A packed agenda at the Oct. 13–14 California Commission on Teacher Credentialing meeting saw the adoption of two milestone markers on the road to replacing the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) and establishing a new credential for teachers of grades PK-3. The meeting also saw approval of the first annual report to the Legislature on teacher misassignments and determination of cut scores for revised assessments.
At the August meeting, commissioners took part in a lengthy discussion about the development of draft Literacy Program Standards and Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs) for Multiple Subject, Single Subject (MS/SS), Education-Specialist Mild to Moderate Support Needs, Extensive Support Needs and the proposed PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction credentials — pursuant to Senate Bill 488. Since the August meeting, CTC staff conducted further field reviews and addressed many comments related to dyslexia and multilingual and English learner students.
SB 488 will eliminate the RICA and instead require preparation programs to incorporate evidence-based means of teaching foundational literacy skills (like print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and fluency); tiered supports; ongoing diagnostic techniques and early intervention; alignment with the State Board of Education’s English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework; the incorporation of the California Dyslexia Guidelines and more.
The Literacy Program Standards and TPEs were adopted by the commission. Included in the adoption is that all commission-approved MS/SS and Education Specialist credentials should transition to the new literacy standards by July 1, 2024; all new PK-3 ECE credentials to be approved beginning in 2023 must demonstrate alignment to the new literacy standards and TPEs; all new MS/SS or Education Specialist programs must demonstrate alignment to the new literacy standards and TPEs; and that commission direct staff to continue the development of program standards and TPEs for the Preliminary Education Specialist Early Childhood Special Education, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, and Visual Impairment credentials.
Next steps include beginning work on designing the Literacy Performance Assessment and disseminating information and technical assistance to preparation programs about meeting updated standards and TPEs. By July 2025, the performance assessment should be operational.
Another item years in the making, the preparation program preconditions, program standards and TPEs for the PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential were adopted. This work is responsive both to the direction provided by the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and to the need for additional ECE teachers to support the statewide universal transitional kindergarten implementation.
The proposed new PK-3 ECE Specialist Credential is specifically designed and purposefully intended to meet this new demand. This new credentialing structure is intended to help meet the unprecedented need for qualified ECE teachers representing a diverse workforce that reflects the children and families they serve in PK-grade 3. This new credential will provide accelerated pathways for current Multiple Subject Credential as well as Child Development Teacher Permit (CDP) holders with a bachelor’s degree to earn the credential and begin serving as quickly as possible in PK/TK settings.