National Certification for Teachers - Professional Standards (CA Dept of Education) (2023)

FAQs

How do I become a national certified California teacher? ›

Completed an accredited teacher preparation program. Completed 600 hours of student teaching. Been fingerprinted and passed a background check. Taken required tests or completed university-approved coursework.

The National Board Certification Incentive Program in California went into effect July 1st, 2021, and grants up to $25,000 to teachers who have achieved National Board Certification and who agree to teach at a high priority school for at least five years.

In California, the minimum education requirement for teacher certification is a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. You must also complete a teacher preparation program approved by the CTC. An approved program provides both educational curriculum and fieldwork.

Teachers must complete 150 clock hours of professional development over a five-year time period in order to have a Level 2 or Level 3 Professional License renewed. No professional development is needed for Level 1 license but this can only be renewed once for three years.

Individuals who want to teach in high school in California must earn a Single Subject Teaching Credential.

A traditional, non-accelerated college or university program takes four to five years, assuming you complete each course successfully the first time. Internships may take longer depending on the institution you choose. If you start as a private school teacher, it could take over six years to earn your credential.

California Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG) Program - California Student Aid Commission.

Teachers in core or college preparatory courses must hold a valid credential equivalent to that which would be required of a teacher in a non-charter public school.

How much does aPublic School Teacher make in California? The average Public School Teacher salary in California is $62,925 as of March 28, 2023, but the range typically falls between $52,546 and $76,737.

Can you be a teacher without a degree in California? ›

There are several ways to become a teacher in California, but all public school teachers are required to hold a bachelor's degree. Those who do not already hold a bachelor's degree may complete a “blended” program that permits applicants to pursue an undergraduate degree and teaching credential simultaneously.

Five-Year Preliminary or Level I teaching credentials cannot be renewed. To continue to teach in the public schools of California, you must complete all of the requirements for either the clear or Level II credential before the expiration date of your preliminary or Level I credential.

The average salary for a elementary school teacher in California is $54,500 per year.

REQUIRED HOURS

California requires 24 hours of continuing education including 3 hours of ethics every two-year license term, regardless of how long you have been a licensed producer. Renewal dates depend on the date of license issuance.

Through CSEA's No-Cost College Program, CSEA members and their family members can obtain their California Teaching Credential.

If you want to be a substitute teacher in California, you need a 30-day Substitute Teaching Permit. To get this permit, you must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, have passed the CBEST, and be digitally fingerprinted using LiveScan.

No. EC Section 48222 specifies only that private school teachers be “… persons capable of teaching”. However, many private school teachers do possess current California teaching credentials.

The candidate for a 30-day permit must have earned a Bachelor's degree or higher and must pass a Basic Skills Test with minimum scores. The testing requirement may be met through a variety of options including the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement (AP), and others.

At minimum, you will need a bachelor's degree to teach most grade levels and school subjects in California, including elementary school. You can obtain a bachelor's degree in various subjects, but must also complete a master's degree program or a teaching credential program to fulfill the state's requirements.

Can I teach with a master's degree in California? ›

In order to teach, you must obtain a teaching credential; a master's degree is not sufficient. Successful completion of a teacher preparation program is required.

Is the TEACH Grant worth it? Each individual needs to consider carefully if the service obligation attached to the TEACH Grant makes the $4,000 in financial assistance worth it to them. If they don't want to live or teach in an area that services low-income students they may find this program isn't a good fit for them.

Note that you must hold a professional-level credential* from another state or U.S. territory to qualify for California teaching or services certification based on out-of-state preparation. For information on additional types of California certification please visit the Commission's Credential Requirements page.

If I received a GSTG award before and did not receive the full $20,000, can I apply again? No, you may only apply for the GSTG once. Commencing with the 2022-23 academic year, the GSTG can be paid out over multiple academic years if you continue to meet eligibility.

Criteria based on performance: Under this, teachers will be awarded marks on criteria based on performance e.g. initiatives to improve learning outcomes, innovative experiments undertaken, organization of extra and co-curricular activities, use of Teaching Learning Material, social mobility, ensuring experiential ...

Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $19,519 (43.1%) and $50,276 (111.1%) more than the average Charter School Teacher salary of $45,250.

Principal Apportionment

*Does not include newly operational charter schools. Charter schools receive Principal Apportionment funds through a combination of in-lieu of property taxes and state funds, with state funding composed of funds from the State School Fund and Education Protection Account.

SB 1343 requires charter schools authorized on and after January 1, 2023, to participate in CalSTRS and CalPERS.

What city in California pays teachers the most? ›

Districts with the highest average teacher salaries in California are located near Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Montecito Union Elementary District, covering a wealthy community near Santa Barbara, is the top-paying district with an average salary of $101,066.

Teachers contribute 8% of their monthly salaries into a state pension fund, while their employers contribute an additional 8.25%. On top of these payments, the state of California contributes another 2% into the fund. As you reach retirement, you'll begin to receive these funds in lifetime monthly payments.

The primary distinction is that the master's in teaching focuses more directly on teaching and classroom management. In contrast, the master's in education is a broader degree, applicable to a classroom career but also to jobs in administration, curriculum development, and education policy.

Your first step in becoming a teacher in California is to determine whether the role is a good fit for your personal and professional goals. Teaching is a challenging job that requires patience and commitment. Though highly rewarding, it is not for everyone.

CalStateTEACH Credential Program

Earn your Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential through this mostly online program, qualifying you to teach in many general education classrooms in California.

The one-year credential program offers specific training and courses designed for individuals who have already earned a bachelor's degree. The traditional teacher preparation program requires students to practice teaching during fieldwork assignments, including student teaching.

Apply for certification

After completing an approved program, the fastest and easiest way to apply for a California teaching credential is online. The program sponsor must formally recommend you for the appropriate certification via the CTC's online system.

Requirements for California teaching licenses

Let's take a look at a state that does not have full license reciprocity, just to see the difference. California only offers reciprocity for 45 states, including Arizona, Hawai'i, Texas, and New York. Teachers must meet subject matter criteria for their credential area.

How long do I have to clear my teaching credential? ›

Teaching Certification Renewal

Preliminary teaching credentials may not be renewed after their five-year expiration. You must meet the requirements for a Clear Credential during the five-year life of your Preliminary Credential.

Elementary School Teachers made a median salary of $61,400 in 2021. The best-paid 25% made $77,920 that year, while the lowest-paid 25% made $48,450.

$30,845 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $46,023 is the 75th percentile.

Licensees must also complete three hours of ethics CE training every license term as a part of the requirements.

All RCPs in the State of California who wish to maintain an active license are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) for license renewal with the exception of your first renewal, where you are required to complete 15 hours.

ALL licensees are required to complete at least six (6) hours of CE in Law and Ethics during the period between your license's prior expiration date (or initial issuance date), and the date your renewal application is submitted as a condition of each and every renewal.

Note that you must hold a professional-level credential* from another state or U.S. territory to qualify for California teaching or services certification based on out-of-state preparation. For information on additional types of California certification please visit the Commission's Credential Requirements page.

To meet increased demand for teachers, California no longer requires the CBEST and CSET exams as a condition to becoming a teacher. However, some requirements have remained the same if you want to be a teacher in this state. Let's see what that means for you! Get immediate help for your certification exam.

Certification for Teachers and Other School Personnel

Since January 1, 1999, all teachers in charter schools are required to hold either a teaching credential or other document equivalent to that which a teacher in other public schools would be required to hold issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Can you teach in New York with a California teaching credential? ›

Teachers certified in another U.S. State or Territory may be certified to teach in New York City classrooms. It is important to understand that the New York State Education Department (NYSED), not the NYC Department of Education, determines eligibility for certification and evaluates applications for certification.

If requirements for the clear credential are not completed before the expiration of the preliminary, the holder will not be able to teach in California's public schools with that credential until those requirements are met and the document is renewed.

California is not eliminating the CSET, but rather has created alternative options, other than the CSET, for prospective teachers to earn credentials.

In order to work in a California public school, you must verify basic skills proficiency before getting a credential, certificate or permit. There are several ways to meet this requirement: Pass the CBEST. Pass the CSET.

Teacher candidates no longer have to take the California Basic Skills Test (CBEST) or California Subject Matter Exams (CSET) to earn a credential. However, this doesn't mean that just anyone can become a teacher. These tests can be bypassed only if candidates take approved coursework.

Less than 66% of students pass the CBEST on their first try. Only 81% of test-takers pass after multiple attempts.

In order to teach, you must obtain a teaching credential; a master's degree is not sufficient. Successful completion of a teacher preparation program is required. You can easily locate teacher preparation programs by visiting our Find the Right Preparation Program.

Those who want to work towards becoming a kindergarten teacher in the state of California will need to earn a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited university or college. A higher degree may not be necessary, but can broaden the spectrum of available jobs later down the line.