The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) met late last week. While the agenda was primarily comprised of staff providing updates on various efforts and initiatives, the Commissioners started the meeting by sharing their thoughts and perspectives on the protests, activism, and conversations happening in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and others.
Chair Tine Sloan and Executive Director Mary Vixie Sandy referenced an open letter they published to the education community dated June 16th, which raised the following questions:
What role can educators play in dismantling systemic, institutional racism? What role do they play in perpetuating these systems? What does anti- racist education look like and how do we get there? How can the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, through its policies, standards and engagement within the field of education, be a catalyst for change?
As Commissioners moved onto their agenized items, the discussion frequently circled back to actions the members the teacher workforce and preparation communities could take to promote justice and equity in their programs and practice.
The Commission will meet next on August 6th and 7th.
General Session:
1A: Approval of the April 2020 Minutes – Motion approved
1B: Approval of the June 2020 Agenda – Motion approved
1C: Approval of the June 2020 Consent Calendar – Motion approved, with exceptions to be heard in closed session.
1D - 1G: Verbal Reports
Information Item – Commission staff provided an update on actions taken to date, through CTC action, Legislation and Executive Order, to provide relief to the current and prospective teaching and administrative workforce. Information on the preparation-related provisions contained in Executive Order N-66-20 is available below in Item 6A. Additionally, you can read about prior CTC-action in our April CTC Update. Commission staff will continue discussions with stakeholders and return to the August CTC meeting with additional recommendations and information.
Educator Preparation Committee:
Action Item – Based on recommendations from the educator preparation community, the Committee on Accreditation (COA), and Commissioners, proposed modifications to the Accreditation Framework were approved. The chart beginning on Page 2A-3 in the agenda item describes the changes that were made.
Information/Action Item – At a prior meeting, stakeholders raised concerns about the initial program preconditions that a prospective preparation program must meet prior to being considered by the Commission. Those two preconditions are Demonstration of Need, and Practitioner’s Participation in Program Design. The language of these preconditions has been in place for roughly 25 years, and updating them is necessary to ensure they meet their objectives and explicitly spell out expectations. Staff will conduct a survey over the coming months, and return at a future Commission meeting with recommendation on how to move forward.
Information Item – The Commission was previously funded to run a comparability study among the three Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) models. Those models are the Fresno Assessment of Student Teachers (FAST), edTPA, and CalTPA. After a public bidding process was opened, Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) was selected to complete the study. HumRRO staff presented the final study, which is available in full here. Among other findings, the data showed that the three models mostly or fully adhere to the Assessment Design Standards, and that the rubrics for each model are sufficiently clear and detailed to ensure that trained raters can accurately and consistently sore candidate submissions.
Action Item – Staff reviewed the work done to date to update the Bilingual Authorization Program Standards. The Commission has appointed 14 members to the Bilingual Authorization Work Group, and 11 liaisons from key stakeholder groups. The group met in late May, and will meet again in July and September to continue the review of the current standards and draft revisions.
Information Item – Staff provided a review of the work done to date to update the Child Development Permit, and the planned next steps, which include the development of Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs) and Program Guidelines for the early care and education workforce and preparation programs.
Action Item – Commissioners granted three-year Provisional Approval for Yuba City USD. YCUSD will now seek Committee on Accreditation (COA) approval of their proposed teacher induction program.
Professional Practices Committee
Information Item – Staff reviewed several key statistics from the Division, including Total Cases (2,649), Cases Opened (202), Cases Closed (383), and Cases Referred to the Attorney General (151).
Certification Committee
Information/Action Item – Commissioners approved proposed changes to Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) to clarify and update the language that governs the submission of transcripts to the Commission. Staff will submit a rulemaking notice file to the Office of Administrative Law.
Fiscal Policy and Planning Committee
Information Item – The impacts of COVID-19 on the state budget did not spare the Commission, which is a special fund agency supported primarily by credential application fees and examination fees. While the Commission’s proposed 2020-21 operating budget will remain the same, grant funding and the CTC’s reserve account will be significantly impacted. The January proposals to expand teacher grants were withdrawn, and over 20 million in already earmarked, but yet unspent grant funding, is proposed to be eliminated.
Legislative Committee
Information Item – Commissioners received a recap of the Commission-sponsored legislation still moving forward, as well as a recent Executive Order that included flexibilities for teacher candidates whose preparation was impacted by COVID-19. Specifically, EO N-66-20 postponed the RICA, TPA, and CalAPA assessment requirements, suspended the requirement to complete CBEST prior to enrollment in a preparation program, and waived the subject matter requirement for intern teachers. The CBEST and subject matter requirements will be need to be met prior to the issuance of a preliminary credential.
Action Item – Staff presented AB 1982 (Cunningham), which would allow prospective credential holders to demonstrate the basic skills requirement through the passage, with a B grade or better, of qualifying coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. Additionally, the law would permit a prospective credential holder to meet that requirement through a “mix and match” method of allowable components, such as CSET Multiple Subjects Plus Writing Skills Exam, SAT, ACT and AP exams. After discussing the amendments the CTC would seek to the bill, Commissioners adopted a Support if Amended position, which will move to official support once the author’s office accepts the requested amendments to provide clarity on what courses may be used to meet the basic skills requirements.