Designated Subjects Credential Services Unit Updates

Changes to the Designated Subjects

Career Technical Education Credential -- November 2008

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) has approved several changes to the requirements to qualify for the preliminary Designated Subjects Career Technical Education credential as well as to clear the preliminary credential. Please see table below to review the changes to the preliminary credential that will take effect on January 1, 2009.

Preliminary Credential Requirements

	Current Requirements	Requirements effective January 1, 2009
1	Preliminary Credential valid for 5 years	Preliminary Credential valid for 3 years
2	High school diploma/equivalent	High school diploma/equivalent
3	Recommendation from an approved program sponsor or employer	Recommendation from an approved program sponsor only
4	Five years work experience of equivalent with one year recent work experience in the last three years.	Three years of work experience or equivalent, including certifications or licenses, with one year recent work experience in the last five years or two years work experience in the last ten years
5	Advanced industry certification does not qualify as work experience	Advanced industry certification would qualify for up to one year of work experience
6	Designation of Full-Time or Part-Time on credential	Only one credential type (no full-time or part-time distinction)
7	College-level course work or examination on U.S. Constitution	U.S. Constitution requirement moved to clear credential requirement

Clear Credential Requirements

	Current Requirements	NEW CTE Requirements
1	Possession of a valid preliminary credential	Possession of a valid preliminary credential
2	Four documented successful teaching terms	Two years of documented successful teaching or advanced professional preparation
3	Completion of Level I and Level II teacher preparation courses (12 semester units or 180 hours)	Completion of the preliminary CTE teacher preparation program (a minimum of 9 semester units or 135 hours*)
4	Total of 12 semester units or 180 hours is the only option allowable to earn the clear credential	Expand the options for completing the advanced professional preparation to include National Board Certification, district sponsored teacher development programs, induction, mentoring, or additional preparation programs developed by the program sponsor
5	One unit of Health Education including CPR certification	Health Education & CPR certification would continue to be a part of the clear credential program
6		College-level course work or examination on the U.S. Constitution

Implementation of new CTE Teacher Preparation Program:

The Los Angeles County Office of Education/ROP (LACOROP) Credentials Unit will submit the new Career Technical Education Teacher Preparation Program Proposal in March, Spring 2010. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) plans on approving CTE Program Proposals on March 25-26, 2010.

CTC has stated that they will work with us on Candidates who have begun the existing program because the candidates have the legal right to complete that program. Candidates will NOT have to start over with the new program.

The goal is to discontinue enrolling new candidates into the existing program (Level I and/or Level II courses) after the Spring/Summer Semester, 2010. All candidates that have begun the Level I and Level II program prior to that semester must complete all course work prior to December 2010 to clear their credential under the existing program. Candidates must complete the existing program by August 31, 2013 or transition to a new program. The existing program (Level I and Level II) will expire after August 31, 2013. LACOROP will continue to process clear credential applications for those that have completed their requirements through the existing program (Level I and Level II) until August 2013.

If you have any further questions, please contact the LACOROP Credentials Unit at (562) 922-6798.