General Institutional Preconditions

General Statement Applicable to all Preconditions for all Educator Preparation Programs Pursuant to Education Code Section 44227 (and 44265 where applicable for Education Specialist Program) each program of professional preparation that leads to a teaching or services credential shall adhere continually to the following requirements of California State Law or Commission Policy. Each institution must respond to the general preconditions as well as all other applicable program specific preconditions.

Please select each hyperlinked General Precondition below to view our narrative responses in black and hyperlinked evidence in gold.

General Precondition 1: Accreditation and Academic Credit

The program(s) must be operated by (a) Institutions of higher education: A college or university that (i) is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or another of the six regional accrediting associations, and (ii) grants baccalaureate academic credit or post-baccalaureate academic credit, or both. An institution approved to offer educator preparation in California must notify the Commission within 30 days if its regional accreditation status changes.

General Precondition 2: Enrollment and Completion

Once a candidate is accepted and enrolls in an educator preparation program, the approved program sponsor must offer the approved program, meeting the adopted standards, until the candidate: i. completes the program; ii. withdraws from the program; iii. is dropped from the program based on established criteria; or iv. is admitted to another approved program to complete the requirements, with minimal disruption, for the authorization. In the event the program closes, a teach out plan, which includes individual transition plans for each candidate as well as a plan for candidates and graduates to access their student records would need to be developed.

General Precondition 3: Responsibility and Authority

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity shall provide the following information: (a) Identify the position within the organizational structure that is responsible for ongoing oversight of all educator preparation programs offered by the entity (including educator preparation programs offered by an extension division, if any). (b) Provide a description of the reporting relationship between the position described in (a) and the individual(s) who coordinate each educator preparation program offered by the entity. If a reporting relationship is indirect, describe the levels of authority and responsibility for each educator preparation program. Include an organizational chart for the institution as well as the division(s) within the institution responsible for the oversight of educator preparation programs; include any parent organization, outside organization(s), or partner(s) who will be involved in the oversight of the educator preparation unit and/or responsible for any aspect of program delivery. (c) Provide policies to ensure that duties regarding credential recommendations are provided solely by persons who are current employees of the Commission approved institution.

General Precondition 4: Lawful Practices

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, a program of professional preparation must be proposed and operated by an entity that makes all personnel decisions without unlawful discrimination. These decisions include decisions regarding the admission, retention or graduation of students, and decisions regarding the employment, retention, or promotion of employees.

General Precondition 5: Commission Assurances

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the program sponsor must: (a) assure that the sponsor will fulfill all of the applicable standards of program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the Commission, (b) assure that all candidates participating in public school-based field activities hold a Certificate of Clearance from the Commission, (c) assure that the approved program sponsor will cooperate in an evaluation of the program by an external team or a monitoring of the program by a Commission staff member, and (d) assure that the approved program sponsor will participate fully in the Commission’s accreditation system, including the timely submission of documents required for accreditation.

General Precondition 6: Requests for Data

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity must identify a qualified officer responsible for reporting and responding to all requests from the Commission for data including, but not limited to, program enrollments, program completers, examination results, including performance assessments, and state and federal reporting within the time limits specified by the Commission. Institutional contact information must be updated annually.

General Precondition 7: Veracity in all Claims and Documentation Submitted

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the entity must positively affirmthe veracity of all statements and documentation submitted to the Commission.

General Precondition 8: Grievance Process

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the approved program sponsor must have a clearly delineated grievance process for candidates and applicants. The grievance process information must be accessible to all candidates and applicants and the institution must be prepared to provide documentation that candidates have been informed of the grievance process and that the process has been followed.

General Precondition 9: Faculty and Instructional Personnel Participation

All faculty and instructional personnel employed by colleges and universities who regularly teach one or more courses in an educator preparation program leading to a credential, shall actively participate in the public school system at least once every three academic years, appropriate to their credential area. Faculty who are not in the Department, School or College of Education are exempt from this requirement. Reference: Education Code Section 44227.5 (a) and (b).

General Precondition 10: Communication and Information

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the approved program sponsor must provide easily accessible and accurate information to the public, prospective educators, and enrolled candidates about the requirements for admission and successful completion for all its educator preparation programs.

General Precondition 11: Student Records Management, Access, and Security

To be granted continuing accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation, the sponsor must demonstrate that it will maintain and retain student records in accordance with the institution’s record retention policy. Institutions will provide verification that: (a) Candidates and graduates will have access to and be provided with transcripts and/or other documents for the purpose of verifying academic units and program completion. (b) All candidate records will be maintained at the main institutional site or central location (paper or digital copies). (c) Records will be kept securely in locked cabinets or on a secure server located in a room not accessible by the public.

General Precondition 12: Disclosure

Institutions must disclose information regarding any outside organizations that will be providing any direct educational services as all or part of the educator preparation programs sponsored by the institution and identify the type of services the outside organization will provide.

General Institutional Preconditions

General Preconditions ECSE Preconditions ASC Preconditions MS/SS Preconditions MS/SS Intern Preconditions