General Preconditions

General Institutional Preconditions

General Statement Applicable to all Preconditions for all Educator Preparation Programs
Pursuant to Education Code Section 44227 (and 44265 where applicable for Education Specialist Program) each program of professional preparation that leads to a teaching or services credential shall adhere continually to the following requirements of California State Law or Commission Policy. Each institution must respond to the general preconditions as well as all other applicable program specific preconditions.

1. Accreditation and Academic Credit

The program(s) must be operated by

  1. Institutions of higher education: A college or university that (i) is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or another of the six regional accrediting associations, and (ii) grants baccalaureate academic credit or post baccalaureate academic credit, or both. An institution approved to offer educator preparation in California must notify the Commission within 30 days if its regional accreditation status changes.
  2. School districts or other non-regionally accredited entities: The Superintendent or CEO of the district or entity shall submit a signed letter noting district leadership continued support for the program.

Response:
The School of Social Sciences and Education is applying to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for continuing accreditation for its professional educator preparation programs operated by California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB). CSUB is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and received notification on February 26, 2020 that our Educational Effectiveness Review reaffirmed WASC accreditation for CSUB (WASC Accreditation Letter). The next comprehensive review will be held in Fall 2027.

CSUB has the authority to grant preliminary teaching credentials, baccalaureate, and master's degrees, and a Doctor of Education degree.

2. Enrollment and Completion

Once a candidate is accepted and enrolls in an educator preparation program, the approved program sponsor must offer the approved program, meeting the adopted standards, until the candidate:  

  1. completes the program;
  2. withdraws from the program;
  3. is dropped from the program based on established criteria; or
  4. is admitted to another approved program to complete the requirements, with minimal disruption, for the authorization.

In the event the program closes, a teach out plan, which includes individual transition plans for each candidate as well as a plan for candidates and graduates to access their student records would need to be developed.

Response:
CSUB understands that once candidates are enrolled, they must be able to complete their programs, even if for some reason the programs were closed or suspended (Program Completion Assurance letter from the Dean 2).

With regarding to COVID-19 program accommodations for enrollment and completion, the programs have made plans to support any Credential or Bilingual Added Authorization candidate, including Interns, admitted without the basic skills requirement or subject matter requirements. Our Education Administration program supported one candidate in basic skills completion (CSUB Support_COVID-19). Our Reading Literacy Added Authorization, Early Childhood Added Authorization, and Pupil Personnel Services Credential program did not have any applicants needing COVID-19 accommodations.

In the event that a CSUB educator preparation program was discontinued, a teach-out plan would:

  • be consistent with Commission and CSUB standards;
  • provide for maintenance of the necessary experience, faculty, resources, and support services to provide an educational program that is of acceptable quality and is reasonably similar in content, structure, and scheduling to that promised to the candidates upon enrollment;
  • demonstrate CSUB's stability and ability to carry out our mission, meeting all obligations to currently enrolled candidates;
  • provide records and maintain those records in accordance with CSU, CSUB, and CTC policies, and;
  • offer completion of the program to students without additional charge over what had been previously in place.


An individual teach-out agreement would be developed between the CSUB Educator Program and the affected candidate. It would be a written agreement that provides for equitable treatment of candidates, describing in detail how candidates will be able to complete their program (CSUB Moratorium and Discontinuance Procedures and CSU Program Discontinuance).

3. Responsibility and Authority

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity shall provide the following information:

  1. Identify the position within the organizational structure that is responsible for ongoing oversight of all educator preparation programs offered by the entity (including educator preparation programs offered by an extension division, if any).
     

    Response:
    The Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education (Dr. James L. RodrÍ­guez)  is responsible for ongoing oversight of all educator preparation programs. The Director of Education Assessment and Accreditation (Debbie Meadows) is responsible for CTC accreditation communication and program support for accreditation efforts. The Chair of Teacher Education (Dr. Bre Evans-Santiago), and the Chair of Advanced Educational Studies (Dr. Yeunjoo Lee) are responsible for day to day oversight of all educator preparations programs offered at CSUB. The Director and Chairpersons report directly to the Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education, the academic unit that houses Teacher Education and Advanced Educational Studies. The Dean reports directly to the Provost, who reports directly to the President of the university (University  Organization Chart and SSE Organizational Chart).
     

  2. Provide a description of the reporting relationship between the position described in (a) and the individual(s) who coordinate each educator preparation program offered by the entity. If a reporting relationship is indirect, describe the levels of authority and responsibility for each educator preparation program. Include an organizational chart for the institution as well as the division(s) within the institution responsible for the oversight of educator preparation programs; include any parent organization, outside organization(s), or partner(s) who will be involved in the oversight of the educator preparation unit and/or responsible for any aspect of program delivery.
     

    Response:
    Program Directors for Teacher Education report to the Chairperson of Teacher Education. The Program Directors for Special Education, Counseling, and Educational Administration report to the Chairperson of Advanced Educational Studies (EPP Organizational Chart). The Program Director for the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership reports directly to the Dean.
     

  3. Provide policies to ensure that duties regarding credential recommendations are provided solely by persons who are current employees of the Commission approved institution.
     

    Response:
    By CSUB and the School of Social Sciences and Education Policy, the only person who can submit credential recommendations to the Commission is the School Credential Analyst. The Credential Analyst must be a current employee of CSUB. This staff member only makes such recommendations when faculty have confirmed that students have completed all requirements for the credential. Currently, this staff position is filled by Ms. Stephanie Prielipp (Credential Recommendation Assurance 3c).

4. Lawful Practices

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, a program of professional preparation must be proposed and operated by an entity that makes all personnel decisions without unlawful discrimination. These decisions include decisions regarding the admission, retention or graduation of students, and decisions regarding the employment, retention, or promotion of employees.
 

Response:
CSU Bakersfield does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, or sexual orientation in its education programs or activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by CSU Bakersfield (both on and off campus). Title IX protects all people regardless of their gender or gender identity from sex discrimination, which includes  Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Dating and Domestic Violence, and Stalking Policy. In addition, CSUB employs a Chief Diversity Officer & Special Assistant to the President (Claudia Catota)  who works out of the President's Office and ensures compliance with CSU and CSUB policies (see website: https://www.csub.edu/equity-inclusion-compliance)

5. Commission Assurances

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the program sponsor must:

  1. assure that the sponsor will fulfill all of the applicable standards of program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the Commission,
  2. assure that all candidates participating in public school-based field activities hold a Certificate of Clearance from the Commission,
  3. assure that the approved program sponsor will cooperate in an evaluation of the program by an external team or a monitoring of the program by a Commission staff member, and
  4. assure that the approved program sponsor will participate fully in the Commission's accreditation system, including the timely submission of documents required for accreditation.

Response:
The CSUB School of Social Sciences and Education is currently accredited for the professional education programs reviewed in this document. As a part of the Continuous Improvement Cycle, the programs welcome the opportunity to participate in program evaluation and accreditation review from the Commission and will fully participate in the accreditation system (Commission Cooperation & Participation Assurance letter from Dean).

6. Requests for Data

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity must identify a qualified officer responsible for reporting and responding to all requests from the Commission for data including, but not limited to, program enrollments, program completers, examination results, including performance assessments, and state and federal reporting within the time limits specified by the Commission. Institutional contact information must be updated annually.
 

Response:
The Director of Education Assessment and Accreditation (Mrs. Debbie Meadows) in partnership with the Chairpersons of Teacher Education (Dr. Bre Evans-Santiago) and Advanced Educational Studies (Dr. Yeunjoo Lee) are responsible for ensuring all requests for program, unit, and institutional data from the CTC and Committee on Accreditation are responded to in a timely manner. The Director and Chairpersons of these departments are supported in responding to requests for data by Ms. Amanda Thrasher, the Assessment and Records Coordinator for the School of Social Sciences and Education.

Dean RodrÍ­guez provides assurance that CSUB's contact information will be updated with the Commission annually (Data Assurance letter from the Dean).

7. Veracity in All Claims and Documentation Submitted

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity must positively affirm the veracity of all statements and documentation submitted to the Commission.
 

Response:
The Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education and the Educator Preparation Programs (EPP) positively affirm the veracity of all statements and documentation submitted to the Commission by the CSUB School of Social Sciences and Education. It is understood that false claims or documentation are cause for the Commission on Accreditation to place stipulations on the institution (Veracity Assurance letter from Dean).

8. Grievance Process

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the approved program sponsor must have a clearly delineated grievance process for candidates and applicants. The grievance process information must be accessible to all candidates and applicants and the institution must be prepared to provide documentation that candidates have been informed of the grievance process and that the process has been followed.
 

Response:
CSUB offers students a process to grieve a grade or non-academic situation. Complaints and grievances are covered under a policy known as Student Complaint and Grievance Procedures (see CSUB Grievance Policy). For disposition concerns, the School of Social Sciences and Education has an Appeals Process for the Disposition. Applicants and Candidates are informed of these procedures on the program websites and in handbooks and syllabi. Documentation regarding specific grievances and disposition assessments are available onsite.

9. Faculty and Instructional Personnel Participation

All faculty and instructional personnel employed by colleges and universities who regularly teach one or more courses in an educator preparation program leading to a credential, shall actively participate in the public school system at least once every three academic years, appropriate to their credential area. Faculty who are not in the Department, School or College of Education are exempt from this requirement. Reference: Education Code Section 44227.5 (a) and (b)
 

Response:
CSUB School of Social Sciences and Education faculty involved in the preparation of educator candidates in both the Department of Teacher Education and the Department of Advanced Educational Studies are actively involved with P-12 education in Kern and Los Angeles Counties. Regular faculty involvement includes supervision of teacher candidates, interns, and administrative candidates in their P-12 fieldwork assignments, professional development presentations for P-12 teachers and administrators, and participation in community organizations. Education community outreach includes the Bakersfield City School District Learning to Teach Advisory Committee, Kern Induction Collaborative Committee, Antelope Valley Special Education Community Advisory Committee, Teacher Education Advisory Committee, and the Professional Educators of Lancaster (CSUB EPP Community Involvement). Grants and scholarship, in addition to our Residency Program collaborations with local districts, ensure a strong level of collaboration between faculty and the local education community.

Faculty and instructional personnel are sent a Google Form to note their public school participation activities. The Faculty and Instructional Personnel school participation chart provides faculty and instructional personnel names and how they have met the public school participation requirement.

10. Communication and Information

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the approved program sponsor must provide easily accessible and accurate information to the public, prospective educators, and enrolled candidates about the requirements for admission and successful completion for all its educator preparation programs.
 

Response:
The School of Social Sciences and Education hosts websites for each of our educator preparation programs on the main CSUB website. Each of these websites is fully accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a browser. On each website are links that provide accurate information about requirements for admission and for successful completion of the programs.

Accreditation

Credentials

Preliminary Multiple and Single Subject

Preliminary Education Specialist

Early Childhood Special Education Added Authorization

Bilingual Authorization

Reading Literacy Added Authorization

Preliminary Administrative Services

Pupil Personnel Services

11. Student Records Management

Access, and Security. To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the sponsor must demonstrate that it will maintain and retain student records in accordance with the institution's record retention policy. Institutions will provide verification that:

  1. Candidates and graduates will have access to and be provided with transcripts and/or other documents for the purpose of verifying academic units and program completion.
  2. All candidate records will be maintained at the main institutional site or central location (paper or digital copies).
  3. Records will be kept securely in locked cabinets or on a secure server located in a room not accessible by the public.

Response:
CSUB, including the School of Social Sciences and Education, follows all state and California State University policies and procedures for student data security.

  1. Candidates and graduates have continuous access to their unofficial transcripts through our PeopleSoft system. They can also request official transcripts from the Office of Admissions and Records. Our Credential Analyst is also available to provide documents, as needed, to current candidates and graduates. She routinely responds to requests for verification of units and program completion.
  2. All candidate records are securely maintained either electronically, through a password protected CSUB Box storage account, the PeopleSoft system, or by paper, in the Advising suite. Candidate records as of Fall 2020 are maintained digitally.
  3. Paper copies of candidate and graduate records are kept in a locked cabinet in a locked room within our Advising suite. This room is not accessible to the public.


(Student Records Assurance letter from Dean).

12. Disclosure

Institutions must disclose information regarding any outside organization that will be providing any direct educational services as all or part of the educator preparation programs sponsored by the institution and identify the type of services the outside organization will provide.

Response:
CSUB does not use any outside entity to provide direct educational services to candidates with the exception of candidate placement in public schools for clinical practice and internships. Copies of the Memorandums of Understanding and a full list of partner districts by program is linked below.