Experimental Educator Introduction

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (Commission) is the agency of California government that licenses teachers and other professionals who serve in the public schools. As the policy-making body that establishes and maintains standards for the education profession in the state, the Commission is concerned with the quality and effectiveness of the preparation of teachers and other school practitioners such as school counselors, nurses, and administrators. On behalf of the education profession and the general public, the Commission is committed to increasing the knowledge base about effective educator preparation practices. The Experimental Program Standards create a vehicle through which institutions can develop unique preparation programs designed to answer critical questions about educator preparation, including how to prepare educators to work effectively with at-risk students, English Learners, or how to attract a larger number of individuals to education-related professions.

Institutions that wish to offer an educator preparation program in California must, first, be approved by the Commission at the institutional level by demonstrating that the institution satisfies the institutional preconditions (see Appendix A). The preconditions are established by statute or by Commission policy. Once the Commission approves the institution, the institution can submit a proposal to provide an educator preparation program. That proposal will contain the institution’s response to the Common Standards (see Appendix B) and a set of program documents that address the standards for the program of interest.

Description of the Handbook

This handbook is organized in four sections.

Section 1
provides information on the Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Experimental Programs. The standards are available on the Commission’s Program Standards web page.

Section 2
describes the history of Experimental Program Standards

Section 3
discusses procedures for developing and implementing an experimental program

Section 4
provides submission/transmittal guidelines for program sponsors preparing documentation for initial program approval

The Commission is grateful to all the members of the profession who participated in the development of these program standards.