Hello,
I have been reading forums and realize this is a site for international students obtaining certification but if fired I would test my luck.
I am currently living in CA & May be moving within two years. Because I have my bachelors degree already & am looking for the quickest & cheapest way to obtain my credential, I have come across both teach-now and TeacherReady. I like TeacherReady because it’s self-paced, about 1k cheaper & student teaching is shorter which would allow me to work more through certification. Also important to note: I will not be teaching in Florida or DC before transferring my certification to CA.
Between my husband and I, we will already be paying student loans back for a long time so the price on these programs is IDEAL. Plus, I can use my current employer for my student teaching. I am currently a substitute teacher for SB county. I work in special ed classes. I want to obtain my credential in special ed. I guess I have narrowed my questions to these...
1. Is it difficult to transfer a special ed credential from either of these 2 schools, to CA & will they meet all the requirements?
2. For the TeacherReady program, the student teaching is only 5 days at the end with integrated field work throughout the program, since I have sub-teaching experience, will this matter much?
3. Does CA view either of these as more qualified than the other?
4. If my student teaching is in a mod/severe class, will my CA credential be mod/severe or mild/mod?
5. What will be required (I have looked on ctc & emailed them only to get very vague info) in order to clear my credential?
@psyguy I have read so many responses from you & hope you can help me & give advice!
Thanks in advance :)
TeacherReady or Teach Now for CA
Re: TeacherReady or Teach Now for CA
Figured I would test my luck **
Not fired. Sorry.
Not fired. Sorry.
Re: TeacherReady or Teach Now for CA
Sorry for the confusion, yes I’m a US citizen.
Reply
@bwiles
Neither of them. In CA SPED/LD/SEN is different than other single subject or the multi subject credential. The BEST under any scenario you will get is the Lvl. 1 credential, which is only valid for 5 years and is non renewable. The Lvl. 2 credential will require you to go through an induction program and a preliminary specialty program, because CA does not recognize either Teach Now or Teach Ready as equivalent to their credentialing requirements. You will have to essentially redo an entire EPP/ITT program to get the Lvl. 2 credential. This is all in addition to the requirements that applying from out of state you will need to add an ESOL credential, 2 years of experience and a Masters degree (in most cases). The only benefit of coming into CA with a credential from FL (Teach Ready) or DC (Teach Now) is that you would be able to work during those 5 years while completing the induction and preliminary specialist requirements.
In response to your inquires:
1) The process isnt difficult. Neither Teach Now nor Teach Ready will meet all of CAs requirements requiring you to complete an induction and preliminary specialist program.
2) Your sub/relief experience wont matter at all. It doesnt change the contact hours nor the 5 day student teaching requirement.
3) CA doesnt view them as qualified at all, you will have no applicable coursework on a transcript for CTC nor a provider to evaluate.
4) In this regard Teach Now is better, there student teaching is 12 weeks where as Teach Ready is 5 days, the CTC isnt going to think that 5 days is worth anything or really qualifies you for one specialty over any other. Regardless there are no credits applicable to SPED that you will get from either program, though Teach Ready will give you credits that are at least accredited. Though none of them are in SPED.
You can request either Mild/Moderate, Moderate/Severe or EC SPED, though you will need to complete the preliminary specialist course work for any of them, as you wont have any.
5) They gave you a vague answer because they dont know. You would normally be required (assuming you have no experience) to complete an induction program and a preliminary specialist program and a ELA (English Learner Authorization) the three can be combined and completed as one program. However the rules are set to change in 2019 and they havent been published yet. They are likely to become congruent with the rest of the single subject fields with issuance of a general SPED credential and the specialty areas becoming optional endorsements.
Neither of them. In CA SPED/LD/SEN is different than other single subject or the multi subject credential. The BEST under any scenario you will get is the Lvl. 1 credential, which is only valid for 5 years and is non renewable. The Lvl. 2 credential will require you to go through an induction program and a preliminary specialty program, because CA does not recognize either Teach Now or Teach Ready as equivalent to their credentialing requirements. You will have to essentially redo an entire EPP/ITT program to get the Lvl. 2 credential. This is all in addition to the requirements that applying from out of state you will need to add an ESOL credential, 2 years of experience and a Masters degree (in most cases). The only benefit of coming into CA with a credential from FL (Teach Ready) or DC (Teach Now) is that you would be able to work during those 5 years while completing the induction and preliminary specialist requirements.
In response to your inquires:
1) The process isnt difficult. Neither Teach Now nor Teach Ready will meet all of CAs requirements requiring you to complete an induction and preliminary specialist program.
2) Your sub/relief experience wont matter at all. It doesnt change the contact hours nor the 5 day student teaching requirement.
3) CA doesnt view them as qualified at all, you will have no applicable coursework on a transcript for CTC nor a provider to evaluate.
4) In this regard Teach Now is better, there student teaching is 12 weeks where as Teach Ready is 5 days, the CTC isnt going to think that 5 days is worth anything or really qualifies you for one specialty over any other. Regardless there are no credits applicable to SPED that you will get from either program, though Teach Ready will give you credits that are at least accredited. Though none of them are in SPED.
You can request either Mild/Moderate, Moderate/Severe or EC SPED, though you will need to complete the preliminary specialist course work for any of them, as you wont have any.
5) They gave you a vague answer because they dont know. You would normally be required (assuming you have no experience) to complete an induction program and a preliminary specialist program and a ELA (English Learner Authorization) the three can be combined and completed as one program. However the rules are set to change in 2019 and they havent been published yet. They are likely to become congruent with the rest of the single subject fields with issuance of a general SPED credential and the specialty areas becoming optional endorsements.
Re: TeacherReady or Teach Now for CA
@psyguy
I see. That’s a bummer. Is it the same for a single subject?
I see. That’s a bummer. Is it the same for a single subject?
Reply
@bwiles
Yes, you can actually get a CLEAR credential coming into CA out of state. You will need a Masters (in most cases, CA doesnt except out of state PD, unless its something like IB or AP workshops, and few ITs have a 5 year 150 credit bachelors). You will need an ESOL credential (both FL and DC will allow you to add one by taking the exam), and you will need 2 years of classroom teaching experience. Without all of that you will receive a preliminary (5 year, non-renewable) credential, which will require an induction program to transition to the CLEAR credential.
Yes, you can actually get a CLEAR credential coming into CA out of state. You will need a Masters (in most cases, CA doesnt except out of state PD, unless its something like IB or AP workshops, and few ITs have a 5 year 150 credit bachelors). You will need an ESOL credential (both FL and DC will allow you to add one by taking the exam), and you will need 2 years of classroom teaching experience. Without all of that you will receive a preliminary (5 year, non-renewable) credential, which will require an induction program to transition to the CLEAR credential.
Re: TeacherReady or Teach Now for CA
@psyguy
Ok I understand. So basically I’m better off doinga program designed for ca teachers.
I really appreciate all the info you’ve given me! You’ve been super helpful. There’s a program wgu, western governors that I’m going to be looking into & was recommended to by someone else. If you’ve heard of them, what are your thoughts? I believe it’s western governors university.
Ok I understand. So basically I’m better off doinga program designed for ca teachers.
I really appreciate all the info you’ve given me! You’ve been super helpful. There’s a program wgu, western governors that I’m going to be looking into & was recommended to by someone else. If you’ve heard of them, what are your thoughts? I believe it’s western governors university.
Reply
@bwiles
It all depends what your going to do. SPED is one of those special case, but there are still advantages to doing your EPP/ITT SPED program through Teach Ready or Teach Now. Since your not going to teach before going to CA the requirements are about the same. You will have to do an induction program to begin with, but being in SPED thats not much of an issue, you will find a job in CA and your district/DS will provide you the induction program at no cost, and this is more likely to happen since SPED is in high demand in CA (doesnt matter whether you train inside or outside of CA).
The English Learner Authorization (ELA) is easier if you do it outside of CA than inside CA, as you can add an ESOL credential in both Teach Now (DC) and Teach Ready (FL) by taking the State certification exam which will cost you a day and a couple hundred USD.
As far as the preliminary specialist background you have to do that either way. Either you get the specialist program through the EPP/ITT program in CA or you complete it coming into CA from DC or FL. Either way its going to be doing some coursework at a Uni.
The real advantage to doing the Teach Now or Teach Ready Program are two fold 1) Is that you will be able to pursue employment on the preliminary credential while your in CA and likely while your doing your EPP/ITT program, as opposed to having to pay a Uni in CA to do an EPP/ITT program and student teaching. 2) The skills pathways programs of Teach Now and Teach Ready are much less expensive than an academic pathway in CA.
As for the other program subjects again it depends what your subject is in, because your ability to get a job as soon as your licensed is the critical factor. Assuming you have no special relationships to leverage, than fields like maths, hard science, technology/ICT are better done in CA as you will become employed relatively quickly and your DS/district will absorb the cost of your induction program which they will provide. If your subject areas are something like art or music or PE than your better doing the EPP/ITT program outside of CA as you will pay less for the credential and the likelihood of you finding employment in those fields in CA is minimal. You could be waiting forever (or longer than the 5 year preliminary credential is valid) requiring you sometime in your fourth year to pay for an induction program on your own which will duplicate the EPP/ITT program youd do inside CA. At least if you dont find a job in CA you will still have the out of state credential from FL or DC that you can renew.
As for WGU I almost never recommend them. What would be your plan? To do another Bachelors with Credential in SPED? Thats the only option they have in that subject since you dont have a current valid credential. Their Masters programs that include credentialing are limited to maths, science elementary and literature. Aside from that logistical issue, they are too expensive. They arent unreasonable, but 2 years will cost you USD$15K. You would spend less (about USD$12K total) doing the Teach Now or Teach Ready Program and (if you had to pay for it yourself) an induction program, combined would still save you USD$3K and would take you less time and would only cost you the EPP/ITT costs (about USD$6K for Teach Now/Teach Ready) when you become employed and the district/DS provides your induction program, and even after paying that USD$15K to WGU you still will have to induction. So If you have an extra USD$9K you dont know what to do with than sure WGU is an option.
It all depends what your going to do. SPED is one of those special case, but there are still advantages to doing your EPP/ITT SPED program through Teach Ready or Teach Now. Since your not going to teach before going to CA the requirements are about the same. You will have to do an induction program to begin with, but being in SPED thats not much of an issue, you will find a job in CA and your district/DS will provide you the induction program at no cost, and this is more likely to happen since SPED is in high demand in CA (doesnt matter whether you train inside or outside of CA).
The English Learner Authorization (ELA) is easier if you do it outside of CA than inside CA, as you can add an ESOL credential in both Teach Now (DC) and Teach Ready (FL) by taking the State certification exam which will cost you a day and a couple hundred USD.
As far as the preliminary specialist background you have to do that either way. Either you get the specialist program through the EPP/ITT program in CA or you complete it coming into CA from DC or FL. Either way its going to be doing some coursework at a Uni.
The real advantage to doing the Teach Now or Teach Ready Program are two fold 1) Is that you will be able to pursue employment on the preliminary credential while your in CA and likely while your doing your EPP/ITT program, as opposed to having to pay a Uni in CA to do an EPP/ITT program and student teaching. 2) The skills pathways programs of Teach Now and Teach Ready are much less expensive than an academic pathway in CA.
As for the other program subjects again it depends what your subject is in, because your ability to get a job as soon as your licensed is the critical factor. Assuming you have no special relationships to leverage, than fields like maths, hard science, technology/ICT are better done in CA as you will become employed relatively quickly and your DS/district will absorb the cost of your induction program which they will provide. If your subject areas are something like art or music or PE than your better doing the EPP/ITT program outside of CA as you will pay less for the credential and the likelihood of you finding employment in those fields in CA is minimal. You could be waiting forever (or longer than the 5 year preliminary credential is valid) requiring you sometime in your fourth year to pay for an induction program on your own which will duplicate the EPP/ITT program youd do inside CA. At least if you dont find a job in CA you will still have the out of state credential from FL or DC that you can renew.
As for WGU I almost never recommend them. What would be your plan? To do another Bachelors with Credential in SPED? Thats the only option they have in that subject since you dont have a current valid credential. Their Masters programs that include credentialing are limited to maths, science elementary and literature. Aside from that logistical issue, they are too expensive. They arent unreasonable, but 2 years will cost you USD$15K. You would spend less (about USD$12K total) doing the Teach Now or Teach Ready Program and (if you had to pay for it yourself) an induction program, combined would still save you USD$3K and would take you less time and would only cost you the EPP/ITT costs (about USD$6K for Teach Now/Teach Ready) when you become employed and the district/DS provides your induction program, and even after paying that USD$15K to WGU you still will have to induction. So If you have an extra USD$9K you dont know what to do with than sure WGU is an option.