BATTI Professional Clear Credential Program

Background
BATTI began the Clear Credential Program in fall 2009 under the sponsorship of San Francisco State University. The program is specifically designed for teachers who have obtained their Preliminary SB 2042 Credential and are seeking to "clear" their credential within the state's five-year window. Teachers working in a non-public school (private, charter, or parochial), along with public school teachers who do not have access to professional development known as BTSA through their district, need to go through a university-sponsored program such as the SF State/BATTI Clear Credential Program. Our program partners with the New Teacher Center (NTC) in Santa Cruz, California. The NTC has earned international recognition for its innovative teacher mentoring programs.

Beginning in 2011 we welcome single subject preliminary credential holders! What is the structure of the program?
The program is offered as a two-year sequence that is primarily mentoring based. The first year includes mentoring visits from August to June from a veteran teacher who has been trained through the NTC's extensive Mentor Training Program. In year one participating teachers are required to attend Advanced Professional Seminars. Seminars are led by our Mentors and Program Director and meet on a bi-monthly basis on a Saturday from 9:30-12:30 PM for a total of 8 meetings. The seminar topics are developed to assist participating teachers in achieving competency in the topics of Clear Standard 5: Pedagogy and Clear Standard 6: Universal Access: Equity for all Students.

Details of the Program

• Mentors and participating teachers are carefully matched by grade level experience.
• Participating teachers create a required Individual Learning Plan (ILP) that consists of a total of six focused goals based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP). Teachers review those goals with their Mentor throughout the year. Mentors perform ongoing assessment of the participating teacher through classroom observations and reflective dialogues.
• Participating teachers collect evidence/artifacts demonstrating their growth towards their ILP and compile this work into a portfolio that they present at the end of the year.
• The second year consists of a second ILP or a Research Action Paper and continued mentoring and only a few seminars. Participating teachers are also required to create an advanced technology project under the guidance and assistance of our technology specialist.

Who can apply to the program?
Any private, parochial, or independent school K-12 teacher may apply to the program if s/he is the "teacher of record" - a lead teacher that is giving the grades or writing the progress reports, and has an SB 2042 Preliminary Single or Multiple Subject California Teaching Credential.

What are the requirements to apply for the program?
1. Completed application.
2. A (maximum one page) personal statement answering these questions: What do you want to gain from this program? What are your professional interests and goals?
3. Two professional letters of recommendation. One must be from your current school director or division head.
4. A copy of your preliminary credential with document number.
5. Copies of all exams completed and passed for the preliminary credential. (CBEST and CSET and US Constitution.) (See note A below)
4. For non-BATTI Preliminary Credential applicants: College transcripts.
5. A completed copy (by school employer) of form CL-855 Verification of Unavailability.

Admissions for the BATTI Clear Credential Program is on a rolling basis until Monday, August 15, 2011. Please fill out and submit all application materials (including letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and transcripts) and mail to: BATTI Clear Credential Program, 6134 Harwood Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618. Once your materials are received you will be contacted by the Program Director for a group interview. You will be asked to pay a $55 application fee directly to SF State once your application is received by the BATTI office.

How much does the program cost?
Fees for the academic year 2011-2012 - TBA. Due to tuition increases at the California State University level, we expect fees to rise but no more than 10% above our current fees.

Fees for the academic year 2010-2011:
 *$55 application fee
 *$5000 for year one
 *$3000 for year two
 *$200 credential processing fee required at the end of the program

Is there an early completion option?
A participating teacher may be recommended by his/her Mentor, the Program Director, and SF State Elementary Education Department, to complete the program in a one year "Fast Track" option if s/he has a minimum of three years of prior lead teaching experience and has shown growth towards the goals of his/her ILP.

Thank you for your interest in the BATTI Clear Credential Program. For more information, please contact:

Rosa Barbara-Meeks
Clear Credential Director
Email: batticlear@gmail.com

Note A: In rare circumstances, a candidate (such as a holder of an out-of-state credential) will enter the program without having completed the usual required exams. However, he or she must complete all exam requirements by the end of the first year of the program.