Preconditions Preliminary Special Education Intern

1. Bachelor's Degree Requirement

Candidates admitted to internship programs must hold baccalaureate degrees or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. Reference: Education Code Sections 44325, 44326, 44453.

 

Response:
To be considered for admittance to our Special Education Intern Program, applicants must submit official transcripts as proof of having completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education. The Intern Credential Application notes the requirement of a BA, on page two of the attached document.

2. Subject Matter Requirement

Each Multiple Subject intern admitted into the program has passed the Commission-approved subject matter examinations(s) for the subject area(s) in which the Intern is authorized to teach, and each Single Subject intern admitted into the program has passed the Commission-approved subject matter examination(s) or completed the subject matter program for the subject areas(s) in which the Intern is authorized to teach. Reference: Education Code Section 44325(c) (3).

Response:
To be considered for admittance to our Special Education Intern Program, applicants must have completed subject matter competency, as evidenced by passage of the appropriate CSET or a subject matter waiver (for single subject only). The Intern Credential Application notes this requirement, on page two and is verified on the Credential Analyst's Intern Recommendation Form.

3. Pre-Service Requirement

  1. Each Multiple and Single Subject Internship program must include a minimum of 120 clock hour (or the semester or quarter unit equivalent) pre-service component which includes foundational preparation in general pedagogy including classroom management and planning, reading/language arts, subject specific pedagogy, human development, and specific content regarding the teaching English Learners pursuant to California Code of Regulations §80033.
     

    Response:
    Not applicable to the CSUB SPED programs.
     

  2. Each Education Specialist Internship program includes a minimum of 120 clock hour (or the semester or quarter unit equivalent) pre-service component which includes foundational preparation in pedagogy including classroom management and planning, reading/language arts, specialty specific pedagogy, human development, and teaching English Learners.
     

    Response:
    To be considered for admittance to our Special Education Intern program, applicants must provide documentation of 120 clock hours of pre-service instruction. Coursework offered to fulfill this requirement includes: EDSP 4800: Early Field Experiences in Diverse Classrooms, EDSP 4260: Establishing Foundations in Diverse Classrooms, and EDTE 4100: Teaching Diverse Students in Inclusive Settings. The Education Specialist Preservice Intern Hours document lists the courses in which candidates can complete hours for the preservice requirement, and the number of hours expected in each course. The hours of service for each course are required to pass the course. Thus, successful passage of the course confirms that the candidate has met the hour requirement.

    In addition, the Intern Eligibility Verification Form, is completed by the Credential Analyst when a candidate contacts them for intern eligibility. The analyst uses our internal student record management system (PeopleSoft)  to confirm that all classes listed on the Preservice Intern Hours document have been successfully completed. Once they have evaluated the candidate's record to confirm that all classes have been passed — and thus all preservice hours completed — they issue an intern eligibility letter.

4. Professional Development Plan

The employing district has developed and implemented a Professional Development Plan for interns in consultation with a Commission-approved program of teacher preparation. The plan shall include all of the following:

  1. Provisions for an annual evaluation of the intern.
  2. A description of the courses to be completed by the intern, if any, and a plan for the completion of preservice or other clinical training, if any, including student teaching.
  3. Additional instruction during the first semester of service, for interns teaching in kindergarten or grades 1 to 6 inclusive, in child development and teaching methods, and special education programs for pupils with mild and moderate disabilities.
  4. Instruction, during the first year of service, for interns teaching children in bilingual classes in the culture and methods of teaching bilingual children, and instruction in the etiology and methods of teaching children with mild and moderate disabilities.

Response:
MOUs are established with employing districts that outline the specific details of the Intern requirements and the delineation of responsibilities between the university and the employing district (Intern Professional Development Plan). Evaluation and assessment of the performance of each certificated employee shall be made at least once each school year for probationary personnel. This evaluation is done by the hiring district.

In our Special Education intern program, the employing districts are not responsible for any courses (Special Education Program Plan).

Intern teachers teaching in kindergarten through sixth grade receive professional development opportunities that are embedded in their site-based and district-based instructional support. This support occurs throughout the year. The content is related to various cognitive learning modes and stages for children/child development, and also includes special education strategies for student learning. This site/district-based instruction is provided throughout the academic year and does cover the first semester of intern credentials issued in CSUB's fall semester and spring semester.

This professional development/instruction is facilitated by district-assigned, qualified site mentors, program specialists, academic coaches, department chairs, administrative leaders, and new teacher support program administrators, and during interns' regularly scheduled grade-level-specific and content-specific professional development meetings.  Instruction is provided in whole-group settings with reflection and individualized guidance to help the intern teacher apply the instruction to their specific classroom setting/students. This instructional support is documented specifically with the date, amount of time, type of support, and who provided the support in the intern teacher's Recipient Support Log in the Support Management System.

This instruction and support is provided weekly by a qualified on-site mentor. Mentors provide support to intern teachers and document this work through our Field Experience LiveText module. The log documents the support type, amount of time, and additional notes for clarity of needed.

We do not offer an intern bilingual authorization; however, all interns must successfully complete the program prerequisite course EDTE 4100: Teaching Diverse Students in Inclusive Settings.

5. Supervisions of Interns

  1. In all internship programs, the participating institutions in partnership with employing districts shall provide 144 hours of support and supervision annually and 45 hours of support and supervision specific to teaching English learners pursuant to California Code of Regulations §80033.
  2. University Intern Programs only: No intern's salary may be reduced by more than 1/8 of its total to pay for supervision, and the salary of the intern shall not be less than the minimum base salary paid to a regularly certificated person. If the intern salary is reduced, no more than eight interns may be advised by one district support person. Reference: Education Code Section 44462. Institutions will describe the procedures used in assigning supervisors and, where applicable, the system used to pay for supervision.
     

Response:
All interns must document support hours according to the table below:

 

Intern and Mentor/Support Provider Combined Per Semester

University Per Semester

Intern and Mentor/Support Provider Combined Per Year

University Per Year

Total Hours Required Per Year

General Support and Supervision

60

12

120

24

144

EL Specific Support and Supervision — If Required

15

7.5

30

15

45

Total Support and Supervision

75

19.5

150

39

189

 

The Intern Application page 7 outlines the Intern Hours of Support and Supervision
https://www.csub.edu/sse/credentials/_files/Intern_Application.pdf

Interns are provided with support and supervision every semester that they are enrolled in the Intern Program and are teaching under an Intern Credential. Interns enroll in intern-specific courses (EDSP 6860 and EDSP 6880 CSUB Course catalog ) each semester, and they receive a range of support and supervision in a variety of areas including the following: fundamental organization, constructing IEPs, classroom management, instructional skills, lesson/unit planning, working with paraprofessionals, teaching culturally diverse learners, and professional development.

The intern memorandum of understanding details the ways in which the participating districts supervise and support the student interns (Blank Intern MOU).

The CSUB credential programs do not reduce an intern's salary, and the university pays the university supervisor to provide support and supervision in the field.

6. Assignment and Authorization

To receive program approval, the participating institution authorizes the candidates in an internship program to assume the functions that are authorized by the regular standard credential. Reference: Education Code Section 44454. The institution stipulates that the interns' services meet the instructional or service needs of the participating district(s). Reference: Education Code Section 44458.
 

Response:
The intern is required to perform all faculty duties assigned, including those preparatory to the beginning of school, to the same degree as a fully certified teacher in the same school. They must meet the ethical, legal, and other professional standards expected of a credentialed teacher Interns must be enrolled in a plan of study aligned with their intern teaching assignment: either mild/moderate or moderate/severe (SPED Program Plan of Study).

 

7. Participating Districts

Participating districts are public school districts or county offices of education. Submissions for approval must identify the specific districts involved and the specific credential(s) involved. Reference: Education Code Sections 44321 and 44452.
 

Response:
CSUB teacher preparation programs stay in close contact with on-campus and school district partners through regular meetings of the Provost office's Teacher Education Advisory Committee (TEAC). In addition, program faculty and staff participate in many community based committees and partnerships (EPP Community Involvement).

The blank Memorandum of Understanding and a full list of partner districts by program is linked below.

8. Early Program Completion Option

(Does not apply to an Education Specialist intern program)
Each intern program must make available to candidates who qualify for the option the opportunity to choose an early program completion option, culminating in a five year preliminary teaching credential. This option must be made available to interns who meet the following requirements:

  1. Pass a written assessment adopted by the commission that assesses knowledge of teaching foundations as well as all of the following:
    • Human development as it relates to teaching and learning aligned with the state content and performance standards for K-12 students
    • Techniques to address learning differences, including working with students with special needs
    • Techniques to address working with English learners to provide access to the curriculum
    • Reading instruction in accordance with state standards
    • Assessment of student progress based on the state content and performance standards
    • Classroom management techniques
    • Methods of teaching the subject fields
  2. Pass the teaching performance assessment. This assessment may be taken only one time by an intern participating in the early completion option.
  3. Pass the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) (Multiple Subject Credential only).
  4. Meet the requirements for teacher fitness.

An intern who chooses the early completion option but is not successful in passing the assessment may complete his or her full internship program. (Reference: Education Code Section 44468).
 

Response:
Not applicable to the CSUB SPED Intern programs.

9. Length of Validity of the Intern Certificate

Each intern certificate will be valid for a period of two years. However, a certificate may be valid for three years if the intern is participating in a program leading to the attainment of a specialist credential to teach students, or for four years if the intern is participating in a district intern program leading to the attainment of both a multiple subject or a single subject teaching credential and a specialist credential to teach students with mild/moderate disabilities. Reference: Education Code Section 44325 (b).
 

Response:
University Intern credentials are valid for a period of two years. An intern credential may be extended due to extenuating circumstances and is determined on a case-by-case basis, upon program faculty review and recommendation to the department chair who sends approval to the credential analyst for completion.

10. Non-Displacement of Certificated Employees

The institution and participating districts must certify that interns do not displace certificated employees in participating districts.
 

Response:
Internships are provided to candidates employed in participating districts when a certificated educator cannot be provided.

11. Justification of Internship Program

When an institution submits a program for initial or continuing accreditation, the institution must explain why the internship is being implemented. Programs that are developed to meet employment shortages must include a statement from the participating district(s) about the availability of qualified certificated persons holding the credential. The exclusive representative of certificated employees in the credential area (when applicable) is encouraged to submit a written statement to the Committee on Accreditation agreeing or disagreeing with the justification that is submitted.
 

Response:
The internship program is provided to participating school districts who have demonstrated the need to fill a position when a fully certificated educator is not available due to a geographic and/or subject area shortage.

12. Bilingual Language Proficiency

Each intern who is authorized to teach in bilingual classrooms has passed the language proficiency subtest of the Commission-approved assessment program leading to the Bilingual Crosscultural Language and Academic Development Certificate. Reference: Education Code Section 44325 (c) (4).
 

Response:
CSUB does not offer a Bilingual Authorization concurrent with the Intern Program.