How can I become a bilingual (English/Spanish) teacher at highschool level in California?

You'll probably need at minimum a BA in education as well as a college level teaching credential.

You're fortunate to be fluent in both languages...good luck.

Hey, lookie here:

DESIGNATED SUBJECTS ADULT EDUCATION TEACHING CREDENTIALS

FULL-TIME ADULT

The Preliminary, Clear, or Professional Clear Full-Time Adult Education Teaching Credential authorizes the holder to teach the subjects named on the credential in courses organized primarily for adults. In addition, the holder may serve as a substitute in courses organized primarily for adults for not more than 30 days for any one teacher during the school year.

Adult Education Teaching Credentials are issued to individuals who meet the requirements listed below and who apply through and are recommended by either a Commission-accredited Local Education Agency (LEA) or by an Employing School District (ESD). A list of accredited LEAs (leaflet CL-506 [PDF]) may be obtained from the Commission's website.

Requirements for the Full-time Adult Credential

For the five-year* preliminary credential, all of the following requirements must be satisfied:

Verify five years of experience and/or education (as specified on page 2) related to each subject to be named on the credential

One of the following requirements must be satisfied:

possess a high school diploma

possess a diploma based on passage of the GED Test

possess the foreign equivalent of a high school diploma

Pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). (For more information, contact the CBEST Program, National Evaluation Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 340880, Sacramento, CA 94834-0880, 916-928-4001, or www.cbest.nesinc.com.) Applicants for the Adult Credential in non-academic subjects are exempt from this requirement.

U.S. Constitution - applicants must satisfy one of the following requirements:

complete a course (at least two semester units or three quarter units) in the provisions and principles of the U.S. Constitution (Submit a copy of the course description for evaluation purposes.)

pass an examination in the Provisions and Principles of the U.S. Constitution given by a regionally-accredited junior college, community college, college or university

Obtain verification, signed by a Commission-accredited LEA, or by an ESD authorized to do so in accordance with guidelines established by the Commission, that the applicant has been fully apprised of the requirements for both the preliminary and professional clear credentials, including Level I and Level II requirements of the program of personalized preparation

* Period of Validity: A preliminary full-time adult credential valid for one year may be issued to applicants who have completed all requirements except #4--U.S. Constitution. The credential will be extended for the remainder of the five-year term once the U.S. Constitution requirement has been met. An initial Preliminary Full-Time Adult Education Teaching Credential issued on the basis of the applicant's satisfaction of requirements 1-5, specified above, authorizes service for no more than two years from the date of issuance of the credential unless the holder's employer (ESD) receives form CL-787, Verification of Completion of Level I Requirements from the LEA, through which the holder completed those requirements. Once the holder's employer receives this verification, the credential's validity period will automatically be extended for the remainder of the five-year period from the date of issuance of the credential. There is no need to apply for this extension. The LEA's verification of completion of Level I requirements is the only documentation required in this process. If the credential holder's ESD is not known to the LEA, form CL-787 will be sent directly to the credential holder for forwarding to the employer. The LEA shall also submit this form directly to the Commission to assist in documenting that the holder completed Level I requirements.

Requested subjects that do not appear below will be placed within an existing subject, where appropriate. Additional subjects may be added in time to accommodate new or emerging subjects.

Non-Academic Category** Individual Categorical Subjects Listed on the Credential

Adults with Disabilities Adaptive Arts and Crafts

Adaptive Computer Technology

Adaptive Physical Education

Health (adults with disabilities)

Self-Maintenance Skills (adults with disabilities)

Health and Safety Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Environmental Safety

Fire Control and Safety

First Aid

Health Education

Nutrition

Physical Fitness and Conditioning

Safety Education

Home Economics Arts and Crafts

Clothing Construction

Consumer Education

Decorative Arts

Dietetics and Food Management

Nutrition

Food Preparation

Home Management

Interior Design

Textiles

Upholstery

Older Adults Communication Skills

Creative Arts

Health (older adults)

Performing Arts

Physical Fitness

Public Affairs

Retirement Planning

Safety

Self-Maintenance (older adults)

Parent Education Parent Education

Childbirth Education

Human Development

Family Management

Vocational Education Aeronautics

Agriculture

American Sign Language

Bookkeeping and Accounting

Building and Construction Trades

Business Management

Career Development

Commercial Photography

Computer Applications

Computer Programming

Computer Systems Operation

Computer Technology

Cosmetology

Court Reporting

Electronics Technology

Financial Services

Health Occupations

Industrial Technology

Information Processing/Keyboarding

Language Interpreter

Law Enforcement Occupations

Marine Technology

Marketing

Nursing

Office Occupations

Small Business Ownership/Management

**For descriptive purposes only--category will not be listed on the credential.

Years of Subject-Related Experience Required Education and/or Training

+ 5 years High school diploma or equivalent

+ 4 years 24 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 4 semester units in the subject to be taught

+ 3 years 48 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 8 semester units in the subject to be taught

+ 2 years 72 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 12 semester units in the subject to be taught

+ 1 year 96 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 16 semester units in the subject to be taught

+ 0 year Bachelor's or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university with 20 semester units, or 10 upper division semester units in the subject to be taught

Academic Subjects

(Subject To Be Named On The Credential) Course Work Required

English as a Second Language A bachelor's or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university and completion of 20 semester units or 10 upper division semester units in one or any combination of the following:

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

English

Language other than English

Linguistics

Bilingual/bicultural studies

Teaching Reading

Speech

Elementary and Secondary Basic Skills

(includes basic education in grades 1-8):

Arithmetic

Reading

Individualized high school learning lab/ G.E.D./contract class settings

Citizenship A bachelor's or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university and completion of 20 semester units with at least 3 units in four of the following six areas:

English

Mathematics

Science

Social Sciences

Fine Arts

Language other than English.

Individual Subjects

A Language Other than English (specify)

English

Fine Arts

Life Science, including General Science

Mathematics

Physical Science, including General Science

Social Sciences A bachelor's or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university and completion of 20 semester units or 10 upper division semester units in the subject to be taught.

Applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements for the professional clear credential:

Possess a valid preliminary full-time adult education teaching credential

Obtain verification by the ESD of the successful teaching of a minimum of one course in each of four terms within the five-year period of validity of the Preliminary Adult Education Teaching Credential (Two of these terms must be with one ESD. The teaching must have been to adult learners in the subject(s) authorized by the preliminary adult education teaching credential and must have occurred while holding the valid preliminary full-time adult education teaching credential.)

Obtain verification by an LEA that the applicant has completed all Level I and Level II requirements of a Commission-accredited program of personalized preparation, including the use of computers in an instructional setting

Complete a unit requirement in health education, including, but not limited to, nutrition; the physiological and sociological effects of alcohol, narcotic, and drug abuse; and the use of tobacco (This requirement must also include training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] that covers infant, child, and adult CPR skills.)

PART-TIME ADULT

The Preliminary, Clear, or Professional Clear Part-Time Adult Education Teaching Credential authorizes the holder to teach not more than half-time in the subject named on the credential in courses organized primarily for adults. For the purpose of this credential, half-time for the holder of this credential who teaches in only one school district shall not exceed one-half of a full-time assignment for adult educators in that school district. Half-time for the holder of this credential who teaches in more than one school district shall not exceed one-half of the greatest number of hours considered to be a full-time assignment for adult educators in any one of the districts.

Requirements for the Part-time Adult Credential

Applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements for the five-year* preliminary credential:

Verify five years of experience and/or education related to each subject to be named on the credential (The experience and/or education requirements and the subjects that can be named on the part-time credential are the same as those specified for the full-time credential.) See Terms and Definitions on page 5.

One of the following requirements must be satisfied:

possess a high school diploma

possess a diploma based on passage of the GED Test

possess the foreign equivalent of a high school diploma

Pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). (For more information, contact the CBEST Program, National Evaluation Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 340880, Sacramento, CA 94834-0880, 916-928-4001, or www.cbest.nesinc.com.) (Applicants for the adult credential in non-academic subjects and for credentials authorizing the teaching of adults in an apprenticeship program are exempt from this requirement.)

Obtain verification, signed by a Commission-accredited LEA, or by an ESD authorized to do so in accordance with guidelines established by the Commission, that the applicant has been fully apprised of the requirements for both the preliminary and professional clear credentials, including the program of personalized preparation

*Period of Validity: An initial Preliminary Part-Time Adult Education Teaching Credential issued on the basis of the applicant's satisfaction of requirements 1-4, specified above, authorizes service for no more than two years from the date of issuance of the credential unless the holder's employer (ESD) receives form CL-787, Verification of Completion of Level I Requirements, from the LEA through which the holder completed those requirements. Once the holder's employer receives this verification, the credential's validity period will automatically be extended for the remainder of the five-year period from the date of issuance of the credential. There is no need to apply for this extension. The LEA's verification of completion of Level I requirements is the only documentation required in this process. If the credential holder's ESD is not known to the LEA, form CL-787 will be sent directly to the credential holder for forwarding to the employer. The LEA shall also submit this form directly to the Commission to assist in documenting that the holder completed Level I requirements.

Applicants must satisfy all of the following requirements for the professional clear credential:

Possess a valid Preliminary Part-Time Adult Education Teaching Credential

Obtain verification by the ESD of the successful teaching of a minimum of one course in each of four terms within the five-year period of validity of the preliminary adult education teaching credential (Two of these terms must be with one ESD. The teaching must have been to adult learners in the subject[s] authorized by the preliminary adult education teaching credential and must have occurred while holding the valid preliminary adult education teaching credential.)

Obtain verification by an LEA that the applicant has completed all Level I requirements of a Commission-accredited program of personalized preparation, including the use of computers in an instructional setting

Complete a unit requirement in health education, including, but not limited to, nutrition; the physiological and sociological effects of alcohol, narcotic, and drug abuse; and the use of tobacco (This requirement must also include training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] that covers infant, child, and adult CPR skills.)

Verification of Work Experience

Title 5 Regulations require verification of five years of experience or its equivalent related to each subject to be named on the credential. Verification of experience means written confirmation of the applicant's qualifying experience, signed by the applicant's past or present employer(s) on company letterhead that attests to and includes all of the following:

Employer's name, address, and telephone number

The working relationship of the person signing the verification to the applicant

Beginning and ending dates of employment

Complete description of duties

A statement as to whether or not the employment was full-time (If employment was less than full-time, include an accounting of the number of hours the applicant was employed.)

If the applicant was self-employed or if the applicant's experience was avocational, verification shall include a statement, signed by the applicant under penalty of perjury, detailing the information described in 1-5 above. Further substantiation is required in writing, by other person(s) having first-hand knowledge of the applicant's self-employment or avocation, such as the applicant's accountant, major supplier of goods, or major user of goods or services.

Terms and Definitions

Experience: Per Title 5, Section 80034(o), "experience" as it applies to designated subjects adult education teaching credentials, means full-time or part-time experience directly related to the subject to be named on the credential. Experience may be paid or not paid. No more than one year of experience shall apply toward meeting designated subjects credential requirements during any twelve calendar month period. 1500 clock hours shall be the minimum required for each year of experience. Part-time experience may be cumulated to equate to the required 1500 clock hours of experience.

Reference: Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Sections 80034, 80034.5, 80036, 80036.1, 80036.2, 80036.3, 80036.5, 80040.2, 80040.2.5, 80040.2.7, and 80567

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Leaflet CL-697A Updated 11-2003

PDF Version

State Of California

California Commission On Teacher Credentialing

Box 944270

1900 Capitol Avenue

Sacramento, CA 94244-2700

Telephone:

(916) 445-7254

or (888) 921-2682

E-mail: credentials@ctc.ca.gov

Web site: www.ctc.ca.gov

More Contact Information

That’s a good question. The America should not become bilingual. I also believe that government agencies such as the DMV should only have forms in English. Many people emigrate to the U.S. from countries that speak languages other then Spanish. Why should they have to learn a new language while Spanish speakers do not? Is it because proximity of Spanish speaking countries to America, or volume of people that immigrate to America from Spanish speaking countries? That idea seems rather un-American to me. I do believe that more Americans should be at least bi-lingual. It puts you on better footing in the world job market, as well as making you not seem ignorant. Myself I speak English, Korean, and some Spanish.

Go to the local community college and ask what courses and how many credits are required for the diploma to teach.

good luck, that is not some place i would chose to teach unless it was a private school.