Report on the Study of Special Education Certification

1. Report on the Study of Special Education Certification July 16, 2008 August 13, 2008 Ensuring Educator Excellence

2. Goals of Special Education Reform • Improve services to students with disabilities • Provide more opportunities to become a Special Educator • Improve skill levels and retention rates of teachers • Reduce redundancies, streamline process, improve service to districts • Align state and federal policies, align CTC and CDE policies

3. 25 Recommendations of Special Education Workgroup • Structure Standards #1-8 • Subject Matter #9-16 Competence • Program Content & #17-22 Performance Expectations • Service Delivery #23-25

4. Report to the Legislature • CTC web page (www.ctc.ca.gov) • Under Reports link (left hand side), to All Reports (at top, under ‘Also See’), scroll down to ‘Other Reports’, and click on 2007 • Under ‘Browse by Subject – Program Sponsors’ to Special Education and scroll down to find report • http://www.ctc.ca.gov/reports/Special-Education-Certification-Report-2007.pdf

5. Maintain Teaching Credentials-Expand Authorizations The current Education Specialist Certification and Other Related Services should be maintained, but the authorization would be expanded to allow the credential to be more flexibly used. Autism Spectrum Disorders instruction should be provided in all credential areas and the credential authorization should reflect this preparation.

6. Expansion of Services • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Communication Development • Early Intervention and Diagnosis • Low Incidence Populations • Remote Populations

7. Entry Points There should be multiple entry points into special education teacher preparation programs. - Those who know they want to be special education teachers when they enter college. - Undergraduate options should be encouraged: undergraduate “Special Populations” major that integrates core academic subject matter instruction, special populations coursework and special education pedagogy and field experiences.

8. Entry Points - Teach secondary special education which combine a major in core academic subject and special education should be available, streamlined and encouraged. - Seek two credentials; e.g., Multiple Subject and Mild/Moderate or Mild/Moderate and Moderate/ Severe should be available and encouraged.

9. Clear Teaching Credential • Program that combines advanced coursework and supported induction should be available to all preliminary credential holders. • If an individual holds more than one credential, the Individualized Induction Plan that guides the teacher’s advanced preparation should be written to clear all preliminary credentials held. • 12 units maximum for the coursework.

10. Subject Matter Competence In addition to the Commission-approved subject matter program to meet the subject matter competence requirement for the special education credential: • passage of the appropriate examination, or • completion of a degree major or major equivalent (a minimum of 32 semester units).

11. Expanded Program Delivery and Recruitment • Utilize distance learning mechanisms to deliver instruction. Special Education programs (particularly low incidence) are encouraged to expand services to candidates in the following ways:

12. Expanded Program Delivery and Recruitment (continued) • Share candidates to allow instruction in foundational knowledge, core curriculum and early field experiences in locations convenient to their home or though distance learning. • Encourage transfer of credit and multi-campus programs so expertise in content areas can be shared.

13. Expanded Program Delivery and Recruitment (continued) Pay particular attention to recruiting diverse candidates into Education Specialist programs including actively recruiting candidates with disabilities, those from ethnic and racial groups underrepresented in the teaching workforce, and encourage males to become special education teachers as they represent only about fourteen percent of special education teachers nationwide.

14. Teaching Performance Assessment To earn a preliminary credential, each candidate shall demonstrate the ability to perform each Teaching Performance Expectation for Education Specialist teachers through a Teaching Performance Assessment.

15. Report Recommendation Implementation Timeline • Regulations • Tentatively two regulation packages starting in late 2008 • Standards • Present to Commission for Information- October 2008 • Present for Action- December 2008

16. Outcomes of Special Education Public Forum • Attendees will be briefed in goals and reforms in Special Education certification • Proposed standards will be presented and attendees will provide suggestions for improvement of standards • Recommendations related to credential program delivery will be presented and implementation strategies will be discussed • Staff will respond to attendees’ questions

17. Feedback on Special Education Standards • Do standards address skills, knowledge, and abilities that a beginning Special Educator should possess to provide the appropriate services to students with disabilities authorized by the credential? • What should be added/deleted? • Are there redundancies that should be deleted? If yes, please identify. • Are there changes that should be made in credential program delivery or in the standards to streamline the credential process or to improve services to schools and students with disabilities?

18. Tasks as Attendees:Review Core Standards • Is the standard appropriate for all Education Specialist Credentials (and authorizations?) If no, what should be changed/ deleted/ added/ customized within specialty standards? • Are there any other concepts/ topics/ skills/ knowledge that should be included in core standards? If yes, describe. • Do the Specialty Standards (in combination with the Core Standards) include the skills, knowledge, and abilities that a beginning teacher holding that authorization should possess? • For Services Credentials, are there Core Standards that Services Credentials should not be required to meet or that should be customized? If yes, describe.