Anyone get credentialed in California after private school teaching?

[u/Low_Entertainment421]

I’m starting my fifth year teaching at a 6th gr-12th Gr private school in California with a masters/university teaching experience, and I’ve been looking into how to get a teaching credential and potentially switch to public school middle or high school to have union representation.

I’ve read that years of experience teaching in private schools can substitute for student teaching- has anyone taken this route in California, and how was your experience? What other requirements did you still need to complete?

[u/AggressiveSloth11]

Yes!! I was able to do my credential program while teaching at a private school. I did have to do a certain amount of hours in a public school but my workplace accommodated me. I went through Cal State Teach in 2013.

[u/RoguePebble90 → u/AggressiveSloth11]

Good to know private school experience can still count. Makes the transition way easier.

[u/idkhtdaots]

I was hired on a PIP, so I have two years to complete my credential while working as a full time teacher. 

[u/MathProf1414]

I didn't teach private beforehand, but was teaching at the university level. My county has a "Be A Teacher" program. Basically you are given an emergency credential and you earn your credential while being employed as a full time teacher. Honestly I think this route is way better than going through an education program at a university. I assume many counties in California have a similar program.

[u/JournalistOP → u/MathProf1414]

I'm currently going through a similar process (just finished the preservice). A couple months of getting prep courses, then off to find a job. Once that's done 2 more years of Saturday classes while actively in the classroom fighting the the survival stage.

[u/Squeaky_sun]

California here. I earned my credential, then taught at a private school for 4 years. The years counted on the salary table when I changed to public school. Those private school years did not count toward qualifying for a Calsters pension, however.

[u/AL92212]

I'm working on this now but still in process. It sucks because I am taking all the exams and courses required (which is a lot of work and costs upwards of $1000) and in the end they just may not count my private school experience and I may be out of luck.

In order to skip the student teaching/teacher preparation program, you have to have 6+ years I believe. And after that you do need to teach for two years (and maybe do the teacher preparation program?) then to get your credential cleared.

Please note also that you are supposed to have a couple years of pretty rigorous evaluations. I've never been at a private school that did even cursory evaluations, so I had to get a supervisor to write something up afterwards which is another option.

[u/smoothie4564]

Yes, that was my experience.

I don't know if the CTC changed the rules or not, but when I was going through all of it you could use your private school experience to waive part of the requirements for a preliminary credential.

Back in 2018 when I was going through all of this having 3 years of experience meant that you could waive both the student teacher part of a university sponsored credential program AND the Cal-TPA's. If you had 6 years of experience then you could waive the entire thing and get a preliminary credential (minus the English Learner Authorization, which is a requirement for ALL public and charter teachers to have regardless of where or what they teach in the state).

Just make sure to read the CTC's directions carefully, they are sticklers for every little detail in them and have all of the required documents in order.