The Governing Board recognizes that the district's ability to provide a high-quality educational program is dependent upon the employment of certificated staff who are adequately prepared and have demonstrated proficiency in basic skills and in the subject matter to be taught. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that persons employed to fill positions requiring certification qualifications possess the appropriate credential, permit, or other certification document from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and fulfill any additional state, federal, or district requirements for the position.
(cf. 4111/4211/4311 - Recruitment and Selection)
(cf. 4112.21 - Interns)
(cf. 4112.22 - Staff Teaching English Learners)
(cf. 4112.23 - Special Education Staff)
(cf. 4112.5/4212.5/4312.5 - Criminal Record Check)
(cf. 4113 - Assignment)
(cf. 4121 - Temporary/Substitute Personnel)
(cf. 5148 - Child Care and Development)
(cf. 6178 - Career Technical Education)
(cf. 6200 - Adult Education)
The Superintendent or designee shall provide assistance and support to teachers holding preliminary credentials to enable them to meet the qualifications required for the clear credential.
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4131.1 - Teacher Support and Guidance)
Priorities for Hiring Based on Unavailability of Credentialed Teacher
The Superintendent or designee shall make reasonable efforts to recruit a fully prepared teacher who is authorized in the subject or setting for each assignment or, when necessary, a fully prepared teacher serving on a local assignment option. Whenever a teacher with a clear or preliminary credential is not available, the Superintendent or designee shall make reasonable efforts to recruit an individual for the assignment in the following order: (Education Code 44225.7)
1. A candidate who enrolls in an approved intern program in the region of the district and possesses an intern credential
2. A candidate who is scheduled to complete preliminary credential requirements within six months and who is granted a provisional internship permit (PIP) or short-term staff permit issued by the CTC
The Board shall approve, as an action item at an open Board meeting, a notice of its intent to employ a PIP applicant for a specific position. (5 CCR 80021.1)
3. An individual who has been granted a credential waiver by the CTC
Prior to requesting that the CTC issue an emergency permit or a limited assignment permit, the Board shall annually approve a Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators. The Declaration of Need shall be approved by the Board as an action item at a regularly scheduled open Board meeting, with the entire Declaration of Need being included in the Board agenda. (Education Code 44225, 44225.7; 5 CCR 80023.2, 80026, 80027, 80027.1)
The Declaration of Need shall certify that there is an insufficient number of certificated persons who meet the district's specified employment criteria for the position(s) and that the district has made reasonable efforts to recruit individuals who meet the qualifications specified in items #1-2 above. The Declaration of Need shall also indicate the number and type of emergency permits that the district estimates it will need during the valid period of the Declaration of Need, based on the previous year's actual needs and projections of enrollment. Whenever the actual number of permits needed exceeds the estimate by 10 percent, the Board shall revise and resubmit the Declaration of Need. (5 CCR 80026)
Whenever it is necessary to employ noncredentialed teachers to fill a position requiring certification qualifications, the Superintendent or designee shall provide support and guidance in accordance with law to ensure the quality of the instructional program.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification
The Superintendent or designee shall promote a career continuum that includes participation of district teachers in professional learning that supports their completion of advanced certification awarded by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The Superintendent or designee may coordinate a cohort of teachers through school or district programs or other available networks.
With Board approval and funding, and consistent with the collective bargaining agreement and applicable law, the Superintendent may provide an incentive program for teacher participation in NBPTS certification, which may include:
1. Defraying, subsidizing, or reimbursing the registration, certification, or maintenance fees for NBPTS certification
2. Providing bonuses, step increases, or differential pay for teachers who maintain their certification and continue to teach in the district, with priority given to teachers at Title I schools and schools serving a majority of low-income students
3. Providing substitute teachers to provide release time for participating teachers
4. Providing stipends for teacher participation that match other professional development stipends
5. Compensating mentor teachers who support other teachers' professional learning aligned to NBPTS standards
(cf. 4161.3 - Professional Leaves)
Parental Notifications
At the beginning of each school year, the Superintendent or designee shall notify the parents/guardians of each student attending a school receiving Title I funds that they may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child's classroom teacher including, but not limited to, whether the teacher: (20 USC 6312)
1. Has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction
2. Is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived
3. Is teaching in the field of discipline of the teacher's certification
(cf. 5145.6 - Parental Notifications)
In addition, the Superintendent or designee shall notify parents/guardians in a timely manner whenever their child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who does not meet applicable state certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area to which the teacher has been assigned. (20 USC 6312)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
8360-8370 Qualifications of child care personnel
32340-32341 Unlawful issuance of a credential
35186 Complaints regarding teacher vacancy or misassignment
44066 Limitations on certification requirements
44200-44399.1 Teacher credentialing, especially:
44250-44277 Credential types; minimum requirements
44300-44302 Emergency permit
44325-44328 District interns
44330-44355 Certificates and credentials
44420-44440 Revocation and suspension of credentials
44450-44468 University intern program
44830-44929 Employment of certificated persons; requirement of proficiency in basic skills
56060-56063 Substitute teachers in special education
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
80001-80674.6 Commission on Teacher Credentialing
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
6312 Title I local educational agency plans; notifications regarding teacher qualifications
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
200.48 Parent notification regarding teacher qualifications
COURT DECISIONS
Association of Mexican-American Educators et al. v. State of California and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, (1993) 836 F.Supp. 1534
Management Resources:
COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING PUBLICATIONS
CL-667 Basic Skills Requirement
CL-856 Provisional Internship Permit
CL 858 Short-Term Staff Permit
Credential Information Guide
Approved Addition and Amendments to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations Pertaining to Teaching Permit for Statutory Leave (TPSL), Coded Correspondence 16-10, August 23, 2016
Waiver Requests Guidebook, 2015
Hiring Hierarchy in Education Code 44225.7, Coded Correspondence 13-01, January 30, 2013
Subject Matter Authorization Guideline Book, 2012
Supplementary Authorization Guideline Book, 2012
California Standards for the Teaching Profession, 2009
The Administrator's Assignment Manual, rev. September 2007
NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS PUBLICATIONS
Considerations for Using Federal Funds to Support National Board Certification, 2018
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
Commission on Teacher Credentialing: http://www.ctc.ca.gov
Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Credential Information Guide (for employers' use only): http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/cig
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: http://www.nbpts.org
National Board Resource Center: nbcalistrong.net
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov
Policy WOODLAKE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: May 13, 2020 Woodlake, California