Evaluation of the California Community College Teacher Credentialing Partnership Pilot Program

AN LAO REPORT Evaluation of the California Community College Teacher Credentialing Partnership Pilot Program GABRIEL PETEK | LEGISLATIVE ANALYST | MARCH 2023 SUMMARY State Has Many Teacher Preparation Programs. California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) accredits about 100 institutions—mostly public and private universities—to operate teaching preparation programs. Most programs provide coursework to teacher preparation students (all of whom already have a bachelor’s degree) in an in-person format, though some offer instruction online. Though many individuals complete their teacher preparation program prior to their first teaching job, individuals under certain conditions may complete those programs while being employed as a teacher. Under state law, community colleges are not permitted to offer teacher preparation programs. Pilot Authorized Community Colleges to Serve as Points of Access to Online Teacher Preparation Programs. In 2018, the Legislature authorized a pilot seeking to increase individuals’ access to teacher preparation programs. Chapter 603 of 2018 (SB 577, Dodd) authorized the California Community Colleges (CCC) Chancellor’s Office and CTC to award up to three grants of $500,000 each to community colleges that formed collaboratives with universities offering teacher preparation instruction via distance learning (typically online courses). Students in the collaboratives were to travel to a community college and access their teacher preparation coursework in a technology-supported classroom. Grant funds were to cover costs such as equipping CCC classrooms with Wi-Fi, providing technology support to students, and providing professional development to university faculty teaching online courses. The 2019-20 budget provided CCC with $1.5 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for the pilot. Chapter 603 required the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) to evaluate the pilot and report to the Legislature and Department of Finance by April 1, 2023. This report fulfills that statutory requirement. Pilot’s Three Grantees Implemented Program in Similar Ways. A total of three community college districts—Feather River, Monterey Peninsula, and Yuba—applied for and were awarded grants in fall 2020. Due to the pandemic, the Chancellor’s Office and CTC allowed grantees to rethink their original proposals and consider implementing a new program model—one that did not necessarily involve teacher preparation students coming to a community college campus to access teacher preparation courses remotely. Monterey Peninsula and Yuba decided on a new approach focused on providing various support services to prospective and current teacher preparation students. Feather River did not clarify whether it pivoted to a new approach, but data it provided to our office show that its collaborative provided a similar set of services. Feather River concluded its pilot in January 2023 while Monterey Peninsula and Yuba have until summer 2023 to complete their pilots. Chapter 603’s Program Model Has Key Drawbacks, Recommend Not Bringing to Scale. We find no compelling evidence that Chapter 603’s program model helped meet the state’s core objective of increasing access to teacher credentialing programs. Online teacher credentialing programs already operate in the state and fully online programs have capacity to serve more students. Moreover, in large part due to recent legislative investments in broadband, statewide access to internet service is widespread and improving. Furthermore, individuals are likely to be able to access online coursework in more convenient locations than community colleges, including at their homes, local libraries, or schools of employment. For all of these reasons, we recommend the Legislature not bring the pilot to scale and not provide any more funding for it. We would note, however, that the state has provided considerable funding the past few years for other initiatives designed to improve access to teacher preparation programs. www.lao.ca.gov 1 AN LAO REPORT INTRODUCTION State Created Pilot Seeking to Improve The 2019-20 budget package provided $1.5 million Access to Teacher Credentialing Programs. one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for the pilot. In 2018, the Legislature enacted Chapter 603, Statute Requires Our Office to Evaluate the which created the CCC Teacher Credentialing Pilot. Chapter 603 requires the LAO to evaluate the Partnership Pilot Program (pilot). The legislation pilot and report to the Legislature and Department aimed to address a concern that some individuals of Finance by April 1, 2023. Chapter 603 contains in certain areas of the state might not have no specific evaluation requirements for LAO, other sufficient access to teacher education programs, than reporting on “implementation of the program.” which might be inhibiting the supply of teachers This report fulfills that statutory requirement. The in those areas. The pilot specifically sought to report has five main sections. In the first section, improve access to teacher preparation programs we provide background on teacher credentialing by encouraging community colleges to partner requirements and programs. In the second with universities. Under the legislation, up to three section, we describe Chapter 603’s requirements. community colleges were authorized to offer In the third section, we provide our findings on on-site classrooms from which students could implementation of the pilot. In the fourth section, we access university teacher preparation programs via assess the pilot and in the final section we make an distance learning (such as through online courses). associated recommendation. BACKGROUND In this section, we provide a list of key by passing the California Basic Educational requirements to become a credentialed teacher, Skills Test (CBEST). give an overview of teacher credentialing programs • Demonstrate knowledge in the subject or in California, and describe how individuals may subjects they intend to teach, which can teach temporarily without a credential. Under be done by passing the California Subject state law, community colleges generally are to Examinations for Teachers (CSET). provide lower-division instruction to undergraduate • Enroll in a CTC-approved teacher students and are not authorized to offer teacher preparation program and complete all preparation programs. coursework and clinical practice hours Individuals Must Meet Various Requirements required by the program. Statute requires to Become a Credentialed Teacher. In California, individuals to complete a minimum of there are several pathways to becoming a 600 hours of in-classroom clinical time with credentialed teacher but all of them require K-12 students under the supervision of a candidates to meet certain requirements. credentialed teacher. The required knowledge and skills often are • Demonstrate the ability to instruct and demonstrated by passing certain assessments. assess students by passing a Teaching In addition to passing a criminal background Performance Assessment. check and meeting certain other requirements, “Fifth-Year” Program Is State’s Traditional individuals must: Route to Becoming a Teacher. The most • Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally common pathway to becoming a credentialed accredited college. teacher in California is for an individual to obtain a • Demonstrate basic proficiency in reading, bachelor’s degree, demonstrate basic proficiency writing, and mathematics, which can be done (and sometimes subject matter competency), 2 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT and then enter a one-year postbaccalaureate and simultaneously take coursework toward a full teacher preparation program at a CTC-accredited credential. During their program, these individuals institution. These fifth-year programs typically teach on what is known as an “intern credential,” require individuals to first take coursework which typically is valid for two to three years while covering various topics such as lesson planning they finish their coursework and obtain a regular and classroom management, then complete a credential. As with traditional fifth-year programs, semester of student teaching (which is unpaid). there are internship programs that allow interns This traditional pathway is offered at 32 public to teach various grades levels and subject areas. universities (all California State University [CSU] Though most intern programs provide coursework campuses and all University of California [UC] on an in-person basis, some intern programs general campuses) and about 50 private (mostly are online. nonprofit) universities. Universities often offer In Certain Cases, State Allows Districts different types of teacher preparation programs, to Hire Teachers Who Are Not Credentialed. including multiple subject credentialing programs When districts are unable to hire a credentialed for elementary school teachers and various single teacher for immediate staffing needs, they may subject credentialing programs for high school request permission from CTC to hire individuals on (and often middle school) teachers. Some teacher emergency permits. Permits typically are valid for preparation programs are offered online, though only one year. Two of the most common emergency programs offered in-person are more common. permits are the Provisional Internship Permit Intern Programs Allow Individuals to (PIP) and Short-Term Staff Permit (STSP). These Get Paid as Teachers While They Complete permit holders have a bachelor’s degree and have Coursework. The next most common teacher demonstrated basic proficiency but typically have pathway is for individuals to obtain their bachelor’s not yet demonstrated subject matter competency, degree, demonstrate basic proficiency as well as such as by passing the applicable CSET. Because subject matter competency, and then complete individuals teaching with a PIP or STSP are already their teacher preparation program while teaching employed and teaching at a school, their typical full time. CTC authorizes 60 public and private teacher preparation pathway is to enroll in an intern universities, along with 19 local educational program once they pass the CSET. The intern agencies (primarily county offices of education), option allows them to continue teaching during the to administer teacher preparation intern day and take the required program coursework programs. These programs allow individuals to (either in-person or online) after hours. be employed as a paid teacher in a local school AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION In this section, we provide a summary of in the state) offering teacher preparation programs Chapter 603’s requirements. could be part of the collaboratives. Though not Chapter 603 Sought to Increase Access to explicitly mentioned in statute, the administering Teacher Preparation Programs. Chapter 603 agencies decided to allow local educational authorized CTC, in coordination with the CCC agencies with CTC-approved teacher intern Chancellor’s Office, to award up to three grants not programs also to be part of the collaboratives. to exceed $500,000 each. Chapter 603 specified The program model was for teacher preparation these grants be provided to collaboratives, with programs to offer coursework through distance each collaborative consisting of at least one education (typically online) and for students in the community college and at least one teacher pilot to travel to a community college to access preparation program. The legislation specified that that instruction remotely in a technology-enhanced CSU, UC, and private nonprofit institutions (located classroom or laboratory. In so doing, the www.lao.ca.gov 3 AN LAO REPORT legislation sought to bring teacher credentialing professional development for teacher preparation programs to areas of the state that lacked such faculty teaching courses online, and a CCC educational opportunities. assistant to staff the classroom (such as to unlock Chapter 603 Set Forth Certain Program classroom doors for students and help them access Requirements. First, grantees must include as a the internet). Figure 1 summarizes all the allowable “primary target population to take courses under uses of the funds as specified in Chapter 603. the pilot program” individuals currently teaching on Chapter 603 did not appropriate funding for the a PIP or STSP. Also, teacher preparation programs pilot. Instead, it stated that grants only can be cannot charge students in the pilot collaboratives awarded to the extent funding is provided through more than their standard tuition and fee rates. the budget process. The 2019-20 budget package Additionally, teacher preparation programs subsequently provided CCC with $1.5 million participating in the collaboratives must use current one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for the pilot. faculty teaching courses that they already offer to regular teacher Figure 1 preparation students. Chapter 603 Identified Several Allowable Uses of Chapter 603 Specified How Grant Funds Collaboratives Could Use Grant As Ordered in Statute Funds. Under the legislation, collaboratives could use grant • Professional development for teacher preparation program staff on teaching online. funds to cover various startup • Compensation for CCC assistant assigned to monitor classroom. costs to develop and implement • Technology upgrades for CCC classrooms where teacher preparation courses are offered remotely. the pilot. These activities included • Student outreach and retention services. outreach to recruit students, • Data collection. funding to equip community college • Cross system alignment. classrooms with means to facilitate • “Other” startup costs related to the pilot program. online instruction (such as Wi-Fi), FINDINGS In this section, we describe the grant award Figure 2 shows each of the CCC grantees and their process, highlight grantees’ major activities, and teacher preparation partners in the pilot. Monterey provide available data on pilot outcomes. Peninsula’s and Yuba’s collaboratives included Grant Award Process Figure 2 Three Community College Districts Applied to Grantees Formed Collaboratives With Be Part of the Pilot. As the first step in implementing Teacher Preparation Partners the pilot, the Chancellor’s Office and CTC issued a request for proposals in March 2020. The proposals Feather River CCD: Butte County Office of Education were due to the Chancellor’s Office and CTC by San Diego State University July 2020. Three community college districts— Monterey Peninsula CCD: Feather River, Monterey Peninsula, and Yuba— CSU Monterey Bay submitted applications. The Chancellor’s Office Monterey County Office of Education and CTC staff reviewed the proposals. In August Yuba CCD: 2020, the Chancellor’s Office and CTC announced CSU Chico intent to award grants to all three applicants. The Lake County Office of Education William Jessup University CCC Board of Governors approved these three CCD = Community College District. grant recipients at its September 2020 meeting. 4 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT both traditional and intern pathway options for Grantee’s Major Activities various credential programs (including multiple and Grantees Pivoted to Different Program single subject). Feather River did not specify in its Model Focused on Providing Student Support. application the pathway or pathways to be offered After consulting and planning with their teacher but indicated its collaborative would offer both preparation partners, Monterey Peninsula and multiple and single subject credential programs Yuba decided on a new approach. These two focusing on teaching English learners. collaboratives began providing support services Original Plan Was for Grantees to Begin to students in fall 2021 and early 2022. Feather Implementing Pilots by Fall 2020. Monterey River did not clarify whether it pivoted to a new Peninsula’s and Yuba’s proposals, budgets, approach, but data it provided to our office show and work plans assumed the original intent of that its collaborative provided similar services. Chapter 603—that teacher preparation students Figure 3 shows the various ways the three college would travel to one of the participating community grantees have used their funds. All three grantees colleges to access online coursework. Feather chose to provide services to prospective teacher River’s application did not specify whether its preparation students as well as students already in program model included an in-person component teacher preparation programs. As the figure shows, at the college. The Chancellor’s Office and CTC’s services have included tutoring for students on their original plan was for grantees to begin their pilot teacher credentialing coursework and providing test activities in fall 2020—with grantees enrolling the vouchers for the CBEST, CSET, and other tests. first cohort of students as early as January 2021— Grantees Took Somewhat Different and to conclude those activities by the end of 2022. Approaches on Allocating Funds Within The final report on pilot activities and outcomes Collaboratives. Yuba decided to give each of its (including program completion rates) was to be due three teacher credentialing partners (Chico State, to the Chancellor’s Office by early 2023. Lake County Office of Education, and William Due to the Pandemic, Grantees Were Jessup University) $100,000 to spend. The college Permitted to Change Program Design and used the remaining funds for administrative and Timing. Given COVID-19 and widespread program staffing costs. Monterey Peninsula took a physical-campus closures in fall 2020 (with different approach by spending the funds directly considerable uncertainty about when campuses on behalf of its partners (such as by contracting might be able to reopen), the Chancellor’s Office with a third-party tutoring firm to provide services to and CTC agreed to give grantees an extra year to teacher preparation students). Feather River did not plan. In addition, grantees were permitted to rethink identify what approach it used in allocating funds their original proposals and consider implementing among its partners. a new program model—one that did not necessarily involve teacher preparation students coming to Figure 3 a community college campus to access teacher Recipients Have Used Grant Funds for preparation courses remotely. The Chancellor’s Various Purposes Office and CTC did not require grantees to resubmit proposals or workplans reflecting any new • Assist individuals with application process for teacher credential program. approach they might choose. • Provide guidance to participants on developing educational pathways plan. • Provide vouchers for various teacher-related exams.a • Fund tutoring and other assistance for teacher-related exams and credential-related coursework. • Provide peer-to-peer mentoring services. a Including California Basic Educational Skills Test, California Subject Examinations for Teachers, and Teaching Performance Assessment. www.lao.ca.gov 5 AN LAO REPORT Program Data The grantees’ final report with updated program data is due to the Chancellor’s Office by July 2023. Monterey Peninsula and Yuba Have Preliminary Data on Students Served. In fall Feather River Just Completed Its Final 2022, Monterey Peninsula and Yuba requested, Report. In contrast to Monterey Peninsula and and the Chancellor’s Office and CTC approved, Yuba, Feather River opted to maintain the original an extension to continue program operations pilot and reporting time line, which required it to through June 2023. Based on data reported to conclude the pilot by January 2023 and provide the Chancellor’s Office and CTC as of the end a final report to the Chancellor’s Office and CTC of June 2022 (the most recent data available), by February 2023. In its final report, Feather River Monterey Peninsula had served 58 students and reported serving a total of 17 students, with 10 of Yuba had served 113 students. As of that initial them earning a teaching credential. Of the ten reporting period, neither grantee had reported any completers, seven continued teaching at their of those students earning a teaching credential. same school and three found a job teaching at another school. ASSESSMENT In this section, we provide our assessment of lack connectivity, the vast majority have access. the pilot. According to an April 2022 report by the California Questionable Need for Program Model Public Utilities Commission, as of December Given Widespread Access Provided by Online 2020, about 350,000 households in the state were Programs. Chapter 603 sought to increase access considered “unserved” (defined as either having no to teacher credentialing programs by creating internet service available to them or speeds that collaboratives that allowed students to receive are too slow to support a reasonable service level). instruction via distance learning at a community This represents 2.6 percent of all households in college campus. California already has a number the state. The rate is an improvement from three of teacher preparation programs, however, that years earlier, when about 465,000 households students can access via distance education. (3.5 percent) were identified as unserved. For those CSU’s CalStateTEACH, which was launched in the individuals who do not have access to internet late 1990s, offers a multiple subject credentialing service and seek to take teacher preparation program and was created to serve both rural and coursework online, traveling to a community college urban areas of the state. CalStateTEACH staff to access online instruction may not be the best reports it has capacity to enroll more students and solution. Other locations may be more convenient rarely turns away eligible applicants. CSU East to more Californians. For example, the state has Bay, meanwhile, has a fully online single subject invested in broadband expansion at local libraries, credential program. Based on our review, a number which are more ubiquitous in the state than of other teacher preparation institutions in the community colleges and have tens of thousands of state—public as well as private, and in traditional computers available to the public. fifth-year as well as intern pathways—have fully Program Model Is Unlikely to Benefit online programs. Individuals Teaching on Permits. Chapter 603 Vast Majority of Californians Have Access to sought for the pilot to focus on individuals teaching Internet. Chapter 603 is predicated on community on emergency permits. Given these individuals are colleges needing to serve as points of access to currently teaching at a school (which very likely online instruction because many individuals lack has internet access), it is unclear why they would sufficient internet connectivity. Over past several find it convenient to drive to a community college years, though, the state has invested in expanding to access online instruction. If individuals are not access to broadband. While some Californians still near an in-person teacher credentialing program, 6 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE AN LAO REPORT accessing online instruction from their home or preparation students. Furthermore, it is unclear place of employment (school site) when not working how community colleges (with oversight by the (such as before or after school or during lunch Chancellor’s Office) are uniquely positioned to break) likely would be more convenient. To this administer support services to students in teacher point, grantees we spoke to at Monterey Peninsula preparation programs. These students are not and Yuba indicated that even when community community college students and community colleges began reopening their physical campuses, colleges lack expertise on coursework, teacher they decided not to implement their originally testing, and other fundamental aspects related planned program model given the prevalence of to recruiting and retaining teacher preparation internet access already available to students. students. If the Legislature is seeking to address Superfluous Role for Community Colleges. these issues, CTC and teacher preparation As discussed above, multiple indications suggest programs themselves would be a more direct and that community colleges are not needed as a better focus. point of access to remote instruction for teacher RECOMMENDATION Do Not Bring Pilot to Scale. We find State Has Funded Other Initiatives Aimed no compelling evidence that Chapter 603’s at Improving Access to Teacher Training program model helped increase access to Programs. We would note that the state has teacher credentialing programs. Online teacher provided considerable funding the past few credentialing programs already operate in the state years for other initiatives designed to improve and fully online programs like CalStateTEACH have access to teacher preparation programs as well capacity to serve more students. Statewide access as improve their affordability. Notably, the state to internet service is widespread and improving. is providing planning grants for universities to Moreover, individuals on emergency permits streamline teacher education pathways by allowing already teaching in schools have internet access students to earn an undergraduate degree and at their school sites as well as at other typically teaching credential within four years. The state convenient sites such as local libraries. In addition, also is funding the Golden State Teacher Grant teacher preparation (including student recruitment, program, which provides up to $20,000 to instruction, and retention) is unrelated to community eligible students enrolling in teaching preparation colleges’ mission and expertise. For all of these programs. Additionally, in 2022-23 and 2023-24, reasons, we recommend the Legislature not bring the state is waiving fees for exams required as the pilot to scale and not provide any more funding part of the teacher (as well as administrator) for it. preparation process. www.lao.ca.gov 7 AN LAO REPORT LAO PUBLICATIONS This report was prepared by Paul Steenhausen, and reviewed by Jennifer Pacella and Anthony Simbol. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) is a nonpartisan office that provides fiscal and policy information and advice to the Legislature. To request publications call (916) 445-4656. This report and others, as well as an e-mail subscription service, are available on the LAO’s website at www.lao.ca.gov. The LAO is located at 925 L Street, Suite 1000, Sacramento, California 95814. 8 LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE