Section 80615.2 - Bilingual Authorization Educator Preparation Program StandardsPursuant to Education Code sections 44225(h) and 44370 and in accordance with section 80615.4, the commission will assess applications for a bilingual teacher preparation program that meets the criteria set forth in this section and in section 80615.1 that has provided materials to demonstrate that the program addresses all bilingual teaching performance expectations as specified in 80615.3.
(a) Program Design. The bilingual teacher preparation program provides an explicit guiding statement of its philosophy, purpose, and rationale relating to bilingual education. This guiding statement acts as a modality for teaching and learning, advancing the educational success of bilingual learners and facilitating the effective participation of bilingual citizens within schools and communities. Consistent with the elements of the program's guiding statement, the program's design of coursework and field experiences for candidates demonstrate valuing the linguistic and cultural assets brought by students to the content and practice of bilingual education; promoting policies and practices that are racially sensitive for faculty, staff, and candidates consistent with the ideals of ethnic, racial, and social justice; and supporting equity, inclusion in all aspects of the program. (1) The program's design of coursework and field experiences is cohesive and effective in providing candidates with a theoretical and practical understanding necessary to design and implement instruction that addresses the sociocultural, socioemotional, sociolinguistic, sociopolitical, and instructional needs of bilingual learners in a variety of bilingual instructional settings in California public schools.(2) The roles of the program's leadership team are clearly delineated, and program's leadership is provided by faculty and staff with prior experience in a bilingual setting in California and/or who hold a Bilingual Authorization (or the equivalent), or an advanced degree in bilingual/multicultural education or related field.(3) The program demonstrates initial, ongoing, and dynamic collaboration with Local Education Agencies (LEA) which serve as sites for field experiences so that candidates have opportunities to apply concepts and knowledge as described in the Bilingual Teaching Performance Expectations (BTPEs) in section 80615.3. The program ensures candidates gain knowledge and experience, through coursework and fieldwork in bilingual LEA settings, about the types of bilingual programs being offered to Transitional Kindergarten (TK)-12 students (e.g., one-way immersion, dual immersion, developmental), so that candidates are prepared to be effective in their field placements.(4) The program helps candidates make connections between the universal teaching performance expectations and the BTPEs, so candidates understand how these two sets of related competencies are reflected in both preparation and instructional practice with bilingual TK-12 students in California public schools. The program's curriculum ensures candidates are offered opportunities such as peer collaboration and other ways to learn, practice, and be assessed on the BTPEs, as well as to understand the complex theoretical and practical theories of the bilingual field (e.g., language acquisition theory and practice, bilingual and multilingual instructional approaches and methodologies, cultural products and respect for cultural traditions, English Language Development instruction, and content instruction and assessment using more than one language as the medium of communication and assessment).(5) The design of the program includes options for candidates to complete the program in a concurrent model and/or as a post-credential model and takes into consideration a candidate's prior bilingual teaching experiences toward meeting program requirements. The design also specifies how the program is responsive to local needs and current contextual conditions. The program provides opportunities for ongoing professional development in the field of bilingual education and helps concurrent candidates transition to teacher induction.(b) Preparing Candidates toward Mastery of BTPEs. The BTPEs describe the set of professional knowledge, skills, and abilities expected of bilingual and biliterate candidates to be able to effectively educate and support all students in meeting the state-adopted academic content standards. (1) The program's coursework and field experience provide opportunities for candidates to learn, apply, and reflect on each BTPE. As candidates progress through the program, pedagogical assignments are increasingly complex and challenging. The scope of the pedagogical assignments addresses the BTPEs as they apply to bilingual teacher preparation and includes program-embedded candidate assessments that provide formative feedback to candidates relative to their progress in the program and towards meeting requirements for the authorization.(2) As candidates progress through the curriculum, faculty and mentors assess candidates' pedagogical performance in relation to the BTPEs and provide formative and timely performance feedback regarding candidates' progress toward mastering the BTPEs.(c) Field Experience. The program demonstrates initial and ongoing collaboration with LEAs that serve as sites for field experiences so candidates have opportunities to apply concepts and knowledge as described in the BTPEs. The program provides candidates with opportunities to apply bilingual pedagogies in practice in a bilingual setting through a bilingual system of support that includes linguistic proficiency, cultural responsiveness, and pedagogical competence. The program provides candidates with guidance and assistance by mentors who hold a bilingual authorization or who have expertise in bilingual education, as determined by the program, and who are trained to guide improvements in practice. The program provides candidates with experiences that are integrated into coursework and are aligned with the BTPEs. Field experiences must consist of a minimum 20 hours of field experience throughout the bilingual authorization program. Verification of fieldwork must be completed by the preparation program or by a credentialed teacher, instructional coach, administrator, or other credentialed educator holding a bilingual authorization and having relevant and recent classroom or coaching experience mutually agreed to by the program and candidate.(d) Monitoring, Supporting, and Assessing Candidate Progress towards Meeting Program Requirements. Program faculty, supervisors, and mentors monitor and support candidates during their progress towards mastering the BTPEs. Evidence regarding candidate progress and performance is used by program personnel to advise and assist candidates toward program completion. The program provides support and assistance to candidates and only retains candidates who make progress toward meeting program expectations and requirements for the authorization. Accurate and timely information, advice, and assistance is accessible to guide candidates' satisfaction of all program requirements in addition to mastering the BTPEs.(e) Assessment of Candidate Competence. During the program, candidates are guided and coached on their performance in bilingual instruction using formative and summative coursework and fieldwork-embedded assessments. Evaluation as well as verification of a candidate's performance is provided by coursework, faculty, mentors, and program supervisors. Prior to recommending a candidate for a bilingual authorization, person(s) responsible for the program determine(s), using documented evidence, that a candidate has demonstrated the following: (1) Completion of all program requirements, as determined by person(s) responsible for the program, including satisfactory performance on the full range of the BTPEs, and(2) Language proficiency in accordance with either A or B below,(A) Passage of the appropriate California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET): World Languages examination that assesses speaking, reading and writing in the target language.(B) Passage of assessment(s) conducted by the program. The assessment(s) must measure the candidate's knowledge of linguistic repertoires and registers across contexts, instructional language, and content-specific language. The program provides to candidates the guidelines by which they will be assessed. The performance level of such assessment must be set at the equivalent of the minimum level rubric of the American Council on the Teacher of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) 2012 Proficiency Guidelines, hereby incorporated by reference, of 1. Advanced-Low for Western languages and2. Intermediate-High for non-Western languagesCal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, § 80615.2
Note: Authority cited: Section 44225, Education Code. Reference: Sections 44227, 44253.4, 44253.6, 44253.7 and 44373, Education Code.
1. New section filed 1-29-2024; operative 1/29/2024 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2024, No. 5).