Adopted March 2008

California state law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to set standards and requirements for preparation of California teachers. The Accreditation handbook includes three types of standards:

  • Preconditions established by State law or Commission policy must be met as a prerequisite to program accreditation. A precondition is a requirement for initial and continued program approval. Unlike standards, preconditions specify requirements for program compliance, not program quality. Commission staff members determine whether a program complies with the adopted preconditions on the basis of a program document provided by the college or university. In the program review sequence, a program that meets all preconditions is eligible for a more intensive review to determine whether the program's quality satisfies the Commission's standards.
  • Common Standards of program quality and effectiveness apply to all certificate and credential programs. This category includes standards regarding the overall leadership and climate for educator preparation within the unit at an institution, as well as standards pertaining to quality features that are common to all programs such as resources, coordination, admissions and advisement. The Common Standards are available at Common Standards web page.
  • Program Standards address the quality of program features that are specific to a credential, such as program design, curriculum, field experiences, and knowledge and skills to be demonstrated by candidates in the specific credential area. When institutions prepare for continuing accreditation reviews, they may consider from among three Commission-approved options for program-specific standards. The three options are: (1) California Program Standards, (2) National or Professional Program Standards, and (3) Experimental Program Standards. Different options may be exercised by different credential programs at an institution.

Standards are statements of program quality that must be fulfilled for initial or continued approval of teacher preparation programs by the Commission. The Commission adopts preconditions and program standards and in September 2010 the Commission adopted these preconditions and program standards. In each standard the Commission has detailed the minimum programmatic inputs and candidate competencies required for approval of a program.

The Commission determines whether a program satisfies a standard on the basis of an intensive review of all available information related to the standard. Program reviewers selected by the Executive Director must find that a program meets each Commission adopted standard. When the program has been deemed to meet all adopted standards, the program is recommended for approval to the COA, and the COA approves the program.

This handbook specifically addresses program standards for programs leading to an Experimental Standards Program. A Word version of these program standards is available at the Standards: Educator Preparation page.

Preconditions for all Professional Preparation Programs

Preconditions determine a sponsor's eligibility to apply to the Commission for approval of one or more educator preparation programs. Preconditions identify requirements that institutions and their programs must satisfy in areas such as accreditation and academic credit granted; responsibility and authority for the program; demonstration of need for the program; and limitation on program length, among others. Sponsors who want to offer accredited programs must provide a response to each precondition and include appropriate supporting documentation. Program sponsors must meet the applicable preconditions before the program application is reviewed against the Commission-adopted common standards and applicable program standards.

Introduction

California law provides the Commission on Teacher Credentialing with the authority to accredit institutions and approve all programs that lead to a credential to serve as an educator in California’s public schools. Among other responsibilities, Section 44225 of the California Education code establishes that the Commission shall establish professional standards, assessment and examinations for entry and advancement in the education profession, adopt a framework and general standards for the accreditation of preparation programs for teachers and other certificated educators, and propose appropriate rules and regulations in this area. All institutions wishing to offer credential programs in the area of educator preparation programs must first successfully respond to the Commission’s preconditions.

What is a Precondition?

A precondition is a requirement for initial and continued program approval. Unlike standards, preconditions specify requirements for program compliance, not program quality. The basis for a precondition is either 1) statute, or 2) Commission policy.

The Commission determines whether a program complies with the adopted preconditions on the basis of a program document provided by the college or university. In the program review sequence, a program that meets all preconditions is eligible for a more intensive review to determine if the program's quality satisfies the Commission's standards.

What kinds of preconditions exist?

There are two kinds of preconditions. The first are those that apply to all institutions offering educator preparation programs. These preconditions do not apply to subject matter programs. The second type is those that apply to specific of credential areas. Institutions offering or applying to offer specific credential programs must respond to each applicable precondition. Who reviews preconditions? Because preconditions are related to issues of compliance and not program quality, Commission staff typically reviews preconditions. This review is done prior to initial institutional approval and continuing accreditation site visits.

Preconditions are located on the Preconditions web page.

Common Standards

The Common Standards address issues of institutional infrastructure, stability and processes that are designed to ensure that the implementation of all approved programs is successful and meets all standards. Consequently, there is a single response to the nine Common Standards that reflects the institution’s support of each of its educator preparation programs. Institutions are required to submit information related to the Common Standards to the Commission at two points in the accreditation system: 1) prior to an accreditation site visit (year 6 of the cycle); and 2) upon submitting a new program proposal.

The institution must develop one response to the Common Standards that reflects institutional support for all approved educator preparation programs. In other words, individual programs do not respond to the Common Standards. Within an institution of higher education, all Commission-approved programs belong to one education unit—even if the program is offered in a different college, school or through extension or continuing education. Within a local education agency, all Commission-approved programs belong to the one education unit—even if the programs are run in different departments or divisions.

If the institution’s Common Standards are up to date and the institution submits a new program proposal, the institution must complete a Common Standards Addendum that assures the Commission that the institution will support the proposed program in the same way it has supported other educator preparation programs. The Common Standards document is inclusive of the entire unit consequently only one Common Standards document will be maintained at the CTC for each approved institution/program sponsor regardless of how many approved programs are offered.

The Common Standards Glossary should be consulted for definitions of any of the terms found in italics in the Common Standards.

Common Standards Addendum

If an institution's full response to the Common Standards (2008) has been submitted, reviewed and approved, then the institution need only submit an addendum providing information that is specific to the proposed educator preparation program and that assures the Commission that the institution will support the proposed program in the same way it has supported other educator preparation programs.

Standard 1
Who in the Unit will have leadership responsibilities for this program?

Standard 2How will evaluation of this program fit into the Unit Assessment and Evaluation System?

Standard 3How will this program be supported with resources?

Standard 4What will be the criteria for selection of faculty and instructional personnel for this program?

Standard 5Are there particular admission criteria for the proposed program?

Standard 6
How will candidates be provided with timely and accurate information about the program? How will candidates requiring additional assistance be guided and supported?

Standard 7
What will the field experiences and clinical practice include? How will sites be selected and evaluated?

Standard 8
What will be the criteria for selection of district-employed supervisors?

Standard 9
What assessments will the program use to determine candidate competence as they move through the program?

The Common Standards Glossary should be consulted for definitions of any of the terms found in italics in the Common Standards.

Updated December 18, 2023