SECTIONS 44325-44328

44325.  (a) The commission shall issue district intern credentialsauthorizing persons employed by a school district that maintainskindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, or that maintains classesin bilingual education to provide classroom instruction to pupils inthose grades and classes in accordance with the requirements ofSection 44830.3. The commission also shall issue district interncredentials authorizing persons employed by a school district toprovide classroom instruction to pupils in special education classes,in accordance with the requirements of Section 44830.3. (b) Each district intern credential is valid for a period of twoyears. A credential may be valid for three years if the intern isparticipating in a program that leads to the attainment of aspecialist credential in special education or four years if theintern is participating in a program that leads to the attainment ofboth a multiple subject or single subject teaching credential and aspecialist credential in special education. Upon the recommendationof the school district, the commission may grant a one-year extensionof the district intern credential. (c) The commission shall require each applicant for a districtintern credential to demonstrate that he or she meets all of thefollowing minimum qualifications for that credential: (1) The possession of a baccalaureate degree conferred by aregionally accredited institution of postsecondary education. (2) The successful passage of the state basic skills proficiencyrequirement pursuant to Sections 44252 and 44252.5. (3) The successful completion of the appropriate subject matterexamination administered by the commission, or a commission-approvedsubject matter preparation program for the subject areas in which thedistrict intern is authorized to teach. (4) The oral language component of the assessment program leadingto the bilingual-crosscultural language and academic developmentcertificate for persons seeking a district intern credential to teachbilingual 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 shall ensure that each district internshipprogram in California provides program elements to its interns asrequired 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 bythe commission under Section 44325 to teach in grades 9 to 12,inclusive, or in grades 6 to 8, inclusive, in a departmentalizedprogram, or in departmentalized bilingual classes, shall beauthorized to teach in the subject area in which they have met thesubject matter requirement. (b) Persons holding district intern credentials issued by thecommission under Section 44325 to teach in kindergarten and grades 1to 8, inclusive, in a self-contained program or in self-containedbilingual classes and who have met the subject matter requirementshall be authorized to teach in those grades or classes. (c) Before being assigned to teach special education pupils,persons holding district intern credentials issued by the commissionunder Section 44325 to teach those pupils shall meet the requirementsof subdivision (b). (d) Each district intern is required to teach with the assistanceand guidance of certificated employees selected through a competitiveprocess adopted by the governing board after consultation with theexclusive teacher representative unit or by personnel employed byinstitutions of higher education to supervise student teachers. (e) A certificated employee who assists the district intern shallpossess valid certification at the same level or of the same type ofcredential as the district interns they serve.44327.  On or before July 1, 1995, the commission, in consultationwith participating school districts and other affected organizations,shall revise existing standards and adopt additional standards, asnecessary, related to the quality of the training, support,evaluation, and performance of district interns. The standards shallbe appropriate for an alternative program of teacher recruitment,preparation, and certification. Each school district with a districtintern program is responsible for maintaining appropriate records ofthe program so that the credit earned by each district intern istransferable to his or her academic record in the same manner as ifthe intern had participated in a college or university program. Tothe extent feasible, the standards shall also be equivalent to thestandards of the commission for professional preparation programs incolleges and universities.44328.  (a) Unless the commission determines that substantialevidence exists that a person is unqualified to teach, upon thecompletion of successful service as a district intern pursuant tosubdivision (b) of Section 44325, and upon the recommendation of theschool district governing board, the commission shall awardpreliminary credentials to district interns in the same manner asapplicants recommended for credentials by institutions that operateapproved programs of professional preparation. (b) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) ofSection 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, uponrecommendation by the governing board, district interns shall beissued preliminary credentials, upon the completion of successfulservice as a teacher pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 44325,unless the governing board recommends, and the commission findssubstantial evidence, that the person is not qualified to teach. Aschool district may require a district intern who is pursuing a clearcredential to complete an approved induction program if funds areavailable or approved coursework in accordance with paragraph (5) ofsubdivision (c) of Section 44259. Pursuant to Article 11 (commencingwith Section 44380), teachers participating in an induction programpursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 44279.1) are nolonger eligible for funding under the district intern program. (c) Notwithstanding Section 44261, the preliminary credentialawarded to any district intern holding a district intern credentialto teach bilingual education classes shall be a basic teachingcredential with a bilingual-crosscultural language and academicdevelopment emphasis. Notwithstanding Section 44265, the preliminarycredential awarded to any district intern who holds a district interncredential to teach special education pupils shall be a specialeducation specialist instruction credential that authorizes theholder to teach special education pupils. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that institutions ofhigher education that operate approved programs of professionalpreparation work cooperatively with school districts that offerdistrict intern programs for a special education specialistcredential to apply the regular education coursework and fieldworkfrom the special education district intern program toward earning amultiple or single subject teaching credential through theinstitution.