2005 California Education Code Sections 44325-44329 Article 7.5. District Interns

44325.  (a) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall issue
district intern credentials authorizing persons employed by a school
district that maintains kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive,
or that maintains classes in bilingual education to provide classroom
instruction to pupils in those grades and classes in accordance with
the requirements of Section 44830.3.  The commission, until January
1, 2008, also shall issue district intern credentials authorizing
persons employed by a school district to provide classroom
instruction to pupils with mild and moderate disabilities in special
education classes, in accordance with the requirements of Section
44830.3.
   (b) Each district intern credential is valid for a period of two
years.  A credential may be valid for three years if the intern is
participating in a program that leads to the attainment of a
specialist credential to teach pupils with mild and moderate
disabilities or four years if the intern is participating in a
program that leads to the attainment of both a multiple subject or
single subject teaching credential and a specialist credential to
teach pupils with mild and moderate disabilities.  Upon the
recommendation of the school district, the commission may grant a
one-year extension of the district intern credential.
   (c) The commission shall require each applicant for a district
intern credential to demonstrate that he or she meets all of the
following minimum qualifications for that credential:
   (1) The possession of a baccalaureate degree conferred by a
regionally accredited institution of postsecondary education.
   (2) The successful passage of the state basic skills proficiency
test administered under Sections 44252 and 44252.5.
   (3) The successful completion of the appropriate subject matter
examination administered by the commission, or a commission-approved
subject matter preparation program for the subject areas in which the
district intern is authorized to teach.
   (4) The oral language component of the assessment program leading
to the bilingual-crosscultural language and academic development
certificate for persons seeking a district intern credential to teach
bilingual education classes.
   (d) The commission shall apply the requirements of Sections 44339,
44340, and 44341 to each applicant for a district intern credential.
   (e) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall ensure that each
district internship program in California provides program elements
to its interns as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of
2001 (20 U.S.C.  Sec. 6301 et seq.) and its implementing
regulations.
44326.  (a) Persons holding district intern credentials issued by
the commission under Section 44325 to teach in grades 9 to 12,
inclusive, or in grades 6 to 8, inclusive, in a departmentalized
program, or in departmentalized bilingual classes, shall be
authorized to teach in the subject area in which they have met the
subject matter requirement.
   (b) Persons holding district intern credentials issued by the
commission under Section 44325 to teach in kindergarten and grades 1
to 8, inclusive, in a self-contained program or in self-contained
bilingual classes who have completed a commission approved academic
diversified or liberal arts subject matter program that includes the
subject matter coursework prescribed in Section 44314 or who have met
the subject matter requirements by passing the subject matter
examination approved by the commission for this purpose, shall be
authorized to teach in those grades or classes.
   (c) Before being assigned to teach pupils with mild and moderate
disabilities, persons holding district intern credentials issued by
the commission under Section 44325 to teach those pupils shall meet
the requirements of subdivision (b).
   (d) Each district intern is required to teach with the assistance
and guidance of certificated employees selected through a competitive
process adopted by the governing board after consultation with the
exclusive teacher representative unit or by personnel employed by
institutions of higher education to supervise student teachers.
   (e) A certificated employee who assists the district intern shall
possess valid certification at the same level or of the same type of
credential as the district interns they serve.
44327.  (a) On or before July 1, 1995, the commission, in
consultation with participating school districts and other affected
organizations, shall revise existing standards, and adopt additional
standards, as necessary, related to the quality of the training,
support, evaluation, and performance of district interns.  The
standards shall be appropriate for an alternative program of teacher
recruitment, preparation, and certification.  Each school district
with a district intern program is responsible for maintaining
appropriate records of the program so that the credit earned by each
district intern is transferable to his or her academic record in the
same manner as if the intern had participated in a college or
university program.  To the extent feasible, the standards shall also
be equivalent to the standards of the commission for professional
preparation programs in colleges and universities.
   (b) Commencing July 1, 1989, the commission shall periodically
review district intern programs on the basis of the standards adopted
pursuant to subdivision (a).
   (c) The commission is not authorized to approve district intern
programs.  On or before March 15, 1988, the commission shall inform
all school districts in the state of the district intern program
option, and shall disseminate its recommended standards to all
districts.  On or before March 15, 1995, the commission shall inform
school districts of the current district intern program options.
44328.  (a) Unless the commission determines that substantial
evidence exists that a person is unqualified to teach, upon the
completion of successful service as a district intern pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 44325, and upon the recommendation of the
school district governing board, the commission shall award
professional credentials to district interns in the same manner as
applicants recommended for credentials by institutions that operate
approved programs of professional preparation.
   (b) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of
Section 44225, paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) of subdivision (b)
of Section 44259, paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision
(c) of Section 44259, and Sections 44261, 44265, and 44335, it is the
intent of the Legislature that, upon recommendation by the governing
board, district interns shall be issued professional credentials,
rather than preliminary credentials, upon the completion of
successful service as a teacher pursuant to subdivision (b) of
Section 44325, unless the governing board recommends, and the
commission finds substantial evidence, that the person is not
qualified to teach.  A school district may require a district intern
who is pursuing a professional credential to complete an approved
induction program if funds are available or approved coursework in
accordance with paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 44259.
Pursuant to Article 11 (commencing with Section 44380), teachers
participating in an induction program pursuant to Article 4.5
(commencing with Section 44279.1) are no longer eligible for funding
under the district intern program.
   (c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), the governing board
of a school district may request the commission to issue a
preliminary teaching credential to an intern who has met the
requirements for a preliminary teaching credential, as specified in
subdivision (b) of Section 44259, but who has not successfully
completed the requirements for a professional clear credential
pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 44259.
   (d) Notwithstanding Section 44261, the preliminary credential
awarded to any district intern holding a district intern credential
to teach bilingual education classes shall be a basic teaching
credential with a bilingual-crosscultural language and academic
development emphasis.  Notwithstanding Section 44265, the preliminary
credential awarded to any district intern who holds a district
intern credential to teach special education pupils with mild and
moderate disabilities shall be a special education specialist
instruction credential that authorizes the holder to teach special
education pupils with mild and moderate disabilities.
   (e) It is the intent of the Legislature that institutions of
higher education that operate approved programs of professional
preparation work cooperatively with school districts that offer
district intern programs for a special education specialist
credential to apply the regular education coursework and fieldwork
from the special education district intern program toward earning a
multiple or single subject teaching credential through the
institution.
44329.  On or before January 1, 2007, the commission shall prepare
and submit a report to the Legislature that summarizes the
regulations adopted by the commission to expand statewide the
issuance of district intern certificates that authorize classroom
instruction to pupils with mild and moderate disabilities and the
pilot program established by subdivision (e) of Section 44325.  The
report shall also analyze the effectiveness of persons who hold those
certificates.