Article 6 - Subject Matter Preparation

California Education Code — §§ 44310-44314

Sections (5)

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 38, Sec. 37. (SB 153) Effective June 29, 2024.

(a)The commission shall waive the subject matter examination requirement for graduates of a regionally accredited institution of higher education who successfully do any of the following:

(1)Complete a subject matter program approved by the commission on the basis of standards of program quality and effectiveness pursuant to this article.

(2)(A) Complete coursework at one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher education that addresses each of the domains of the subject matter requirements adopted by the commission in the content area of the credential pursuant to Section 44282.

(B)A program of

professional preparation shall have the authority to review transcripts supplied by a candidate and confirm that each domain’s broad content area has been addressed.

(3)Address each of the broad content areas of the domains of the subject matter requirements adopted by the commission in the content area of the credential being sought through a combination of examination subtests and coursework described in paragraph (2).

(b)The commission shall encourage through its accreditation system that programs of professional preparation provide candidates equitable access to all of the options in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 44259 for meeting subject matter competence.

§ 44311

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 663, Sec. 23. (AB 320) Effective January 1, 2022.

The commission shall evaluate any subject matter program offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education in satisfaction of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 44259. The evaluation shall be based on standards of program quality and effectiveness, which shall be consistent with the assessments and examinations of subject matter knowledge and competence adopted by the commission pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 44282.

§ 44312

Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.

A finding by the commission of the inadequacy or inappropriateness of such program as the basis for waiving the subject matter examination shall cause persons completing such programs to be ineligible for the examination waiver.

§ 44313

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 663, Sec. 24. (AB 320) Effective January 1, 2022.

(a)The subject matter examination authorizing multiple subject classroom instruction may be waived for holders of approved “diversified” or “liberal arts” degrees, or programs or their equivalent, conferred by regionally accredited institutions of higher education approved by the commission.

(b)Notwithstanding the designation of the degrees conferred, the commission shall approve the programs presented by a regionally accredited institution of higher education and shall not engage in the detailed analysis of the applicant’s transcripts for purposes of issuing the credential. The commission, however, may provide for the selected analysis of transcripts to determine whether the

programs presented by regionally accredited institutions of higher education conform with the requirements of the commission.

§ 44314

Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 832, Sec. 2.

A “diversified” or “liberal arts” program is any program that has been approved by the commission on the basis of standards adopted by the commission.

(a)An approved program shall consist of a minimum of 84 semester units, or equivalent quarter units, including, but not limited to, language studies, literature, mathematics, science, social science, history, humanities, the arts, physical education and human development.

(b)The commission shall establish standards for “diversified” or “liberal arts” programs, or equivalent programs that waive the subject matter examination for multiple subjects instruction.