The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing met Aug. 25-26 to discuss updates on credentialing requirements, among other tasks.
Commissioners took part in a lengthy discussion about the development of draft Literacy Program Standards and Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs) for Multiple Subject, Single Subject, Education-Specialist Mild to Moderate Support Needs, Extensive Support Needs and the proposed PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction credentials — pursuant to Senate Bill 488.
SB 488 will eliminate the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment and instead require preparation programs to incorporate evidence-based means of teaching foundational literacy skills (like print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and fluency); tiered supports; ongoing diagnostic techniques and early intervention; alignment with the State Board of Education’s English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework; the incorporation of the California Dyslexia Guidelines and more.
An overview of the structure of proposed Literacy Program Standards includes an introduction and overarching concepts; cross-cutting themes of the ELA/ELD Framework; literacy instruction for students with disabilities; integrated and designated English-language development; and literacy TPEs and clinical practice.
A Literacy Workgroup, of which CSBA is a part, has been guiding the work and a field review of the draft standards and TPEs is underway. All three surveys (Multiple Subject/Single Subject, Education Specialist – MMSN and ESN and Proposed PK-3 ECE Specialist) opened in July and will collect feedback through Sept. 2.
Concerns voiced by commissioners included possible gaps in ECE and community college representation feedback thus far and putting increased demands on educator preparation programs and potential teachers. CTC staff will make revisions to the drafts based on commissioner input, field survey responses and other feedback from the public. Staff plans on presenting the new standards and TPEs in October for potential adoption.
Early childhood credentials
The commission also adopted updates to proposed regulations related to credential requirements for the new PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential, amending Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, section 80067. The proposed regulations cover details of the credential requirements, preparation pathways and authorization scope, and an update to the credential’s title to the PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential.
Executive Director Mary Vixie Sandy said this combination of multiple subject and preK credential elements will ideally be “very dynamic for this state,” and that more would be covered during the next meeting.
“The next meeting is going to be a very robust set of discussions when we bring standards and performance expectations back. We’re in continued discussion with the different communities who have a view on what is missing, might be missing or needs to be there — and we commit to you that we will bring you our best effort to reflect the views as well as we can without so overwhelming standards that preparation programs can’t pick them up,” Vixie Sandy said.
In other CTC meeting news:
- The commission approved the adoption of precondition changes related to the subject matter competence requirement, which will revise language for the Preliminary Multiple Subject, Single Subject and Education Specialist program preconditions and bring them into alignment with Assembly Bill 130. Preconditions will be updated on the CTC website and a program sponsor alert will be issued.
- CTC welcomed two commissioners, Marquita Grenot-Scheyer as a public representative and Shireen Parvi as the ex-officio representative of California State University. Parvi, assistant vice chancellor of Educator and Leadership Programs for the CSU Office of the Chancellor, was appointed in July and Grenot-Scheyer, professor emeritus in the College of Education at CSU Long Beach, was appointed in August. Commissioners also said goodbye to student liaison Adriana Baez who recently started her career as a teacher.
- During the Executive Director’s Report, Vixie Sandy noted that applications for the position of educator preparation student liaison to the commission are being accepted. There are also vacancies for the Committee of Credentials. Those interested in applying for the elementary teacher, public member or school board member positions or alternate positions on the committee can do so here by Sept. 20.
A recording of the meeting will be available on the CTC’s YouTube page. The commission is scheduled to convene next on Oct. 13-14.
