Title
Professional Service Opportunities
The Professional Services Division at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing provides opportunities for professional educators to become involved in the statewide accreditation system for California.
- Become a Member of the Board of Institutional Reviewers.
- BIR Members participate in Document Review Sessions and Site Visits
- BIR Members participate in Document Review Sessions and Site Visits
- Participate in a Program Document Review Session
Participating in a Program Document Review Session is one of the most effective ways to gain professional development experience without having to commit to a full BIR training session. Below you will find all of the information you need to learn more about participating in a review session.
Why Participate in Document Review Sessions?
The accreditation system for California emphasizes the essential participation of professional educators in the review of Initial Program documents as well as Program Assessment documents. Participation in a review session is also an excellent preview of what is involved when becoming a member of the Board of Institutional Reviewers (BIR).
- Participation in the Program Review process:
- Provides value for anyone preparing for their accreditation site visit
- Provides insight for writing a response for a new program
- Provides an opportunity to review revised program standards.
- Provides a unique professional development opportunity
- Gives back to the profession and assists programs and educators as we all strive for excellence
While it is preferred that participants on the reading panels are members of the BIR and have been trained over a multi-day training system, we still invite professional educators that have not had an opportunity to attend a BIR training to participate in the document review process. Deans, associate deans, program directors, and those exceptionally qualified to review standards in one or more of the standard areas (Teaching and Service Credentials, Common Standards, Single Subject Matter Preparation Programs) are invited to participate in the document review process and are accepted on a case-by-case basis.
How do Document Review Sessions Work?
Review sessions start with an online calibration session that is tailored to the type of document assigned for reading. The online calibration must be completed by the reader prior to traveling to the Commission (see travel information below).
On the day of the review session, readers will be paired with a partner to read at least one document with Commission staff in the room to assist with questions. Once feedback is completed and sent to program sponsors, the institution will have time to resubmit their response to the feedback.
Program resubmissions in response to reader feedback are sent to readers via email and both readers must collaborate on every round of review. The subsequent rounds of review often require minimal time; however, individuals should not sign up for a reading if they cannot commit to timely completion of the additional work outside the initial review.
What is the Typical Schedule of a Document Review Session?
Registration opens 2-3 months prior to the review date.
3 weeks prior to the review date: An email will be sent providing the link to the online calibration as well as travel information. Note: It is important to read the email in its entirety and to reply, confirming your attendance.
Prior to the reading:
Readers complete the online calibration session on their own time. The online calibration will take approximately 90 minutes and is available 24 hours a day.
The night before the review:
Readers who live more than 50 miles away from the Commission may arrive the night before the review and stay at a hotel (see travel information below).
Review Day:
Readers arrive at the Commission at 8:15. A short calibration review and question and answer session takes place during the first thirty minutes. Readers are then paired with a partner and have the entire day to read the document and provide feedback. To accommodate travel the reading ends at 4pm. Please keep the scheduled start and ending times in mind when reserving flights.
After the initial review:
Readers are sent the program resubmission via email. Readers review the response on their own, discuss via email or phone with their partner, amend their feedback and send it to the Commission within approximately two weeks of receipt. The back and forth process can take as many rounds as necessary to complete, however it is typical to see one to three passes of the document. Programs are careful to indicate their new information in a manner that saves the readers time and makes it easy to find the added information. Please keep in mind that if you and your partner do not complete your document at the initial reading we ask that you both take it with you to finish up and return to the commission within two weeks.
How do Readers get to the Commission and who Pays?
The Commission reimburses for all applicable travel within the state travel rules. The reimbursement process can take up to three months, however, and readers should be aware of this prior to signing up. The Commission usually establishes a hotel contract with a local hotel so that readers do not have to pay out of pocket. Should readers choose to stay at a different hotel they must be sure that they are receiving the state rate of $84 (plus tax), as reimbursement above that amount for lodging is not possible. Any overage would be the responsibility of the reader. Keep in mind that without a state ID, a few hotels in the area will not honor the state rate even when they tell you they have a state rate.
A travel contract has also been established for air/train travel to provide another money- saving opportunity for readers. Readers who book through the designated site do not have to pay out of pocket for their flights.
Detailed travel information and rules are sent out approximately two to three weeks prior to the review date.
What kind of documents are read?
Two type of program documents are read: Initial Program Review Documents (IPR) and Program Assessment Documents (PA):
IPR Documents are proposals submitted to the Commission from instituions wishing to start up a new program. More information on IPR
PA Documents are from programs that are already operating and are a required part of the accreditation cycle. Each cohort must submit them in year four of the accreditation cycle. More information on PA
How do I Register for Document Review Sessions?
Participants must register for each individual date as the registration link becomes active. Registration is opened up approximately two months prior to the scheduled date.
Reading Session Dates: Click on “Register for IPR” or “Register for PA” in the row that corresponds to the date you would like to attend. Please note, you cannot read both types of documents on the same day so you may only select one type of document to read. We recommend readers attend a minimum of two readings a year to become calibration in both type of document.
| June 6, 2012 | IPR readings are postponed until 2012-13 due to fiscal constraints | Register for PA |
| June 26, 2012 | Register for PA | |
| Watch PSD News for information on upcoming reading session dates. Subscribe to PSD News. | ||