Certificated employees: professional services credential: out-of-state applicants.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law establishes minimum requirements for a professional services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services and authorizes the holder of that credential to perform, at all grades levels, the pupil personnel service approved by the commission as designated on the credential, which may include, among other areas of service, school counseling and child welfare and attendance services, as provided. Existing law authorizes the commission to approve a program of professional preparation offered by a local educational agency for a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services in the area of child welfare and attendance services if the program meets specified requirements, as provided.

This bill would, instead, authorize the commission to approve a program of professional preparation offered by a local educational agency for a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services in any area of service if the program meets those specified requirements. The bill would require a local educational agency's program of professional preparation for a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services in any area other than the area of child welfare and attendance services to be in partnership with a regionally accredited institution of higher education. The bill would require the commission to issue a preliminary professional services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services to an out-of-state prepared applicant who satisfies alternative specified requirements and would provide that the credential is valid for a period of 2 years and is eligible for renewal for a period of no more than 2 years, as specified.