General Information

The California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program (Classified Program) addresses the state’s teacher shortage in STEM, special education, bilingual education, and transitional kindergarten, by supporting local education agencies (LEAs) to recruit classified school employees into teaching careers and support their undergraduate education, professional teacher preparation, and certification as credentialed California teachers. In July 2021, the state appropriated $125 million to expand the California Classified School Employees Teacher Credentialing Program for another five years. Classified staff at grantee LEAs who were selected to participate in the program (participants) receive financial assistance for degree and credentialing-related expenses such as tuition, fees, books, and examination costs; academic guidance; and other forms of individualized support to help them complete their undergraduate education, teacher preparation program, and transition to becoming credentialed teachers.

Classified Grant Program

Request for Application (RFA): California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program - Round Seven
Grant awards of up to $4,800 per participant per year may be made to funded applicants. Eligible applicants are Local Education Agencies (LEAs)—school districts, county offices of education, or charter schools interested in securing grant funding to recruit and support classified staff who already hold an associate or higher degree to complete a bachelor’s degree and earn a California teaching credential. The Commission is not currently accepting applications for the Classified Grant Program.

Commission Agenda Items

Updates on the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program
The agenda items provide an update on the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program and present the Annual Report to the Legislature on the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program.

Agenda Item 1C - December 2024

Agenda Item 2E - December 2023

Agenda Item 2G - December 2022

Agenda Item 2D - December 2021

Agenda Item 2B - December 2020

 

Evaluation of the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program

Agenda Item 4A – June 2021
The Educator Preparation Committee presented item 4A at the June 16, 2021 Commission Meeting. This agenda item presents the results of the evaluation of the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program as required by statute (Education Code §44393(e)).

 

Update on Three State-Funded Grant Programs

Agenda Item 3G – November 2019
The Educator Preparation Committee presented item 2D at the November 2019 Commission meeting.  This agenda item presents an update on three state-funded grant programs: the California Classified Employee Teacher Credentialing Program, the California Center on Teaching Careers, and the Integrated Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program. 

Update on State-Funded Grant Programs

Agenda Item 3B – November 2018
The Educator Preparation Committee presented item 3B at the November 2018 Commission meeting.  This agenda item presents an update on five state-funded grant programs: The California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program; The Integrated Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program; The California Center on Teaching Careers; The Teacher Residency Grant Programs (Capacity, Expansion, and Residency); and the Local Solutions to the Shortage of Special Education Teachers Grant Program

Updated July 15, 2025