable educator identification number for each educator to whom it issues a credential, certificate,…
    • § 44230.6 (a) For purposes of the ongoing evaluation of teacher preparation programs at the California State University, the commission may provide to the Office of the…
    • § 44231 Unless otherwise specified, the meetings of the commission shall be open and public and due notice of their time and place shall be posted.
    • § 44232 The commission may enter into contracts with comparable agencies in other states in order to facilitate the relocation of qualified teachers from one state to…
    • § 44234 (a) There is in the State Treasury the Teacher Credentials Fund. All fees levied and collected by the commission shall be deposited in the Teacher Credentials…
    • § 44235 (a) (1) Fees shall be levied by the commission for the issuance and renewal of teaching and service credentials. Commencing January 1, 1987, the fee for the…
    • § 44235.1 (a) Effective July 1, 1987, through June 30, 2023, all fees collected by the commission for tests, examinations, or assessments shall be deposited in the Test…
    • § 44235.12 (a) Effective July 1, 2023, all fees collected by the commission for tests, examinations, or assessments shall be deposited in the Teacher Credentials Fund.…
    • § 44235.2 (a) If in any month there are insufficient moneys in the Teacher Credentials Fund to satisfy monthly payroll obligations and scheduled claims, and there are… see note
    • § 44235.25 The Test Development and Administration Account is hereby abolished on July 1, 2024, and all unencumbered moneys and authority in the fund are transferred to…
    • § 44235.3 Within the limits set forth in this chapter, the commission may establish and collect fees to recover its costs for the development and administration of any…
    • § 44235.5 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commission shall waive all application and processing fees for the initial issuance of a teaching credential to…
    • § 44236 Any fee or excess amount of fee paid under Section 44235 may be refunded by the commission from the Teacher Credentials Fund when the applicant does not…
    • § 44237 (a) Every person, firm, association, partnership, or corporation offering or conducting private school instruction on the elementary or high school level shall…
    • § 44238 (a) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing, in consultation with the State Department of Education, shall contract with an independent evaluator with proven…
    • § 44238.5 (a) On or before March 1, 2027, the commission shall, with input from the education field, develop, establish, and promulgate, through the regulatory process…
    • § 44239 The commission, the State Board of Education, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall notify one another regarding proposed and adopted policies and…
  3. ARTICLE 3. Committee of Credentials §§ 44240–44248 · 12 sections
    • § 44240 (a) The commission shall appoint a Committee of Credentials, consisting of seven persons for terms fixed by the commission but not to exceed two years. The…
    • § 44241 Sections 44215, 44216, 44217, 44218, 44220, and 44221 are applicable to the Committee of Credentials.
    • § 44242 The Committee of Credentials shall be under the direct supervision of the commission.
    • § 44242.5 (a) Each allegation of an act or omission by an applicant for, or holder of, a credential for which the applicant may be subject to an adverse action shall be…
    • § 44242.7 (a) Any allegation of an act or omission by the holder of a credential, except for an allegation that involves sexual misconduct with a minor or recurring…
    • § 44243 (a) The commission may assign to the Committee of Credentials administrative duties as it may see fit relating to adverse actions concerning applicants and…
    • § 44244 (a) At least 30 days prior to any formal review of the Committee of Credentials at which the application of an applicant or credential of a holder is to be…
    • § 44244.1 (a) (1) A recommendation by the Committee of Credentials to take an adverse action may be adopted by the commission without further proceedings if, after…
    • § 44245 (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, all hearings and deliberations of the commission and Committee of Credentials to consider an adverse action or…
    • § 44246 When a hearing is held to deny, suspend, or revoke a credential, the proceeding shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500)…
    • § 44247 Any applicant for the renewal certification document who is denied a renewal by the Committee of Credentials may request a reevaluation of his application by…
    • § 44248 (a) Any member of the commission, commission staff member, member or staff member of the Committee of Credentials, State Department of Education employee who…
  4. ARTICLE 4. Credential Types §§ 44250–44277 · 95 sections
    • § 44250 The commission shall issue only the following two types of credentials, with authorizations as hereinafter defined: (a) A teaching credential. (b) A services…
    • § 44251 (a) The period for which a credential, as authorized under Section 44250 issued prior to September 1, 1985, is valid shall be as follows: (1) For an internship…
    • § 44251.2 A credential, permit, certificate, or other document that is lawfully issued by the commission shall remain in force in accordance with the laws and…
    • § 44252 (a) (1) The commission shall establish standards and procedures for the initial issuance and renewal of credentials. (2) (A) The commission shall require an…
    • § 44252.1 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that a credential candidate enrolled in a credential preparation program receive reasonable time to complete the…
    • § 44252.2 Coursework completed at a community or junior college that is regionally accredited by an accrediting agency listed in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of…
    • § 44252.5 (a) The commission shall administer the state basic skills proficiency test pursuant to Sections 44227, 44252, and 44830 in accordance with rules and…
    • § 44252.6 (a) The commission, no later than July 1, 2007, shall ensure that the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET): Multiple Subjects be modified to add…
    • § 44252.8 (a) The commission may defer the state basic skills proficiency test requirement in any case when illness, a family death, or another similar and justifiable…
    • § 44252.9 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the effective education of pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, depends substantially on the…
    • § 44253.1 The Legislature finds and declares that almost one million, or one of every five, pupils in California’s public schools are of limited English proficiency, and…
    • § 44253.2 For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) “Instruction for English…
    • § 44253.3 (a) The commission shall issue an authorization for a teacher to provide all of the following services to limited-English-proficient pupils: (1) Instruction…
    • § 44253.4 (a) The commission shall issue an authorization for a teacher to provide all of the following services to limited-English-proficient pupils: (1) Instruction…
    • § 44253.45 (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the commission may approve a teacher education program offered by a school district or county office of education…
    • § 44253.5 (a) The commission shall develop and administer examinations on which a teacher can demonstrate his or her competence in the knowledge and skills necessary for…
    • § 44253.6 (a) Until the commission begins the administration of Section 44253.5, as added by Chapter 1050 of the Statutes of 1992, the commission shall continue to…
    • § 44253.7 (a) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing, based upon the availability of funds, shall develop objective and verifiable standards for an authorization for…
    • § 44253.8 (a) For the examinations required by Sections 44253.5 and 44253.7, the commission shall charge examination fees that are sufficient to recover the costs of…
    • § 44253.9 The commission shall promulgate regulations to clarify and make specific the requirements and authorizations of credentials, certificates, and permits…
    • § 44253.10 (a) A teacher with a basic teaching credential may be assigned to provide specially designed content instruction delivered in English, as defined in…
    • § 44253.11 (a) A teacher with a designated subjects teaching credential or a service credential with a special class authorization may enroll in a course that meets the…
    • § 44254 (a) The commission shall establish standards for a restricted reading certificate to enable holders of a teaching credential to provide the early development… see note
    • § 44256 Authorization for teaching credentials shall be of four basic kinds, as defined below: (a) (1) “Single subject instruction” means the practice of assignment of…
    • § 44257 (a) The commission shall issue single subject teaching credentials only in the following subjects: (1) Agriculture. (2) Art. (3) Business. (4) Dance. (5)…
    • § 44257.2 (a) In order to ensure excellence in teaching in specific subjects, the commission may issue a multiple or single subject teaching credential with a specified…
    • § 44257.3 (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “Recognition of study in linked learning” is a statement added to a single subject…
    • § 44257.4 The commission shall periodically review and assess the adequacy and relevance of the subjects of teaching credentials set forth in Section 44257, and shall…
    • § 44257.5 (a) On or before July 1, 2024, the commission shall convene a workgroup on credentialing for instruction in computer science to do all of the following: (1)…
    • § 44258 A teacher who is authorized for single subject instruction may be assigned, with his consent, to teach any subject in his authorized fields at any grade level;…
    • § 44258.1 The holder of a credential authorizing instruction in a self-contained classroom may teach in any of grades 5 to 8, inclusive, in a middle school, provided…
    • § 44258.15 Notwithstanding Section 44258.1, the holder of a credential authorizing instruction in a self-contained classroom may provide instruction in a team teaching…
    • § 44258.2 The holder of a single subject teaching credential or a standard secondary teaching credential may, with the credentialholder’s consent, be assigned by action…
    • § 44258.3 (a) The governing board of a school district may assign the holder of a credential, other than an emergency permit, to teach any subjects in departmentalized…
    • § 44258.7 (a) The holder of a standard secondary credential who, before September 1, 1989, has taught successfully in a subject within the department of the…
    • § 44258.9 (a) (1) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following: (A) That continued monitoring of educator assignments by the commission and the county…
    • § 44259 (a) Except as provided in clauses (i) and (iii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), a program of professional preparation for multiple or…
    • § 44259.1 (a) (1) An integrated program of professional preparation shall enable candidates for teaching credentials to engage in professional preparation, concurrently…
    • § 44259.2 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, including, but not limited to, paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 44259, the commission shall…
    • § 44259.3 The commission shall review the minimum requirements set forth in Section 44259 for the preliminary and professional multiple subject teaching credential and…
    • § 44259.4 (a) (1) There is hereby established the Pathways to Bilingual Teaching Program, to be administered by the commission, for the purpose of increasing the number…
    • § 44259.5 (a) By July 1, 2002, the commission shall ensure that an accredited program of professional preparation offered pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of…
    • § 44259.6 By September 1, 2022, the commission shall ensure that its standards of program quality and effectiveness for the preparation of candidates for the preliminary…
    • § 44259.7 By September 1, 2024, the commission shall ensure that, in addition to the requirements of Section 44259.6, its standards of program quality and effectiveness…
    • § 44259.8 (a) For the 2026–27 fiscal year, the commission shall use the funding appropriated in Item 6100–488 of the Budget Act of 2026 to enter into an agreement with a…
    • § 44260 The minimum requirements for the three-year preliminary designated subjects career technical education teaching credential shall be all of the following: (a)…
    • § 44260.1 The minimum requirements for the five-year clear designated subjects career technical education teaching credential shall be all of the following: (a) A valid…
    • § 44260.2 The minimum requirements for the three-year preliminary designated subjects adult education teaching credential shall be all of the following: (a) For…
    • § 44260.3 The minimum requirements for the five-year clear designated subjects adult education teaching credential shall be all of the following: (a) A valid three-year…
    • § 44260.4 The minimum requirements for the designated subjects special subjects teaching credential shall be appropriate to the special subject named on the credential,…
    • § 44260.5 The commission shall establish minimum requirements for the issuance and renewal of the designated subjects teaching credentials for part-time service.…
    • § 44260.6 The minimum requirements for the designated subjects supervision and coordination credential shall include all of the following: (a) Possession of a designated…
    • § 44260.7 The commission may develop alternative routes to the subject matter coursework requirements for the preliminary designated subjects credential in driver…
    • § 44260.9 (a) The commission shall establish a list of authorized subjects for the designated subjects preliminary career technical education teaching credential issued…
    • § 44261 The minimum requirements for the multiple or single subject teaching credential with a designated emphasis shall be as specified in Section 44259.
    • § 44261.2 (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following: (1) The role of parents and guardians in the education of pupils and the development of children and…
    • § 44262 Upon the recommendation of the governing board of a school district, the commission may issue an eminence credential to any person who has achieved eminence in…
    • § 44262.5 (a) Upon recommendation of the tribal government of a federally recognized Indian tribe in California, the commission shall issue an American Indian…
    • § 44263 A teacher licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article may be assigned, with his or her consent, to teach a single subject class in which he or she has…
    • § 44264 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person holding a credential issued under the laws and regulations in effect on or before December 31, 1971,…
    • § 44265 (a) Credentials for teaching specialties, including, but not limited to, bilingual education, early childhood education, and special education, shall be based…
    • § 44265.1 (a) No later than January 1, 2028, the commission shall ensure that its standards of program quality and effectiveness for the preparation of candidates for…
    • § 44265.2 (a) A program sponsor may offer comparability and equivalency to a special education credentialholder seeking to add a special education authorization to his…
    • § 44265.3 (a) Commencing January 1, 2007, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall issue the following credentials: (1) A preliminary credential in speech-language…
    • § 44265.5 (a) Pupils who are visually impaired shall be taught by teachers whose professional preparation and credential authorization are specific to that impairment.…
    • § 44265.6 (a) Upon the request of an employing school district, county office of education, or state special school, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall…
    • § 44265.8 (a) Upon the recommendation of a preliminary credential preparation program sponsor approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the commission shall…
    • § 44265.9 (a) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall develop criteria to verify the proficiency of a holder of a credential issued under Section 44265.8 in…
    • § 44266 (a) The minimum requirements for the services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services are a baccalaureate degree or higher degree from a…
    • § 44266.5 (a) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, the commission shall issue a preliminary professional services credential with a specialization in pupil…
    • § 44267 The minimum requirements for a services credential with a specialization in health are: (a) Five years, or its equivalent, of college or university education,…
    • § 44267.5 (a) The minimum requirements for a services credential with a specialization in health for a school nurse are all of the following: (1) A baccalaureate or…
    • § 44268 The minimum requirements for a services credential in a specialization in clinical or rehabilitative services are: (a) A baccalaureate degree or higher degree…
    • § 44269 The commission may issue a services credential authorizing service as a library media teacher upon completion of specialized preparation as required by the…
    • § 44270 (a) The minimum requirements for the preliminary services credential with a specialization in administrative services are all of the following: (1) Possession…
    • § 44270.1 (a) The minimum requirements for the professional services credential with a specialization in administrative services are all of the following: (1) Possession…
    • § 44270.2 The services credential with a specialization in administrative services shall authorize the holder to perform administrative services at all grade levels. Any…
    • § 44270.3 Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, the commission shall issue a preliminary services credential with a specialization in administrative services to…
    • § 44270.4 Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, the commission shall issue a professional services credential with a specialization in administrative services…
    • § 44270.5 (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter and as an expedited alternative to Section 44270, the commission may issue a preliminary services credential…
    • § 44270.6 (a) No later than September 1, 2028, the commission shall ensure that the program standards for the professional preparation of candidates for a preliminary…
    • § 44271 The designated subjects teaching credential with a specialization in vocational trade and technical teaching shall authorize the holder, who also meets the…
    • § 44272 The commission may issue limited services credentials authorizing administrative service in schools which are not part of the public school system but which…
    • § 44273 Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code, any credential described in Section 44250 shall be issued to an applicant under the following circumstances:…
    • § 44274.2 (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, the commission shall issue a five-year preliminary multiple subject teaching credential authorizing…
    • § 44274.3 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the commission shall issue a five-year preliminary single subject teaching credential authorizing…
    • § 44274.4 Unless the commission determines that substantial evidence exists that the individual is unqualified to teach, upon the recommendation of the governing board…
    • § 44274.5 Notwithstanding Section 44227, Section 44259, or any other provision of this chapter, an applicant who holds a valid teaching credential from a state other…
    • § 44275.4 Notwithstanding any other law: (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that both of the following occur: (1) That this section provide flexibility to enable…
    • § 44275.5 (a) In addition to the authority granted to the commission under Section 44275.4, the commission may determine that the national standards for coursework,…
    • § 44275.6 (a) A school district, county office of education, and charter school shall annually report to the department, in a manner prescribed by the department, the…
    • § 44276 (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that California’s public school pupils need quality instruction and support in the areas of computer education in…
    • § 44276.1 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The educational mission of schools may be thwarted when school campuses are not safe, secure,…
    • § 44276.6 It is the intent of the Legislature that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing not duplicate the efforts of the State Department of Education, Office of…
    • § 44277 (a) The Legislature recognizes that effective professional growth must continue to occur throughout the careers of all teachers, in order that teachers remain…
  5. ARTICLE 4.5. Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System §§ 44279.1–44279.7 · 6 sections
    • § 44279.1 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the beginning years of the career of a teacher are a critical time in which it is necessary that intensive…
    • § 44279.2 (a) The Superintendent and the commission shall jointly administer the California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System pursuant to this chapter. In…
    • § 44279.25 (a) By December 1, 2007, the Superintendent and the commission shall report to the Legislature and the Governor on the current state of the Beginning Teacher…
    • § 44279.3 (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the executive secretary of the commission and the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall recommend to the…
    • § 44279.4 (a) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that one full year, or the equivalent thereof, of paid, classroom teaching experience and beginning teacher support…
    • § 44279.7 (a) The superintendent and the commission shall award supplemental grants on a competitive basis to Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System teacher…
  6. ARTICLE 5. Subject Matter Examinations and Assessments §§ 44280–44298 · 20 sections
    • § 44280 (a) The adequacy of subject matter preparation and the basis for assignment of certified personnel shall be determined by the successful demonstration of…
    • § 44281 (a) The commission and programs of professional preparation shall support teacher candidates to establish subject matter competence through a degree major or…
    • § 44282 (a) The commission shall adopt examinations and assessments to verify the subject matter knowledge and competence of candidates for the single subject teaching…
    • § 44282.1 (a) In carrying out its duties prescribed by subdivision (h) of Section 44225, the commission shall not develop a new health science subject matter…
    • § 44283 (a) The Legislature hereby recognizes that teacher competence in reading instruction is essential to the progress and achievement of pupils learning to read in…
    • § 44283.1 (a) As of the effective date of this section, an applicant for a preliminary multiple subject teaching credential or a preliminary education specialist…
    • § 44283.2 (a) Commencing on January 1, 2000, prior to the initial issuance of a specialist teaching credential in special education pursuant to Section 44265, except as…
    • § 44283.3 A holder of a preliminary multiple subject credential or a preliminary education specialist credential who was unable to take the reading instruction…
    • § 44284 Examinations authorizing advanced or specialist teaching service may be authorized by the commission. Such examinations shall conform to the guidelines…
    • § 44288 The commission shall create subject matter advisory panels to advise in the selection, administration, and interpretation of examinations. The subject matter…
    • § 44289 The commission shall set passing scores with the objective of assuring an adequate level of subject matter preparation. The examination shall report at least…
    • § 44290 The commission, before the adoption of any examination, shall provide an opportunity to the public and teaching profession to present their viewpoints with…
    • § 44291 The approved examinations shall be instruments whose purpose is to measure achievement and shall be used solely to measure objective knowledge of subject…
    • § 44292 Insofar as is reasonable and practicable, the commission shall adopt examinations which are nationally administered on a regular basis.
    • § 44293 In selecting subject matter examinations, the commission shall consider the importance of timely and expeditious processing and the desirability and…
    • § 44294 The commission may approve more than one examination with passing scores appropriate to each examination for any of the categories to be examined as required…
    • § 44295 In the selection, adoption and interpretation of examinations, the commission shall analyze and account for any cultural, class, or social bias which may…
    • § 44296 The commission may collect various data, including the ethnic background of examinees, age, sex, the college or university attended, degrees held, teaching…
    • § 44297 No limit may be placed on the number of times an examinee may take the approved examinations.
    • § 44298 Fees charged for the examinations shall be sufficient to furnish the full cost of the examination system, except as these funds may be augmented from…
  7. ARTICLE 5.5. Emergency Permits §§ 44300–44302 · 4 sections
    • § 44300 (a) Commencing January 1, 1990, the commission may issue or renew emergency teaching or specialist permits in accordance with regulations adopted by the…
    • § 44300.5 As an alternative to the employment verification required pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 80025.1 of Title 5 of the California Code of…
    • § 44301 (a) A person who does not hold a valid California teaching credential that requires a baccalaureate degree shall be required to pass the appropriate subject…
    • § 44302 The Commission on Teacher Credentialing regularly shall notify local educational agencies of the various provisions in current law that allow the assignment of…
  8. ARTICLE 6. Subject Matter Preparation §§ 44310–44314 · 5 sections
    • § 44310 (a) The commission shall waive the subject matter examination requirement for graduates of a regionally accredited institution of higher education who…
    • § 44311 The commission shall evaluate any subject matter program offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education in satisfaction of paragraph (5) of…
    • § 44312 A finding by the commission of the inadequacy or inappropriateness of such program as the basis for waiving the subject matter examination shall cause persons…
    • § 44313 (a) The subject matter examination authorizing multiple subject classroom instruction may be waived for holders of approved “diversified” or “liberal arts”…
    • § 44314 A “diversified” or “liberal arts” program is any program that has been approved by the commission on the basis of standards adopted by the commission. (a) An…
  9. ARTICLE 7. Professional Preparation §§ 44320–44324 · 9 sections
    • § 44320 (a) Professional preparation, including student teaching, shall be made available in the upper division course offerings at all California public institutions…
    • § 44320.2 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the competence and performance of teachers are among the most important factors in influencing the quality and…
    • § 44320.3 (a) By July 1, 2025, the commission shall ensure that an approved teaching performance assessment for a preliminary multiple subject credential, as required by…
    • § 44320.4 (a) To ensure the teaching performance assessments described in Sections 44320.2 and 44320.3 are valid and authentic, formative in nature, embedded in…
    • § 44320.5 For the 2024–25 fiscal year only, the commission shall submit to the Department of Finance a plan for using existing funds available from the Teacher…
    • § 44321 Student internship programs shall be joint projects of school districts and teacher preparation institutions, and such internship programs shall be submitted…
    • § 44322 Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the professional preparation requirements for a teaching credential may be met by certification by the…
    • § 44323 Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as preventing school districts from hiring, employing, or otherwise using teacher aides, instructional aides, or…
    • § 44324 (a) The Legislature encourages any public or private institution of higher education that conducts any program of professional preparation for a teaching or…
  10. ARTICLE 7.5. District Interns §§ 44325–44328 · 4 sections
    • § 44325 (a) The commission shall issue district intern credentials authorizing persons employed by a school district that maintains kindergarten and grades 1 to 12,…
    • § 44326 (a) Persons holding district intern credentials issued by the commission under Section 44325 to teach in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, or in grades 6 to 8,…
    • § 44327 On or before July 1, 1995, the commission, in consultation with participating school districts and other affected organizations, shall revise existing…
    • § 44328 (a) Unless the commission determines that substantial evidence exists that a person is unqualified to teach, upon the completion of successful service as a…
  11. ARTICLE 8. Certificates and Credentials §§ 44330–44355 · 34 sections
    • § 44330 Except where such service is provided by a school district pursuant to Section 44332.5, each county or city and county board of education may provide for the…
    • § 44331 County boards of education may renew any certificate legally issued by them prior to October 1, 1945, and now in force; provided, that no certificate granted…
    • § 44332 (a) Except where that service is provided by a school district authorized to register certification documents pursuant to Section 44332.5, each county board of…
    • § 44332.5 (a) (1) A school district that may issue warrants pursuant to Section 42647 may, at its discretion, provide for the registration of a valid certification or…
    • § 44332.6 (a) (1) Before issuing a temporary certificate pursuant to Section 44332, a county board of education or city and county board of education shall obtain proof…
    • § 44333 The standard for the exchange credential shall be as prescribed by the commission pursuant to Section 44853. This credential shall authorize service in a…
    • § 44334 Except as provided in this code, no certification document shall be granted to any person unless and until he has subscribed to the following oath or…
    • § 44335 The issuance of any teaching credential requires (1) the passing of a satisfactory examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the…
    • § 44336 When required by the commission, the application for a certification document or the renewal thereof shall be accompanied by a certificate in such form as…
    • § 44337 No person otherwise qualified shall be denied the right to receive credentials from the commission, to receive training for the purpose of becoming a teacher,…
    • § 44338 No person otherwise qualified shall be denied the right to receive credentials issued by the commission, to receive training for the purpose of becoming a…
    • § 44339 (a) The commission shall adopt, in addition to any other regulations authorized by law, regulations requiring every applicant for a credential, or for the…
    • § 44339.5 (a) The commission, by July 1, 2019, shall authorize the use of an individual tax identification number in lieu of a social security number for purposes of…
    • § 44340 Each applicant for a credential, or for the renewal of a credential, shall submit with his application duplicate personal identification cards provided by the…
    • § 44341 (a) (1) For the purpose of ascertaining the moral character and true identity of the holder of a credential or an applicant for a credential or the renewal of…
    • § 44342 Teachers, principals, supervisors, school librarians, superintendents and assistant superintendents, and other certified personnel who are presently employed…
    • § 44343 A credential which was issued prior to July 1, 1973, shall remain in force as long as it is valid and continues to be valid under the law and regulations of…
    • § 44343.4 (a) The commission shall issue a comparable credential at the preliminary level to an eligible applicant for the purpose of providing instruction or services…
    • § 44343.5 (a) The commission shall grant or deny a completed application for a credential within seven days of the date that the commission received the application if…
    • § 44344 (a) The commission shall issue the appropriate credentials authorized by the law operative, and the rules and regulations of the commission in effect on…
    • § 44345 The commission may deny any application for the issuance of a credential or for the renewal of a credential made by any applicant who falls under any of the…
    • § 44346 (a) The commission shall deny an application for the issuance of a credential or for the renewal of a credential made by any applicant who comes within any of…
    • § 44346.1 (a) The commission shall deny any application for the issuance of a credential made by an applicant who has been convicted of a violent or serious felony or a…
    • § 44346.5 (a) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the Department of…
    • § 44346.6 (a) Pursuant to subdivision (u) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code, the commission shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related…
    • § 44347 The terms of credentials shall be as specified in this article.
    • § 44348 Except as otherwise specifically required in this chapter, the commission shall establish regulations pertaining to the expiration dates of initially issued…
    • § 44349 Each credential issued by the commission shall clearly state the kind of service that it authorizes, the grades or classes, or the types of schools in which it…
    • § 44350 (a) Each credential issued shall contain its date of expiration, be issued on a form prescribed by the commission, and bear the signatures of the executive…
    • § 44351 Whenever the date of expiration of any credential occurs while the person holding the credential is in the active military service of the United States of…
    • § 44352 Whenever satisfactory proof is presented to the commission by any person to whom the commission has granted a credential that has been lost or destroyed, the…
    • § 44353 Satisfactory proof shall consist of an affidavit by the person, giving the kind of the credential, the date of issue, if possible, and the basis upon which it…
    • § 44354 Any oath required of an applicant for a credential may be administered by any of the persons enumerated in Section 60, by such employees of the Department of…
    • § 44355 (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), all credentials regularly issued are valid until revoked, suspended, or expired as provided by law. (b) A credential…
  12. ARTICLE 9. Penalties for the Submission of Fraudulent Documents §§ 44360–44362 · 3 sections
    • § 44360 Any person is guilty of a misdemeanor who, individually or in a representative or any other capacity, does any of the following: (a) Alters with fraudulent…
    • § 44361 Every person filing for record or attempting to file for record the license, credential, or certificate issued to another person, falsely claiming himself or…
    • § 44362 Every fact necessary to establish the qualifications of an applicant for the issuance of any license, credential, or certificate authorizing the performance of…
  13. ARTICLE 10. Accreditation in Educator Preparation §§ 44370–44374.5 · 6 sections
    • § 44370 The Legislature finds and declares that the competence and performance of professional educators depends in part on the quality of their academic and…
    • § 44371 (a) The system for accreditation of educator preparation shall do all of the following: (1) Concentrate on the overall quality of educator preparation in…
    • § 44372 The powers and duties of the commission regarding the accreditation system shall include the following: (a) Adopt and implement an accreditation framework,…
    • § 44373 (a) There is hereby established the Committee on Accreditation consisting of 12 members selected for their distinguished records of accomplishment in…
    • § 44374 (a) The accreditation framework shall include common standards that relate to aspects of program quality that are the same for all credential programs. The…
    • § 44374.5 (a) The commission may charge fees to cover the standard costs of reviewing new and existing educator preparation programs. Sponsors of educator preparation…
  14. ARTICLE 11. Alternative Certification §§ 44380–44387 · 8 sections
    • § 44380 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the teaching profession must be able to recruit talented individuals, in addition to college students, from a…
    • § 44381 As used in this article, “alternative certification program” is a program operated by a school district, county office of education, college or university, or…
    • § 44382 Alternative certification programs shall address geographic and subject matter shortage areas, and shall be targeted toward people with work experience and…
    • § 44383 School districts or county offices of education operating, or that propose to operate, an alternative certification program pursuant to this article, may apply…
    • § 44384 An alternative certification program that receives grant funding pursuant to this article shall be operated pursuant to either Article 7.5 (commencing with…
    • § 44385 The commission, with the assistance of representatives of classroom teachers, school administrators, parents, university and college educators, and others, as…
    • § 44386 (a) From funds appropriated for the purposes of this article, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall award incentive grants to qualifying school…
    • § 44387 (a) From funds appropriated for purposes of this section, the commission may award increased funding, in addition to incentive grants awarded pursuant to…
  15. ARTICLE 12. California School Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program §§ 44391–44393 · 3 sections
    • § 44391 This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program.
    • § 44392 For the purposes of this article, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (a) “Applicant” means a…
    • § 44393 (a) The California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program is hereby established for the purpose of recruiting classified school employees to…
  16. ARTICLE 13. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification Incentive Program §§ 44395–44399.1 · 6 sections
    • § 44395 (a) (1) The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification Incentive Program is hereby established to award grants to school districts for…
    • § 44395.5 For the purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 44395, “assigned to teach” as used in subdivision (a) of that section may include, but is not…
    • § 44396 (a) (1) To the extent that funds are available for that purpose, a teacher who meets the criteria approved by the state board pursuant to subdivision (b) of…
    • § 44398 (a) Notwithstanding any provision of law except Sections 44332.6, 44340, 44346.1, and 44830.1, a person who is licensed to teach or provide services in the…
    • § 44399 Notwithstanding any provision of law, except Sections 44332.6, 44340, 44346.1, and 44830.1, the commission shall issue a clear credential to the holder of a…
    • § 44399.1 (a) The commission shall issue an authorization for an additional subject or for a new teaching credential type to the holder of a valid California multiple…
  17. ARTICLE 13.5. Educator Recruitment and Retention Initiative §§ 44400–44400.03 · 4 sections
    • § 44400 For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) “High-need field” means a field designated as having the most significant shortages by the…
    • § 44400.01 (a) The Student Teacher Stipend Program is hereby established to support prospective educators during their completion of 500 or more hours of student teaching…
    • § 44400.02 (a) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall award funding appropriated for this purpose to local educational agencies that host student teachers or…
    • § 44400.03 (a) For 2025–26 fiscal year, the sum of three hundred million dollars ($300,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Commission on Teacher…
  18. ARTICLE 14. Preparation Courses for Subject Matter Knowledge § 44401 · 1 section
    • § 44401 (a) A school district, county office of education, or charter school that provides intensive examination preparation courses for the purpose of preparing…
  19. ARTICLE 16. Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and Support Grant Programs §§ 44415–44418 · 11 sections
    • § 44415 (a) (1) For the 2018–19 fiscal year, the sum of seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the commission to…
    • § 44415.5 (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply for the Teacher Residency Grant Program: (1) “Experienced mentor teacher” means an educator…
    • § 44415.6 (a) (1) For the 2022–23 fiscal year, the sum of one hundred eighty-four million dollars ($184,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the…
    • § 44415.7 (a) For the 2022–23 fiscal year, the sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the commission to select a…
    • § 44415.71 (a) For the 2026–27 fiscal year, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall use the funding appropriated in Item 6100-488 of the Budget Act of 2026 for…
    • § 44415.8 (a) (1) For the 2025–26 fiscal year, the sum of seventy million dollars ($70,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Commission on Teacher…
    • § 44415.9 (a) (1) For the 2026–27 fiscal year, the sum of two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Commission…
    • § 44416 (a) For the 2018–19 fiscal year, the sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the commission to establish the…
    • § 44417 The commission shall conduct an evaluation of the Teacher Residency Grant Program established in Section 44415 and the Local Solutions Grant Program…
    • § 44417.5 The commission shall conduct an evaluation of the Teacher Residency Grant Program described in Section 44415.5 to determine the effectiveness of this program…
    • § 44418 This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2036, and as of that date is repealed.