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San Benito County Grand Jury |
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Education Committee CHARTER The Education Committee is responsible for investigating complaints and other issues relating to Education, to the school districts and operations of individual schools. Committee Members Lori Landry, Chairperson I. EMERGENCY CREDENTIAL TEACHERS BACKGROUND The Grand Jury received information that an individual affiliated with National Hispanic University was showing favoritism to individuals who were employed by the Hollister School District as teachers under the emergency credential policy. The allegation was that some individuals were receiving credits towards their credentials without having to complete and/or pass required course work. METHOD OF REVIEW Interviews Documents
OBSERVATIONS, FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS The Grand Jury interviewed Hollister School Department personnel who stated that there was no truth to the allegation that certain individuals were given credit toward their teaching credentials without having to perform the course work and examinations. The Grand Jury was provided documents to review and the process by which emergency credentials were issued and the method for obtaining a permanent teaching credential was described. The Grand Jury interviewed a Hollister teacher currently holding an emergency teaching credential. The teacher told the Grand Jury that an emergency credential is valid for four years and may not be renewed in the year following the four year period unless the holder has earned thirty required education course credits per year from an accredited college or university. By the end of the fourth year the individual must take the MSTAT (Multiple Subject Teacher's Assessment Test), and pass with a score of seventy or higher. Failure to complete the course requirements and to pass the MSTAT within the four-year period results in loss of eligibility to teach under the emergency credential program and the individual is no longer allowed to teach. Passing the MSTAT exam is a prerequisite for a permanent teaching position in a California public school. The Grand Jury was advised that teachers with emergency credentials are compensated at a lower rate than teachers with full credentials and they are not eligible to participate in certain other benefit programs. The Grand Jury learned that the State of California Office of Education and the college and universities offering teaching credential courses had in place a system of checks and balances offering little, if any, opportunity to "cheat" within the program. The Grand Jury finds that the emergency credential program in the Hollister School District is satisfactory. Due to the strict requirements imposed by the State Department of Education and the financial burden of the required courses, only individuals truly interested in teaching as a career would undertake the very hard work of obtaining a permanent teaching credential. The requirement of taking and passing the MSTAT examination before receiving a permanent teaching credential makes "cheating the system" by teachers and their college instructors highly unlikely. The Grand Jury found that that the Hollister School District did not keep a record of the credential status of candidates employed as emergency credential teachers. An audit of the last three years showed teachers moving in and out of the program without accurate notation as to their credential status. For this reason, the Grand Jury could not determine if individuals completed the program, voluntarily left the school district for employment in other school districts, or left teaching as a profession. The State provides each teacher holding an emergency credential with a record of the credits accrued toward a permanent credential. The teacher is required to hold this record, and update the school department. The School district should keep a copy of the teacher's record and a notation of the teacher's credential and teaching status. RECOMMENDATIONS The Grand Jury recommends that the Hollister School District keep an accurate record of the credential status of those participating in the emergency credential program. AFFECTED AGENCY The Hollister School District RESPONSE REQUIRED California Penal Code, §933, requires that a response to this final report’s recommendations be delivered to the presiding judge of the Superior Court within 90 days of the receipt of the report.
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About the
Grand Jury |
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