Applying to a Teaching Credential Program

Applying to a teaching credential program is not easy. It takes time, resources and patience. These are things that are not abundant for people that are graduating from school or looking to change careers which ultimately can hinder the process of becoming a teacher. Additionally, many of the websites on teaching credentials or the process of applying are out of date and very hard to navigate.Here are a couple observations and learning lessons from my experience.

I’ve looked at a couple of different programs Cal Lutheran University, Cal State Channel Island and Cal State Teach. Each one offer different options and have different requirements to apply. This is usual and the majority of college students will have experience in looking at different programs to find one that fits best.

Here are some universal “expected” teaching credential requirements:

Letter of recommendation
Bachelor’s Degree
Transcripts from colleges

However, the issue with getting into a teaching credential program is the need to fulfill state requirements prior to applying and being accepted into a program. Additionally, depending on how you answer questions and do on the tests it could push back your application to your perspective school. It is important to be on top of deadlines and the required documentation.

Here are some of the more time consuming/costly requirements:

Certificate of Clearance (This can take up to 2 months)
Step 1 – LifeScan, fingerprints and send application to CA state – $50+
Step 2- Submit application for clearance. $50+
Step 3 – (as required) Send supporting documents ie criminal history
Negative TB Test – (need to make appointment with Dr./go back the following day)
Cbest – Some schools let you take the Cbest while in your foundation courses and some require you to complete the test prior to enrolling for courses. All require you to register to take the test.
Cset – Some schools let you take the Cset while in your foundation courses and some require you to complete the test prior to enrolling for courses. All require you to register to take the test to complete your application.

Ultimately, perspective teachers are looking at ways to become independent, establish a career and make a difference. When thinking about teacher pipelines, we need to be aware of socio-economic factors that contribute to the drop off in the prospective teacher pipeline. Missing a deadline can be the difference between becoming a teacher or finding a different career path. A $35,000 dollar job in a different field that pays today can largely influence the path of debt straddled graduate.

Hopefully this information can help push another future teacher further down the pipeline.

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