Initial Program Preconditions

PRECONDITION LANGUAGE

(1)  Demonstration of Need

To be granted initial program accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the program sponsor must demonstrate the need for the type of program in the service area in which it will operate or a need for educators prepared through the specific program delivery model. Proposals must include data on the number of individuals currently serving on less than full credentials, where available, in the service area of the proposed program, projected need based on a needs analysis, and affirmations from employers with their anticipated hiring need for individuals with the planned credential. 

EVIDENCE FOR PRECONDITION

In multiple meetings from our advisory board and with districts that regularly work with Santa Clara University’s Teaching Credential program, there has been a consistent affirmation that there is a need for additional teachers that hold the Education Specialist credential in order to service children and youth identified with disabilities or with language processing issues across all federal disability categories. District partners have written letters (See Appendix A1) affirming the hiring need for individual with the Education Specialist credential, including:

·      Santa Clara Unified School District

·      The Foundation for Hispanic Education

·      Sunnyvale School District  

·      East Side Union High School District

Moreover, the California Educator Supply web page lists only 84 Education Specialist credentials issued during the 2018-19 for the entire Santa Clara County area. According to a letter from the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) there are approximately 144 openings in Santa Clara County for Special Education teachers. At the end of February 2023, there were 194 special education job openings and 93 job postings on EdJoin for Santa Clara County alone. 

This shortage of Special Education teachers is statewide (Lambert, 2020). Data from CTC illustrates that in 2017-2018 there were more special education teachers with substandard credentials than any other subject area. 

Nationally, schools are struggling to hire special education teachers. According to IES' January 2022 School Pulse Survey, 44% of public schools reported teacher vacancies. Of these schools, 45% reported vacancies for special education teachers—far higher than the percentages reporting vacancies in mathematics (16%), English/language arts (13%), or English learner education (13%).

(2) Collaboration in Program Design and Implementation

To be granted initial program accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the program sponsor must demonstrate evidence of collaboration between institutions of higher education, employers of credentialed educators, and TK-12 practitioners in the design of the program. This evidence must include verification that the partners will share authority and responsibility for the implementation and continuous improvement of the proposed educator preparation program as negotiated in the partnership agreement. 

The faculty met with professor Susan De La Paz, expert in Special Education. The meetings took place during the 2018-19 academic year to assist in the design of assignments, readings, and case studies to address students with disabilities in our program. 

We have also met with local district practitioners (Melissa Rojek, Campbell Union School District, Alicia Vento, Alum Rock Union School District, Nasa Cole, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District), employers of the Inclusion Collaborative at SCCOE (Santa Clara County office of Education—Kathy Wahl) to receive feedback and to develop the Education Specialist program (See Agenda & Minutes Appendix A2) 

Members of the Education Advisory Board (Beth Majchrzak, Deanna Sainten, Geoff Wen, Hilaria Bauer, Jesus Rios) have been presented with the implementation plan as well as updates on the new program with the intent of receiving feedback to continuously improve the Education Specialist Program. (See Agenda & Minutes for 2021 Meeting Appendix A3)