Policies and Procedures

All ESE Credential Program policies and procedures are subject to change at any time and without notice.

Academic Accommodations

If accommodations for disability are needed, a candidate is responsible for requesting academic accommodations from the Educator Support and Effectiveness (ESE) Program Director and for providing documentation of disability. VCOE strives to provide its customers with assistance to meet reasonable requests.

Academic Integrity

Candidates, mentors, and other participants in VCOE Educator Support and Effectiveness programs are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, treat colleagues and VCOE staff with respect, keep confidential information confidential, and demonstrate academic integrity. Misrepresentation, plagiarism, cheating, and other academic and professional misconduct are considered violations of VCOE program standards and will be referred to the Executive Director for appropriate action, which may include dropping the candidate, mentor, or participant from the program.

Additional Fees/Late Fees

See the Additional Program Policies section of the Handbook.

Admission

Admission to an ESE credential program is granted once the ESE Director and VCOE Academic Advisors have evaluated and approved a candidate’s application. An official letter of admission is emailed to accepted credential program candidates by Academic Advisors or designated ESE staff prior to the first class meeting. Included in the admission letter are the program start and end dates and descriptions of any additional program/credential requirements.

Advisement

Candidates who have questions about their eligibility for credential programs can contact an ESE Academic Advisor at academicadvise@vcoe.org. For questions about program scope and sequence, candidates should contact the Program Director. After admission, ESE Academic Advisors are available to provide advice and assistance to credential program candidates concerning their professional growth and additional opportunities.

Application Process

The process for applying to an ESE credential program is on the ESE website (www.vcoe.org/ese). Candidates must register and pay registration fees by the published deadline.

Attendance

Face-to-face classes, trainings, program orientations and culminations, and conferences begin on time. ESE directors and faculty may deny admittance to late arrivals. To receive credit for face-to-face attendance, candidates and mentors are expected to stay through the end of the session and complete any evaluations or Reflective Journals required by the program. Online courses are open during a specific window of time, and candidates are expected to complete all online activities and assignments within the required time frame.

Candidate Nondiscrimination Policy

VCOE shall not unlawfully discriminate in admission, retention, or graduation against properly qualified and eligible individuals by reason of their actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, or sexual orientation.

Children

ESE is unable to accommodate children at credential program orientations, trainings, conferences, and culminations; test preparation tutorials; or meetings held in the VCOE Conference and Educational Services Center. Upon request, ESE staff will provide nursing mothers with access to a private room in the Conference Center .

Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Fees

The CTC requires an application fee for the Clear Credential. Credential candidates can obtain application fee information from an ESE Academic Advisor or the CTC website. Application "fees shall be deemed earned earned upon receipt and shall not be refunded. . ." (Reference: Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 80487).

Code of Conduct

ESE credential program candidates are expected to behave in a professional manner and follow the ESE Professional Code of Conduct.

Credential Recommendations

At the conclusion of the program year, candidates who have successfully completed all their program requirements and have met any applicable additional credential requirements are eligible to receive a recommendation for the credential. Instructions to apply for credentials are available on the VCOE credential programs website. Candidates must complete and submit a credential request form. Upon receipt of the credential request form, ESE Academic Advisors will verify the eligibility of a candidate for the requested credential(s) prior to recommendation.

Drop

A candidate may be dropped from a credential program for reasons such as the candidate’s failure to make timely progress or failure to abide by the ESE Professional Code of Conduct. The notice of drop is initiated by the Program Director after numerous attempts to work with the candidate have been unsuccessful. Reasons for the drop and consequences for the candidate are clearly stated in the notice, and the candidate's employer is copied on the letter.

Eligibility

Eligibility for credential programs is determined by ESE Academic Advisors, based on the credentials candidates already hold and by the requirements of their employing school districts. See the "Credential Programs" section in the Handbook for program-specific requirements.

Equivalencies

Candidates who have completed program-related college or university coursework may be eligible for equivalencies that meet the program's standards-based competencies. Candidates who believe they might be eligible for equivalencies may contact an Academic Advisor at (805) 437-1320 or academicadvise@vcoe.org to make an appointment for an equivalency review and transcript evaluation. A fee will be charged for the review and evaluation. Granting of equivalencies may not change a candidate’s total credential program cost responsibility. Face-to-face and online course equivalencies are determined solely by ESE staff.

Exception to Policy

A petition process exists for candidates who seek an exception to stated program policies, procedures, and regulations. Petition forms are available from ESE Academic Advisors.

Extension, Leave of Absence, Withdrawal

VCOE Educator Support and Effectiveness credential programs are carefully designed to support candidates in completing program requirements by the Program Completion Date stated on the admission notice, Unforeseen circumstances may interrupt participation and delay a candidate's program completion. Candidates with extenuating circumstances (see "Serious and Compelling Reasons") should contact an ESE Academic Advisor at academicadvise@vcoe.org or (805) 437-1320 to determine whether to request a program extension, leave of absence, or withdrawal. Approval of extension and leave of absence requests are determined by the Program Director and are not guaranteed.

Grievance and Appeal Process

Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) has secured a process for program candidates who wish to file a grievance or appeal regarding program policies, procedures or requirements.

  1. You must contact an academic advisor at (805) 437-1320 or academicadvise@vcoe.org, who will obtain initial information and details regarding your grievance. Based on this, the advisor will provide you the appropriate form and instructions to complete and submit the form. Such forms may include:
    • Request for Extension
    • Request for Leave of Absence
    • Notice of Program Withdrawal
    • Request for Exception to Policy
    • Request to Appeal Scoring
  2. Once you have completed the appropriate form, submit it to the attention of an Academic Advisor. Your form will then be directed to the Program Director for review.
  3. The Program Director will interview you to clarify issues surrounding the grievance or appeal request.
  4. Based on the interview and other information, the Program Director will determine a decision and/or propose in writing a remedy to the grievance or appeal request. The proposal will be jointly agreed upon and signed by the Program Director and the credential candidate.

Late Submission of Coursework

Candidates are expected to make timely progress by submitting Program coursework on or before published due dates. Late fees may apply if assignments are submitted late. See the "Additional Program Policies" section in this Handbook.

Licensure vs. Employment

Documentation submitted to Educator Support and Effectiveness for evidence of completion of a California Credential recommendation is confidential and may not be used for employment evaluation purposes. Completion of a Ventura County credential program and a recommendation for a credential does not imply or ensure continued employment. Licensure requirements and employment criteria may differ. However, full licensure is a primary consideration in any district’s employment decisions.

Mentor/Coach Reassignment

If the initial pairing of a mentor and a candidate is not supporting the candidate’s ability to complete Program requirements, or either party is dissatisfied with the pairing, clear procedures are established for reassignments.

  1. The candidate contacts the Program Director; the mentor contacts the District Coordinator.
  2. The Program Director conducts an interview with the candidate or mentor to clarify issues surrounding the reconsideration of the mentor assignment.
  3. Based on the interview, the Program Director proposes a remedy, in writing, that may involve facilitating a meeting between the candidate and the mentor to resolve presenting problems and/or working with the candidate’s employer to facilitate assigning a new mentor.

After the proposal is jointly agreed upon, it is signed by the District and the candidate. Upon receipt of the signed agreement, the Program Director records the new mentor assigned in the candidate’s record.

Missed Conferences/Seminars

A candidate who does not attend a required conference may complete the conference the next time it is offered, usually during the following school year. The Program Director may require that a Request for Extension form be completed. Late fees may apply.

Orientation

New program candidates are required to attend an orientation after they are admitted. Candidates enroll for an orientation during the application process.

Prerequisites

Candidates must be in good standing, with coursework and fee payments up to date, in order to be eligible to enroll and participate in the next program semester or module. See the "Credential Programs" section of this Handbook.

Program Fees

The costs of credential programs are subject to change from year to year. VCOE Educator Support and Effectiveness (ESE) reserves the right to increase or modify listed program fees, without notice, until the date when instruction for the Program Year begins. Candidates employed by districts that have elected not to pay the full costs of the credential program are responsible for paying the balance due by the end of the Program Year. Candidates may enter into installment payment agreements with VCOE Educator Support and Effectiveness at the time of enrollment and only with the approval of the Program Director. Candidates who miss one or more approved payment plan due dates are in default, and their programs may be put on hold until payment is made, or they may be dropped from the program, at the discretion of the Director.

Program Hold

A candidate who has not completed semester/module requirements and/or not paid applicable program fees by the due date may not begin the next semester/module until coursework and fees are completed.

Program Year

Candidate admission letters clearly state the start and end dates of the credential programs in which candidates are enrolled. These dates constitute the Program Year.

Serious and Compelling Reasons

Candidates who request an extension or leave of absence must have verifiable reasons for their requests. Approval of requests is not guaranteed.

Examples of serious and compelling extenuating circumstances that are not under a candidate’s control, include but are not limited to:

  • Death of an immediate family member
  • Major medical issue experienced by the candidate or an immediate family member
  • Other extreme circumstances (considered on a case-by-case basis)

Examples of circumstances that are not considered extenuating or beyond a candidate's control:

  • Being unaware of a deadline, procedure, or policy
  • Experiencing scheduling conflicts with work and family commitments
  • Having a heavy caseload
  • Not knowing the date of a conference or face-to-face class or the opening/closing dates of an online course window

Timely Progress

At the time of application to an ESE credential program, each candidate acknowledges and signs off on the following statement: I understand and agree that it is my responsibility to make timely progress and complete all program requirements and responsibilities of the program; to attend and fully participate in the program requirements; and to submit all required evidence for program completion, including formative assessment evidence.

A credential candidate is expected to make reasonable academic progress toward obtaining a Clear credential or authorization by the end of the Program Year, which means that all requirements for each semester or module, including payment of applicable Program Fees, must be completed by due dates as a condition of enrollment in the next semester or module. A candidate who does not complete the requirements within the time frame will not be permitted to enroll in the next semester or module until the work is completed. See "Prerequisites" and "Program Hold."

University Credit and Transcripts

California Lutheran University (CLU) offers Professional Development Courses for Educators units to candidates in the Teacher Induction Program, Designated Subjects Credential Programs, Language and Academic Development Credential, Orthopedic Impairment Added Authorization in Special Education, and New and Returning Mentor programs. Units are earned upon successful completion of the program. Units may be used toward salary credit, but candidates and mentors should check with their employing schools or districts regarding their specific salary credit policies. Registration forms for unit credit are available on Canvas. Candidates and mentors must apply for unit credit by the required deadline specified on the unit registration form and then request their official transcripts directly from the California Lutheran University registrar (https://www.callutheran.edu/) after August 1. Educator Support and Effectiveness staff cannot request transcripts on behalf of candidates, as official transcripts are confidential.

VCOE Program Transcripts

VCOE program transcripts may benefit candidates who leave their employing schools or districts and who anticipate that their completed work might be transferable to another CTC-approved program in California. To arrange for official program transcripts, a candidate must contact an ESE Academic Advisor. Completion of a Transcript Request form is required.

VCOE Uniform Complaint Procedure

Candidates who wish to file a complaint concerning a Ventura County Office of Education employee will follow the VCOE Uniform Complaint Procedure.