The California Education Code Section 51225.3(b) allows a district to adopt alternative means for students to complete the prescribed course of study for graduation. The local governing board may adopt alternative means to meet the graduation requirements for a subject area in a manner that is consistent with the state approved curriculum for the subject area. The most common questions asked by CTE teachers in this regard and answers are provided below.
- Do secondary business education teachers who teach business courses that meet high school economics graduation requirements and/or University of California (UC) admission requirements need to possess a credential in history-social science?
- Do secondary agriculture teachers who teach agriculture courses that meet high school economics graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in history-social science?
- Do secondary home economics careers and technology teachers who teach home economics courses that meet high school visual and performing arts graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in visual and performing arts?
- Do secondary health careers education teachers who teach health courses that meet high school biological science graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in biological science?
- Do secondary home economics careers and technology teachers who teach home economics courses that meet high school biological science graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in biological science?
- Do secondary industrial and technology education (ITE) teachers who teach industrial technology courses that meet high school physical science graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in physics or chemistry?
- Do secondary business education teachers who teach business courses that meet high school economics graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in history-social science?
If the business education instructor possesses a single subject credential or standard secondary credential in business education, then that teacher has a major equivalent of course work that would satisfy the economics requirements and therefore would not need a history-social science credential to be NCLB compliant.
- Do secondary agriculture teachers who teach agriculture courses that meet high school economics graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in history-social science?
If the agriculture instructor majored in either agriculture business or agriculture education and possesses a single subject credential or standard secondary credential in agriculture, then that teacher has a major equivalent of course work that would satisfy the economics requirements and therefore would not need a history-social science credential to be NCLB compliant.
- Do secondary home economics careers and technology teachers who teach home economics courses that meet high school visual and performing arts graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in visual and performing arts?
If the home economics instructor possesses a major in apparel design and merchandising and has a single subject credential or standard secondary credential in home economics education, then that teacher has a major equivalent of course work that would satisfy the visual and performing arts and therefore would not need a visual and performing arts credential to be NCLB compliant.
- Do secondary health careers education teachers who teach health courses that meet high school biological science graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in biological science?
If the health instructor possesses a single subject credential in health science education, then that teacher has a major equivalent of course work that would satisfy the biological sciences and therefore would not need a biology science credential to be NCLB compliant.
- Do secondary home economics careers and technology teachers who teach home economics courses that meet high school biological science graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in biological science?
If the home economics instructor possesses a major in nutrition, dietetics, and/or food science and has a single subject credential or standard secondary credential in home economics education, then that teacher has a major equivalent of course work that would satisfy the biological sciences and therefore would not need a biology science credential to be NCLB compliant.
- Do secondary industrial and technology education (ITE) teachers who teach industrial technology courses that meet high school physical science graduation requirements and/or UC admission requirements need to possess a credential in physics or chemistry?
If the ITE instructor possesses a major in either manufacturing technology or industrial technology and has a single subject credential or standard secondary credential in industrial technology education, then that teacher has a major equivalent of course work that would satisfy the physical sciences and therefore would not need a chemistry or physics science credential to be NCLB compliant.
Additional questions concerning appropriate teacher assignments for such an assignment should be directed to the California Commission on Teacher credentialing at: cawassignments@ctc.ca.gov
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CDE Guideline on CTE Teachers & HQT Provision of NCLB (DOC; 28KB)
How a career technical education (CTE) instructor can teach a CTE course via EC Section 51225.3(b) and meet the “highly qualified teacher” provision of NCLB.
