How Do I Become A Teacher In California?

If you live in California and have your heart set on becoming a teacher, the good news is that it has become easier since 2021. Due to the worldwide COVID pandemic that started in 2019, California has relaxed some of its requirements to encourage more prospective teachers to enter the field of teaching and education.

To become a teacher in California, you must comply with the requirements set out by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Whether you do a teacher preparation program or have an existing qualification and experience, you can do a bridging course or test to gain the correct teaching credentials.

Prior to 2021, prospective teachers had to complete the CBEST (California Basic Skills Test) and CSET (California Subject Matter Exams for Teachers). Now it is not mandatory to do these exams unless you want to. Depending on your credentials and experience, you can get points toward your California teacher credentials.

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How California Is Helping Prospective K-12 Teachers

Over the last few years, California has poured billions of dollars into training prospective teachers to overcome the persistent shortage of educators. The money has gone towards special programs and grants to train and keep teachers in the state.

California’s governors, legislators, and lawmakers have teamed up with various school districts to make becoming a teacher more accessible and appealing. In some cases, the waiving of fees makes it easier to earn a teaching credential. In other cases, you can teach as long as you have an existing bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification.

Prospective teachers now have more options regarding getting their credentials. They can do one of the following:

They can go the traditional route of doing a teacher preparation program,
They can apply for a residency program where they get paid a stipend while assisting a qualified teacher,
They can apply for an internship program with a commission-approved university internship program or a district intern program, or

Existing school employees can train to become credentialed teachers.

Prospective teachers who opt for the residency program are paired with a credentialed teacher for a year. The residency program is usually run through a university or college in partnership with a local school district. The prospective teachers are coupled with a qualified teacher for a year and receive intensive clinical training during that period.

Teachers doing the internship programs usually have a bachelor’s degree. They can practice teaching while they do their teacher preparation coursework. These interns are usually the primary teacher in the classroom, not assistant teachers. Intern teachers have intern or preliminary credentials until they are fully accredited by the CTC.

Finally, California has a Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program. This program offers academic guidance and financial assistance to existing school employees in the state who wish to obtain an undergraduate degree in teaching. Employees in this program work as entry-level educators employed by the district while they study for their formal qualifications.

Steps To Becoming A K-12 Teacher In California

According to the University of Southern California, there are seven steps to becoming a teacher in California. The steps are as follows:

1. Research What Teaching Entails

Many people have a romanticized view of teaching and don’t realize how challenging it can be. Most teaching jobs require a lot of preparation and are very time-consuming. Teaching can also be mentally, physically, and emotionally draining because you are dealing with all sorts of personalities, types of people, and lots of red tape.

So, it is better to research if teaching is a good fit for you before you commit to a study program. You can explore the latest teaching trends and the do’s and don’ts of teaching. Speak to people who can objectively share what teaching is about. You can also compare notes on what it’s like teaching at public versus private schools.

Once you’ve gathered your information, you can assess the pros and cons of teaching and then decide if it’s something you’d still like to pursue.

2. Assess Your Existing Qualifications And Experience

Suppose you decide to go forward with teaching. In that case, you may have some qualifications and experience that can count in your favor. You can make a list of these and collect any supporting documents if you have them on hand. These documents can be helpful when applying for your teaching course. They can also be added to your résumé for future job applications.

Additionally, you should list your interests and see how they could fit into your teaching career. When you teach something that interests you, it motivates not only you but also your students.

3. Decide What Type Of Teacher You’d Like To Be

The teaching credential program you will do depends on what type of teacher you’d like to be. For example, do you want to teach little kindergarteners and elementary school children? Or do you prefer working with middle- and high-school children? Perhaps you want to teach special education?

Each teaching credential program differs in its content and requirements. For example:

Elementary school teachers must obtain a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential to teach all the subjects in elementary school.
Middle- and high school teachers must have a Single Subject Teaching Credential. Depending on the subject chosen, these teachers will teach only that subject in middle- or high school.
To teach special education, teachers must obtain an Education Specialist Instruction Credential.

It would be helpful for you to have an idea about what kind of teaching you’d like to do so that you can choose your course. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) offers different ways to achieve these credentials for teaching in California, which will be discussed in more detail later.

4. Enroll In A Teacher Preparation Program

Depending on your existing qualifications and experience, you may need to enroll in a Teacher Preparation Program at a Commission-approved institution. Then, depending on the program, you should do a course in the various fields of teaching and pedagogy. You will also need to gain teaching experience as a part of your course.

If you choose to do a teacher preparation program, check to see if you can or will be recommended for a California teaching credential after the program. You can follow this link to find Commission-approved institutions that offer California preparation programs.

5. Complete The Teacher Certification Process

Whether or not you have completed a Teacher Preparation Program at a Commission-approved institution, you must get certified before teaching at a public school in California. However, since 2021, two mandatory certification tests have been cut from the credential requirements. This is to encourage more people to become teachers, especially after the COVID pandemic.

The two tests that are no longer mandatory are the CBEST (California Basic Skills Test) and the CSET (California Subject Matter Exams for Teachers). If you opt to do these tests, you can expect your score to be released one or two months after you have written them.

The other options for obtaining the basic skills requirements are the following:

Achieve a qualifying score on the SAT or ACT,
College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations (with a score of 3 or higher),
Do a course and exam through the Commission or a Commission-approved institution to meet the basic skills requirement,

Complete a basic skills examination from another state,
Pass the California State University (CSU) Early Assessment Program or the CSU Placement Examinations, or
Use previous coursework transcripts to meet the basic skills requirements for the Commission.

If you opt to do the CBEST, it would be wise to brush up on your basic skills. For example, many prospective teachers struggle a bit with the fractions and ratios in the mathematics portion of the test. According to this Teacher Vlogger, you must score at least 123 points (41 points per section) to pass the CBEST.

Suppose a prospective teacher wants to obtain a subject matter competency credential without doing the CSET test. In that case, they should do the following in lieu of the CSET:

Obtain a degree or equivalent qualification in the subject they wish to teach,

Complete and pass a Commission-approved program on the subject matter and preparation,
Satisfy the requirements for basic skills, and
Obtain a recommendation for the credential from the program.

6. Get Teaching Experience And A Recommendation

If you want to teach in California, it is highly recommended that you gain some teaching experience and create a portfolio for your credential and prospective full-time job applications. Experience can come from online teaching, volunteer teaching, or being a teacher’s assistant.

When it is time to submit the formal recommendation for your credential, you will need the following (and possibly other supporting documentation):

Proof of competence in basic skills and subject matter requirements,

A Certificate of Clearance (from the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing),
A negative tuberculosis test result, and
A teaching portfolio indicating your readiness.

7. Get A Teaching Job

Once qualified to be a teacher in California, you can start looking at vacant teaching posts and networking with other teachers. If you did a teacher preparation program, they might offer you a placement option as a part of their course.

Do I Have To Study Teaching Through An Education School?

To receive a teaching credential in California, you must go through the CTC. However, depending on what you wish to teach, you might not have to go through a school of education. Discussed next are the alternative options you can explore if you want to teach in California with or without going to college.

Ways To Get A Single Or Multiple Subject Teaching Credential

You must have a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential to become an elementary school teacher. Should you wish to become a secondary school teacher, you must have a Single Subject Credential. You can earn both types of credentials through one of the following ways:

Ways To Get A Special Education School Teacher Credential

As with the single and multiple-subject teaching credentials, there are other ways of getting a Special Education Teaching credential in California. You can earn your Education Specialist Instruction Credential in the following ways:

Through a public school district internship program.

Credentialed Teachers Who Want To Teach In California

Practicing teachers who received a qualification outside of California must check if their credentials are suitable for teaching within the state. Usually, those qualified within the United States can have their credentials transferred to California.

Teachers who have credentials from other parts of the world will need to earn a California teaching credential to teach within the state. Either way, teachers outside California should check the CTC website for the outlines for obtaining the relevant teaching credentials.

Conclusion

To practice as a teacher in California, you need to comply with the outlines set out by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Then, you can complete a specific California teacher preparation program or use your existing qualifications or experience toward your teaching credential. Once you have complied with the CTC regulations, you can apply for teaching posts.