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Become a Career Technical Education Teacher

The Center for Teacher Preparation is proud to offer the Designated Subjects Career Technical Education (DSCTE) Teaching Credential Program, which includes both preliminary and clear credentials. The program encompasses a sequence of coursework designed to prepare teacher candidates for success in secondary settings in a teacher candidate-chosen industry sector. We are committed to training CTE teachers that enable students to complete high school and enter into employment that pays a living wage, and/or attend a post-secondary institution.

Our program has a flexible enrollment period that occurs biannually, once in the fall and again in winter. Our staff guides teacher candidates - regardless of what phase they are in receiving their DSCTE teaching credential - to complete their track with a clear credential in hand. This includes a full English language (EL) certification required to teach in California public schools.

DSCTE Interest Form

RCOE CTE Unit

ARCGIS Map of K-12 CTE Pathways 

Credential Track Overview

CREDENTIAL TRACK PREREQUISITES AND ELIGIBILITY TIMEFRAME
Aspiring
  • Without a CTE course teaching assignment. 
  • Industry experience (3,000 hours).
  • High school diploma/GED.
  • DOJ/Certificate of Clearance.
  • 3,000 hours may be a combination of education and industry experience.
 5 Semesters
Traditional
  • With a CTE course teaching assignment.
  • Industry experience (3,000 hours).
  • DOJ/Certificate of Clearance.
  • High school diploma/GED.
  • 3,000 hours may be a combination of education and industry experience.
 4 Semesters
Advanced
  • With a CTE course teaching assignment. 
  • Industry experience (3,000 hours).
  • Possesses a Clear Teaching Credential (General Education or Education Specialist).
  • 3,000 hours may be a combination of education and industry experience. 
 2 Semesters
Instructional Leader
  • With an administrative assignment.
  • Industry experience (3,000 hours).
  • Possess a Clear Administrative Services Credential (CASC).
  • Possesses a Clear Teaching Credential (General Education or Education Specialist).
  • 3,000 hours may be a combination of education and industry experience. 
Note: Candidates will receive a Designated Subjects CTE teaching credential, not the Supervision and Coordination Credential.		  1 Semester

Guide to Program Eligibility

The following steps are intended to serve as a guide to eligibility for the Center for Teacher Preparation DSCTE Teaching Credential Program. Final eligibility and candidate acceptance is subject to an initial screening of official records conducted by the RCOE Credential Services department upon submission of your application.

The Eligibility Criteria consists of three components: Required Minimum Education, Required Industry Experience Hours, and Required Industry Experience Recency.

To determine whether you are eligible for the program, read through each of the three sections below.

You must meet ONE of the following:

  • Possess a high school diploma.
  • Possess a diploma based on the passage of the GED Test.
  • Possess a foreign equivalent of a high school diploma.

If you possess one of the above, you may be eligible. Please move to Section 2: Required Industry Experience (below).

If you do not possess on of the above, you are not currently eligible for the DSCTE Teaching Credential Program.

The options available for meeting the criteria for Section 2: 3,000 Required Industry Experience Hours are outlined below. Candidates must meet ONE of the following options:

Experience Option A

Worked part time or full-time in the industry sector for a minimum of three years with at least 1,000 hours worked per year. (3,000 hours)

Experience Option B

Worked part time or full-time in the industry sector for a minimum of two years with at least 1,000 hours worked per year. (2,000 hours)

AND

Have ONE of the following (1,000 hours):

  • Advanced industry certificate directly related to the industry sector.
  • Have 24 semester units of post-secondary vocational training related to the industry.
  • Have at least one year of full time general education teaching in preschool or grades K-12 in a private or public school.

Experience Option C

Worked part time or full-time in the industry sector for a minimum of one year with at least 1,000 hours worked per year. (1,000 hours)

AND

Have 48 semester units of post-secondary vocational training related to the industry. (2,000 hours)

OR

Have TWO of the following (2,000 hours):

  • Advanced industry certificate directly related to the industry sector.
  • Have 24 semester units of post-secondary vocational training related to the industry.
  • Have at least one year of full-time general education teaching in preschool or grades K-12 in a private or public school.

If you met one of the above, you may be eligible. Please move to Section 3: Required Industry Experience Recency (below).

If you do not meet one of the above, you are not currently eligible for the DSCTE Teaching Credential Program.

The options available for meeting the criteria for Section 3: Required Industry Experience Recency are outlined below. Candidates must meet ONE of the following options.

  • At least one year of the required industry experience years occurred within the last five years.
  • At least two years of the required industry experience years occurred within the last ten years.

If you met one of the above as well as Section 1 and Section 2, you are eligible to submit an application to the CTE Program.

If you do not meet one of the above, you are not currently eligible for the DSCTE Teaching Credential Program. 

Enrollment Overview

Fill out the application and you will be prompted to pay the $100 application fee.

After you apply, you will be sent an email with specific instructions for submitting your work experience verification letter(s), official transcripts, and your Certificate of Clearance (COC).

Once you have gathered these three components, you will be contacted to schedule your advisement meeting.

Each track offered by the DSCTE Teaching Credential Program is distinct. For that reason, details regarding next steps to complete your enrollment will be discussed during a personalized advisement meeting with the program’s Credential Administrator.

During advisement you will be provided information about:

    • Paying a fee to convert participation in courses into units upon completing program.

    • Opportunities to use program coursework as part of the requirement to obtain a bachelor's or master's degree with partnered universities. 

Program Fees

The following table itemizes the total cost for the 5 semester Aspiring Track program.

 Fees  Cost
 Application Fee  $100
 Program Fee  $3,700 ($1,850/year)
 CTC and University Coursework Fees (approximate, each University has different fees)  $750
 Advanced Program Prep  $900
 Total  $5,450


Note: Program fees are approximated due to the level of previous education prospective candidates have upon entering the program (i.e., those with bachelor's degrees typically do not need to take the additional university coursework).

The following table itemizes the total cost for the 4 semester Traditional Track program.

 Fees  Cost
 Application Fee  $100
 Program Fee  $3,700 ($1,850/year)
 CTC and University Coursework Fees (approximate, each University has different fees)  $750
 Total  $4,550


Note: Program fees are approximated due to the level of previous education prospective candidates have upon entering the program (i.e., those with bachelor's degrees typically do not need to take the additional university coursework).

The following table itemizes the total cost for the 2 semester Advanced Track program.

 Fees  Cost
 Application Fee  $100
 CTC Fees  $102.50
 Advanced Program Prep  $900
 Total  $1,102.50

The following table itemizes the total cost for the 1 semester Instructional Leader Trackprogram.

 Fees  Cost
 Application Fee  $100
 CTC Fees  $102.50
 Advanced Program Prep  $900
 Total  $1,102.50

If you have any questions, please fill out the interest form so that you can be contacted quickly by the Outreach Team

Lissette Magaña, Ed.D.
Director I

 

To be contacted by the Outreach Team, please send an email to soeoutreach@rcoe.us.