Article 7.5. District Interns of California Education Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 25. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 7.5.
(a) The commission shall issue district intern credentials
authorizing persons employed by a school district that maintains
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, or that maintains classes
in bilingual education to provide classroom instruction to pupils in
those grades and classes in accordance with the requirements of
Section 44830.3. The commission also shall issue district intern
credentials authorizing persons employed by a school district to
provide classroom instruction to pupils in special education classes,
in accordance with the requirements of Section 44830.3.
(b) Each district intern credential is valid for a period of two
years. A credential may be valid for three years if the intern is
participating in a program that leads to the attainment of a
specialist credential in special education or four years if the
intern is participating in a program that leads to the attainment of
both a multiple subject or single subject teaching credential and a
specialist credential in special education. Upon the recommendation
of the school district, the commission may grant a one-year extension
of the district intern credential.
(c) The commission shall require each applicant for a district
intern credential to demonstrate that he or she meets all of the
following minimum qualifications for that credential:
(1) The possession of a baccalaureate degree conferred by a
regionally accredited institution of postsecondary education.
(2) The successful passage of the state basic skills proficiency
requirement pursuant to Sections 44252 and 44252.5.
(3) The successful completion of the appropriate subject matter
examination administered by the commission, or a commission-approved
subject matter preparation program for the subject areas in which the
district intern is authorized to teach.
(4) The oral language component of the assessment program leading
to the bilingual-crosscultural language and academic development
certificate for persons seeking a district intern credential to teach
bilingual education classes.
(d) The commission shall apply the requirements of Sections 44339,
44340, and 44341 to each applicant for a district intern credential.
(e) The commission shall ensure that each district internship
program in California provides program elements to its interns as
required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C.
Sec. 6301 et seq.) and its implementing regulations.
(a) Persons holding district intern credentials issued by
the commission under Section 44325 to teach in grades 9 to 12,
inclusive, or in grades 6 to 8, inclusive, in a departmentalized
program, or in departmentalized bilingual classes, shall be
authorized to teach in the subject area in which they have met the
subject matter requirement.
(b) Persons holding district intern credentials issued by the
commission under Section 44325 to teach in kindergarten and grades 1
to 8, inclusive, in a self-contained program or in self-contained
bilingual classes and who have met the subject matter requirement
shall be authorized to teach in those grades or classes.
(c) Before being assigned to teach special education pupils,
persons holding district intern credentials issued by the commission
under Section 44325 to teach those pupils shall meet the requirements
of subdivision (b).
(d) Each district intern is required to teach with the assistance
and guidance of certificated employees selected through a competitive
process adopted by the governing board after consultation with the
exclusive teacher representative unit or by personnel employed by
institutions of higher education to supervise student teachers.
(e) A certificated employee who assists the district intern shall
possess valid certification at the same level or of the same type of
credential as the district interns they serve.
On or before July 1, 1995, the commission, in consultation
with participating school districts and other affected organizations,
shall revise existing standards and adopt additional standards, as
necessary, related to the quality of the training, support,
evaluation, and performance of district interns. The standards shall
be appropriate for an alternative program of teacher recruitment,
preparation, and certification. Each school district with a district
intern program is responsible for maintaining appropriate records of
the program so that the credit earned by each district intern is
transferable to his or her academic record in the same manner as if
the intern had participated in a college or university program. To
the extent feasible, the standards shall also be equivalent to the
standards of the commission for professional preparation programs in
colleges and universities.
(a) Unless the commission determines that substantial
evidence exists that a person is unqualified to teach, upon the
completion of successful service as a district intern pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 44325, and upon the recommendation of the
school district governing board, the commission shall award
preliminary credentials to district interns in the same manner as
applicants recommended for credentials by institutions that operate
approved programs of professional preparation.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of
Section 44225, paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) of subdivision (b)
of Section 44259, paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision
(c) of Section 44259, and Sections 44261, 44265, and 44335, upon
recommendation by the governing board, district interns shall be
issued preliminary credentials, upon the completion of successful
service as a teacher pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 44325,
unless the governing board recommends, and the commission finds
substantial evidence, that the person is not qualified to teach. A
school district may require a district intern who is pursuing a clear
credential to complete an approved induction program if funds are
available or approved coursework in accordance with paragraph (5) of
subdivision (c) of Section 44259. Pursuant to Article 11 (commencing
with Section 44380), teachers participating in an induction program
pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 44279.1) are no
longer eligible for funding under the district intern program.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 44261, the preliminary credential
awarded to any district intern holding a district intern credential
to teach bilingual education classes shall be a basic teaching
credential with a bilingual-crosscultural language and academic
development emphasis. Notwithstanding Section 44265, the preliminary
credential awarded to any district intern who holds a district intern
credential to teach special education pupils shall be a special
education specialist instruction credential that authorizes the
holder to teach special education pupils.
(d) It is the intent of the Legislature that institutions of
higher education that operate approved programs of professional
preparation work cooperatively with school districts that offer
district intern programs for a special education specialist
credential to apply the regular education coursework and fieldwork
from the special education district intern program toward earning a
multiple or single subject teaching credential through the
institution.