Teacher credentialing: reading instruction.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other duties, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law requires the commission to develop, adopt, and administer a reading instruction competence assessment consisting of one or more instruments to measure an individual's knowledge, skill, and ability relative to effective reading instruction, as provided. Existing law requires the requirements for the issuance of the preliminary multiple subject teaching credential to include successful passage of one of specified components of the reading instruction competence assessment. This bill would additionally authorize the passage of a combination of those specified components, as approved by the commission to meet that requirement, and would extend these requirements to the issuance of a preliminary education specialist credential. The bill would impose these requirements relating to the reading instruction competence assessment, as revised by this bill, until the commission ensures that an approved teaching assessment assesses candidates for a preliminary multiple subject credential and a preliminary education specialist credential for competence in instruction in literacy. The bill would authorize a holder of a preliminary multiple subject credential or a preliminary education specialist credential, who was unable to take the reading instruction competence assessment due to the closure of assessment centers during the COVID-19 pandemic and who must complete this requirement in order to earn a professional clear credential, if the reading instruction competence assessment is no longer being administered, to complete this requirement through successful completion of an assessment required by another state that is identified by the commission as meeting certain requirements. Existing law requires, as a minimum requirement for a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, the satisfactory completion of a program of professional preparation that includes a teaching performance assessment that meets specified requirements and has been approved by the commission. Existing law requires an internship program to provide interns who meet entrance criteria and are accepted to a multiple subject teaching credential program, a single subject teaching credential program, or a level 1 education specialist credential program that provides instruction to individuals with mild to moderate disabilities the opportunity to choose an early program completion option, culminating in a 5-year preliminary teaching credential. Existing law requires that this early program completion option be made available to interns who meet specified requirements, including, among others, that the intern pass the teaching performance assessment. This bill would require the commission, by July 1, 2025, to ensure that an approved teaching performance assessment assess all candidates, including intern candidates, for a preliminary multiple subject credential and a preliminary education specialist credential for competence in instruction in literacy, including, but not limited to, evidence-based methods of teaching foundational reading skills, as specified. The bill would make other revisions relating to those internship programs, as provided. Existing law specifies the minimum requirements for the preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, including, among other things, a baccalaureate degree or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, demonstration of basic skills proficiency, satisfactory completion of a program of professional preparation, verification of subject matter competence, and the study of alternative methods of developing English language skills, including the study of reading, among all pupils, including those for whom English is a second language, in accordance with the commission's standards of program quality and effectiveness. This bill would extend all of those requirements to the education specialist teaching credential, as specified. The bill would change the requirement of the study of alternative methods of developing English language skills to a requirement of the study of effective means of teaching literacy to all pupils, as specified. The bill would allow coursework completed at a community or junior college that is regionally accredited by specified accrediting agencies to count towards the verification of subject matter competence requirement. The bill would require the commission to ensure that its standards of program quality and effectiveness and the teaching performance expectations for the preparation of candidates for the preliminary multiple subject credential, the preliminary English language arts credential, and the preliminary education specialist credential include the study of effective means of teaching literacy, as specified.