Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program

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.
• Authorizing Legislation

Classified Grants Program

• Request for Application (RFA): California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program - Round Three 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 Request for Application for this grant opportunity is now available, and proposals must be received at the Commission by 5:00 PM PDT, on Friday, June 16, 2023.

• Appendix B - Intent to Apply (Optional)
• Appendix C - Application Cover Page
• Appendix D - IHE Partnership Summary
• Appendix E - LEA/IHE Partnership Agreements
• Appendix F - Budget Overview Form
• Appendix G - Statutory Priority Points
• Appendix H - Grant Stewardship and Accreditation Status

• Questions and Answers: Classified Grant Program Request for Application - May 2022
• Questions and Answers: Classified Grant Program Request for Application - October 2022
• 2022 Announcement of Grant Awards - Round One
  The Commission is pleased to announce its intent to fund 40 LEAS for Round One of the 2022 Classified Grant Program.
• Announcement of Grant Awards - Round Two
  The Commission is pleased to announce its intent to fund 34 LEAS for Round Two of the 2022 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 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