Preliminary Early Childhood Special Education Program Standards

Each program of professional preparation is implemented effectively in accordance with a cohesive design and sound evidence-based practices relevant to the contemporary conditions of schools. The design must reflect the full range of service delivery options, including general education as well as the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of students in the specific areas authorized by the credential. Programs ensure that candidates are well versed in delivering services in a wide variety of specialized academic instructional settings, including, but not limited to: the home, educational settings in hospitals/rehabilitation facilities and treatment centers, and classrooms, as well as provide itinerant instructional delivery and/or consultation in public/nonpublic school programs. The program’s organizational structure supports a logical and integrated progression for candidates for the instructional components including coursework and field work provided within the program. The program’s design and plan allow candidates multiple points of entry. 

The preparation provided to candidates is designed to address the range of candidate performance expectations. Coursework and fieldwork/clinical experiences provide candidates with opportunities to learn and practice competencies relating to the care and education of students with disabilities. Candidate preparation is grounded in the theoretical framework of developmentally, linguistically and culturally appropriate and bias-free practices for the care and education of students with disabilities as well as for collaborating effectively with families to support their student’s development and learning. These theoretical foundations are reflected in the organization, scope and sequence of the curriculum provided to candidates. The program prepares candidates to interface with other service providers (school, medical and agency based) which may include: hospital/clinic based personnel, the school nurse, occupational therapist, speech and language specialist, physical therapist, psychologist, orthopedist, paraprofessional/health care assistance, California Children’s Services, Regional Center, Department of Mental Health, Department of Rehabilitation, and other appropriate service providers. The program provides opportunities for each candidate to demonstrate knowledge of disability characteristics for which the candidate is seeking authorization to teach, and the educational and psychosocial implications of these characteristics for students identified with educational support needs who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The program prepares candidates in case management practices and strategies for students with disabilities and for those referred for special education services. 

Key elements within the curriculum include: typical and atypical child growth and development from birth through age 22; developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate pedagogy for students in key content areas in alignment with state-adopted content standards and frameworks; understanding the learning trajectories of young children to young adults; designing and implementing developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate curriculum and assessments; instruction in strategies to develop early literacy skills; understanding and analyzing student achievement outcomes to improve learning; understanding of the range of factors affecting student learning such as the effects of poverty, race, and socioeconomic status; and knowledge of the range of positive behavioral practices and supports for young children and young adults. The program’s curriculum also includes coursework and clinical practice opportunities for candidates to be able to identify the unique characteristics of students with autism spectrum disorders and the core challenges associated with language and communication, social skills, behavior, and processing and their implications for program planning and service delivery. The program’s design also includes a coherent candidate assessment system to provide formative information to candidates regarding their progress towards the intended level of certification. (See also Standard 2).

The Teaching Performance Expectations for credential candidates describe the set of professional knowledge, skills and abilities expected of a beginning level practitioner in order to effectively support the growth, development, and learning of all students and to work collaboratively with families to support all students in meeting the state-adopted academic content standards. 

The coursework and fieldwork/clinical experiences provide multiple opportunities for candidates to learn, apply, and reflect on each teaching performance expectation. As candidates progress through their preparation scope and sequence, pedagogical assignments are increasingly complex and challenging. The scope of the pedagogical assignments (a) addresses all of the TPEs as they apply to the subjects to be authorized by the credential, and (b) prepares the candidate for course-related and other assessments of their competence with respect to both the Universal TPEs and the Education Specialist TPEs. As candidates progress through the curriculum, faculty and other qualified supervisors assess candidates’ performance in relation to the TPEs and provide formative and timely performance feedback regarding candidates’ progress toward mastering the TPEs.

A. Organization of Clinical Practice Experiences

The program ensures that candidates have planned experiences and/or interactions that reflect the full diversity of grades/ages, federal disability categories and the continuum of special education services outlined in the specific credential authorization. The experiences are planned from the beginning of the program to include experiences in general education, experiences with parents and families, and experiences with a broad range of service delivery options leading to an extended culminating placement in which the candidate works toward assuming full responsibility for the provision of services in the specific credential authorization.  Experiences are of sufficient duration for the candidate to demonstrate the teaching performance expectations for Education Specialist teachers. The culminating placement may be in any school, agency or program as defined in Education Code Sections 56031, 56360, and 56361 for the purpose of providing special education services. Fieldwork/Clinical experiences are designed to provide candidates with a developmental set of activities integrated with coursework that extend the candidate’s learning through application of theory to practice with students in California’s education settings.

Fieldwork provides opportunities for candidates to observe a variety of classrooms and settings and to select focus students for deeper observational study, including students who are dual language learners and who may (a) exhibit typical behavior; (b) exhibit atypical behavior; and (c) have other types of special learning needs. Fieldwork also provides opportunities for candidates to observe teachers using productive routines and effective transitions for students’ academic and socio-emotional growth and development. Candidates are provided with opportunities to review the curriculum and to further develop pedagogical knowledge of high leverage practices in subject matter areas, including early language and literacy for first and second language learners, mathematics, science, technology, engineering, social studies, and arts as appropriate. Candidates can observe the administration of a range of assessments. Candidates are also able to observe how personnel organize and supervise the work of other adults in inclusive and specialized education settings.

Clinical practice is a developmental and sequential set of activities integrated with theoretical and pedagogical coursework and must consist of a minimum of 600 hours of clinical practice across the arc of the program. At least 200 hours of supervised early field work that includes guided observations and initial student teaching (e.g., co-planning and co-teaching, or guided teaching) must be provided to candidates in general education and special education settings prior to final student teaching. Final student teaching shall consist of (400 hours) in the desired credential area. For interns, early field experience would take place in experienced mentor classrooms in both general education and special education settings. Candidates must have a range of experience that reflects the diversity of age and grade levels, the range of federal disability categories, and the continuum of special education services. Candidates should have experiences with a range of diverse students and families reflective of the demographics of California.

Dual credential programs leading to both a general and a special education credential are required to have substantive experiences in general education, inclusive, and special education settings within the 600 hours, and are encouraged to extend clinical practice for an additional 150 hours.

Candidates who are working in private schools and seeking a credential are required to complete a substantive clinical experience of at least 150 hours in a diverse school setting where the curriculum aligns with California’s adopted content standards and frameworks and the school reflects the diversity of California’s student population.

The program provides initial orientation for preparation program supervisors and district-employed supervisors of clinical practice experiences to ensure all supervisors understand their role and expectations. The minimal amount of program supervision involving formal evaluation of each candidate must be 4 times per quarter or 6 times per semester. The minimum amount of district-employed supervisors’ support and guidance must be 5 hours per week.

Clinical supervision may include an in-person site visit, video capture or synchronous video observation, but it must be archived either by annotated video or scripted observations and evaluated based on the TPEs, that produce data that can be aggregated and disaggregated.

B. Preparation of Faculty and/or Site Supervisors and/or Program Directors

The program selects individuals who are credentialed or who have equivalent experience in educator preparation. Supervisors should be experts in the education specialist instructional area of the candidate being supervised and should have recent professional experience in school settings where the curriculum aligns with California’s adopted content standards and frameworks and the school reflects the diversity of California’s student population. The program provides supervisors with an orientation to the program’s expectations and ensures that supervisors are knowledgeable about the program curriculum and assessments, including the TPEs and TPA model chosen by the program. In addition, program supervisors maintain current knowledge of effective supervision approaches such as cognitive coaching, adult learning theory, and current content-specific pedagogy and instructional practices for teachers in whose classrooms or settings candidate experiences will take place to ensure that all supervisors of fieldwork/clinical practice experiences and all cooperating education specialist teachers understand their roles and expectations.

C. Criteria for School Placements

Sites selected for candidate experiences should demonstrate commitment to developmentally and culturally appropriate practices as well as to collaborative relationships with families. In addition, these sites should also demonstrate placement of students with disabilities in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), provide support for dual language learners with disabilities, and offer the opportunity for candidates to interact with different age groups in both general and special education settings reflecting the continuum of placement options. They should also reflect to the extent possible socioeconomic, linguistic, and cultural diversity, and permit video capture for candidate reflection. Sites selected should have a fully qualified master/mentor teacher with an appropriate credential and a fully qualified site administrator.

D. Criteria for the Selection of District Employed Supervisors 

(also, may be known as the cooperating teacher, master teacher or on-site mentor)

The program should select district supervisors who hold a Clear Education Specialist Credential for which they are providing supervision and having a minimum of three years of birth through age 22 teaching experience. The district-employed supervisor must have demonstrated exemplary teaching practices as determined by the employer and the preparation program. The matching of candidate and district-employed supervisor must be a collaborative process between the school district and the program.

The program provides district-employed supervisors a minimum of 10 hours of initial orientation to the program curriculum, adult learning theory, and current content-specific pedagogical and instructional practices, as well as to effective supervision approaches such as cognitive coaching. To facilitate district-employed supervisors meeting program expectations, the program ensures that district-employed supervisors remain current in the knowledge and skills necessary for effective candidate supervision.

Program faculty, program supervisors, and district-employed supervisors monitor and support candidates during their progress towards meeting and mastering the TPEs. Evidence regarding candidate progress and performance is used to guide advisement and assistance efforts. The program provides support and assistance to candidates and only retains candidates who are suited for advancement into teaching. Appropriate information is accessible to guide candidates’ meeting all program requirements.

Prior to recommending each candidate for an Education Specialist teaching credential, one or more persons responsible for the program must determine on the basis of thoroughly documented evidence that each candidate has demonstrated a satisfactory performance on the full range of Universal and Education Specialist Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) as these apply to the subjects and specialties authorized by the credential. During the program, candidates are guided and coached on their performance in relation to the TPEs using formative evaluation processes. Verification of candidate performance on the TPEs is provided through candidate passing of the Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) model selected by the preparation program

Before exiting the preliminary program, candidates, district-employed supervisors, and program supervisors collaborate on an individual development plan (IDP) consisting of recommendations for professional development and growth in the candidate’s clear credential program. The plan is a portable document archived by the preliminary program and provided to the candidate for voluntary transmission to the clear/induction program.

See CTC Document of Program Standard 7 --- Hyperlinked Here