6-8 Credential Questions


DATE:  March 7, 2011
TO:   Middle School Principals and Assistant Principals
FROM:  Myrna Vallely, Assistant Superintendent Human Resources
RE:   Master Schedule Development, Middle School Teacher Credentials
and Assignment of Staff

As you know, the Program Improvement status of the Vista Unified School District requires
close monitoring at all levels. Since the 2008/09 school year, the District has been monitored
through the Compliance, Monitoring, Interventions and Sanctions (CMIS) requirements. This
is due to VUSD continued program improvement status and because some VUSD teachers are not considered highly qualified under NCLB. If the teacher is assigned a course for which they do not hold an appropriate credential or meet NCLB subject matter requirements the District is found to be out of compliance.

Listed below are Questions and Answers regarding middle school credential requirements
and teacher assignments reflecting the VUSD requirements of the CMIS.

1. Must all the 7th and 8th grade teachers have a Single Subject credential or a Subject Matter Authorization by June 2012?

No.  The CMIS report does not have a set compliance date. Instead, the requirement is
that more advanced certification for middle school teachers will be met through attrition
and teachers obtaining additional certification. Therefore, as positions become open
in 7th and 8th grade, they will be filled with teachers holding more advanced certification.

2. What are the credentialing requirements for 7th and 8th grade core academic
    teachers whose assignment is either cored or departmentalized?

OPTIONS:
Language Arts/Social Science- 7th and 8th Grade:

·     Multiple Subject  credential with Subject Matter or Supplemental
Authorization

-OR-

·     Single Subject Credential: English and/or Social Science or any
Combination (including Subject Matter or Supplemental authorizations) as long as the teacher in cored classes has both English and Social Science authorizations.

Math/Science Core- 7th and 8th Grade:

·     Multiple subject credential with Subject Matter or Supplemental authorization

-OR-

·     Single Subject credential in Mathematics -or- Foundational Level Mathematics

and/or any science credential or any combination as long as the teacher in cored and holds authorizations in both mathematics and science.

3. How will the District fill these open positions?

As positions are posted, the credentialing requirement will be that 7th and 8th grade
teacher must hold a Subject Matter or Supplementary authorization -or- a
Single Subject credential in the core subject area they are teaching.

4. When will the District supported credentialing program end?

It is due to end in June 2012.

5. Is there a chance that these regulations will change and a teacher will be
    required to hold the more advanced certifications?

Yes.  If the Federal or State government changes the requirements under NCLB, the
District may require the higher level of certification for 7th and 8th grade teachers.

6. How many teachers have participated in the District-Sponsored Additional
    Certification Program?

Eighty (80) teachers are currently participating.

7. Can teachers still participate in this program?

Yes. Contact Certificated Human Resources, Acacia Thede, ext. 2269.

8. Why is the Federal government moving toward higher level certifications?

Teachers who hold a single subject credential or authorization have deeper subject
matter knowledge in their specific subject area. This knowledge has a direct link to the
successful instruction of students. It is this subject matter knowledge that can be a
significant factor in moving the District out of Program Improvement status.
In addition, the Federal government views the curriculum at 7th and 8th grade to be
secondary curriculum not elementary curriculum.

9. Does the CMIS Report require VUSD to stop coring assignments in 7th and 8th
    grades?

No. The CMIS Report only addresses the credentialing requirements for 7th and 8th
grade teachers. Master schedule development is not covered in this report.

10. What are the NCLB requirements for middle school SDC assignments?

A middle school SDC teacher must hold an appropriate Special Education credential
and meet NCLB compliance. NCLB compliance requires the Special Education SDC
teacher to hold a multiple subject credential or pass an elementary subject matter
exam (MSAT / CSET).

11. What are the credentialing requirements for RSP teachers?

·     Education Specialist Mild/Moderate credential

-OR-

·     Multiple Subject / Single Subject Credential and Specialist Instruction -LH and an RSP Certificate

12. What are the NCLB requirements for middle school RSP teachers?

This depends on the teaching assignment.  If the RSP teacher’s assignment provides instructional support and is not responsible for providing the core academic curriculum delivery then NCLB compliance is not triggered and therefore no additional NCLB certification is required.

However, if the RSP teacher has a pull out class and is responsible for delivering the core academic curriculum there are multiple avenues to achieve NCLB compliance. 

OPTIONS:

·     RSP-6th Grade-Pull Out teachers may meet Elementary NCLB Compliance by holding a Multiple Subject credential, or passage of the Elementary Multiple Subject MSAT or CSET examination

·     RSP-7th and 8th Grade- Pull Out teachers may meet Secondary NCLB Compliance by holding a Multiple Subject credential with Subject Matter or Supplemental Authorization, or by holding a Single Subject credential in the subject area(s) being taught or by completion of the Verification Process for Special Settings (VPSS) courses offered through the San Diego County Office of Education in specific core subject areas: English, Math, Social Studies, Science.

13. If a teacher holds National Board Certification in a particular subject area,
      does this meet the CMIS credentialing requirement? 

(For Example:  If a teacher obtains National Board Certification in Mathematics but only holds a multiple subject credential, can they be assigned to teach math at 7th or 8th grade?)

No.  National Board Certification within a subject area does not automatically give a teacher a credential in mathematics or any other certification area.  A teacher must complete a secondary methodology class in order to meet CTC requirements to add a single subject credential. 

To apply for the single subject credential, teachers may bring the National Board Certification along with a transcript for the methodology course to HR for help in completing the application.  A teacher with a single subject credential may be assigned to a 7th or 8th grade class in the credentialed area. 

Please contact me with questions or concerns.

MV:jl

cc: Barb Franklin, VTA President