Credential Program Newsletter - Spring 2008

Index

• Credential Office News
• WASC Accreditation Granted
• BCLAD
• Principal Leadership Program
• Education Specialist Masters Program
• Assumption Program of Loans for Education
• APLE
• Basic Skills Requirement
• New Office Locations

Credential Office News

This Spring we officially became the new "School of Education".   Since the move to the Bell Tower East, faculty and staff of Education are all convieniently located in one area. We are now a "One stop shop" for all of your teacher preparation needs, we have joined the Education faculty, and Field Placement office in a central location.   The main office is located in room 2805 of the Bell Tower East. The entire area has been completely renovated in order to accommodate the faculty and staff of the education department. Please stop by to say hello.

WASC Accreditation Granted

We are proud to announce that California State University Channel Islands was granted initial accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in May of this year.

The initial accreditation is quite a lengthy process with many site visits and reviews over a period of years. The initial accreditation cannot be granted to a University until the first freshman class has graduated. The Universities first freshman class graduated May 2007 and the initial accreditation was granted at the same time for the maximum time period of seven years.

Accreditation is important to the University and means that the institution has been independently reviewed by an accreditation agency. The agency studies the educational programs which are offered by the University to determine if they are uniform in consistency and quality. Accreditation is widely recognized by employers, professional associations, and other colleges and universities. This is very important for students who plan to transfer their credits in order to pursue a higher degree at another school, or plan to use their degree as proof of employability.

BCLAD

The BCLAD program is the newest addition to CSUCI’s Teacher Preparation Program. The program is taken in conjunction with the Multiple Subject Program. A student must be enrolled in the Multiple Subject program in order to complete the BCLAD. This program specifically prepares teachers for the diversity of languages and cultures often encountered in California’s public school classrooms. It prepares candidates to address the needs of students who speak English as a native language and /or as a second language in the elementary school setting. An underlying principle of the program is the belief that all children (regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, ability or economic status) are capable of learning. Emphasis is placed on the K-8 student as actively engaged in his/her learning.

Principal Leadership Program

The Educational Leadership Specialization prepares candidates to complete the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. Completion of this Level I administrative program prepares students to serve in positions of educational leadership in the California Public Schools. Through integration of course work and field experiences students are provided multiple opportunities to learn and practice the California Professional Standards for School Leaders.  The program offers students understanding of basic school administrative responsibilities including resource management, personnel supervision, and daily operational issues related to safety, law, and public policy. The Master of Arts in Education Leadership Specialization prepares candidates for leadership positions as school principals and for a variety of school leadership positions for which the preliminary administrative services credential is required.

Education Specialist Masters Program

The Special Education specialization prepares teachers and professionals for leadership roles in the field of special education and disabilities. Completion of this degree prepares graduates to further expand their knowledge of individuals with disabilities of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It equips practitioners with the knowledge of best practices and polices for working with students with disabilities. The Masters of Arts in Education with the Special Education specialization prepares graduates for leadership positions in the field special education and disabilities. These leaders can develop, implement, and evaluate programs and policies for individuals with disabilities; mentor special education teachers and allied professionals; conduct professional development and research; serve on policy committees; and advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Assumption Program of Loans for Education (APLE)

Are you planning on a career in Teaching grades K-12?  Are you planning on teaching in California? Have you taken out any loans to complete your education?

The California Student Aid Commission is now accepting applications for 2007-2008 until June 2008.  If you are currently a Junior, Senior, pre-requisite or full Credential student with educational loans please do not hesitate to apply today for this outstanding program.

The Assumption Program of Loans for Education (APLE) is a teacher incentive program designed to encourage students to become California teachers in a range of critical teacher shortage areas and in several types of high need schools. Administered by the California Student Aid Commission, the program assumes up to $19,000 in outstanding educational loan balances in return for four consecutive years of qualifying teaching service.

The Assumption Program of Loans for Education (APLE), a State program designed for students who are entering the teaching profession, enables students who are enrolled in a program leading to an initial teaching credential to have educational loans assumed by the California Student Aid Commission.

The basic APLE program assumes up to $11,000 in educational loans in association with four consecutive years of full-time teaching in a designated teacher shortage field in an eligible California K-12 public school. To be eligible to participate in the APLE program, an individual is required to teach in any one of the following:

• Mathematics
• Science
• English and Language Arts
• Foreign Language
• Special Education

High need areas are defined as follows:

• Schools serving a large population of students from low-income families,
• Low-performing schools, defined as those in the bottom 50 percentile of the Academic Performance Index (API),
• Schools having a high percentage of teachers holding emergency permits,
• Schools serving rural areas,
• State Special Schools.
  

APLE participants who teach in mathematics, science, or special education may receive both the basic $11,000 and up to $1,000 of additional loan assumption during each of four years. Another $1,000 of benefits may be received in each of the four years by individuals teaching mathematics, science or special education in a school ranked in the lowest 20 percentile of the State’s API, resulting in a maximum of $19,000 in loan assumption benefits.

The APLE program will assume educational loans that were incurred to meet the costs associated with obtaining a baccalaureate degree or an initial teaching credential through (a) one or more of the primary federal student loan programs or (b) institutional educational loans. For more information and an application please visit www.csusuccess.org/scholarship 

Basic Skils Requirement

Since 1983, the California Basic Educational Skills test (CBEST) has been the only option for meeting the state requirement for basic skills proficiency. Effective January 1, 2007, five new options to meet the basic skills requirement were added.  The following are the six options for meeting the basic skills requirement.  However, three of the options will not be available at this time as passing scores have not been established by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

• Passage of CBEST
• Passage of a basic skills exam from another state
• Passage of CSET: Multiple Subjects Plus Writing exam (for Multiple Subject candidates only)
• Passage of the ACT Plus Writing exam (not available at this time)
• Passage of the GRE (Graduate Record exam) (not available at this time)
• Passage of the SAT Reasoning exam (not available at this time)

NEW OFFICE LOCATIONS