Cal. Education Code § 44203

In this chapter, the following terms shall be defined as specified in this section: (a) “Authorization” means the designation that appears on a credential, certificate, or permit that identifies the subjects and circumstances in which the holder of the credential, certificate, or permit may teach, or the services that the holder may render in the public schools of this state. (b) (1) “Basic teaching credential” means either of the following: (A) A credential that authorizes the holder to teach the subjects named on the credential, and for which possession of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and completion of a professional preparation program that includes student teaching or completion of a district internship program pursuant to Section 44325 are minimum requirements. (B) A clear designated subjects teaching credential that authorizes the holder to teach the subjects named on the credential on a full-time basis if the holder also possesses a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and has passed the state basic skills proficiency test. (2) A basic teaching credential meets the prerequisite teaching credential requirement for any other teaching, specialist, or service credential the commission is authorized to issue. (c) “Beginning teacher assessment” means a process that has been adopted or approved by the commission for measuring the performances of the holders of preliminary teaching credentials in order to help them improve, and to determine whether their performances satisfy the commission’s standards of performance for earning the clear teaching credential. (d) “Beginning teacher support” means a combination of assistance, guidance, encouragement, and diagnostic assessment that helps the holders of preliminary teaching credentials to fulfill their professional responsibilities effectively during the first year or two years of classroom teaching, and that satisfies standards of support adopted by the commission. (e) “Institution of higher education” means an institution that grants baccalaureate or higher degrees. (f) “Professional teacher certification requirements” means a policy of requiring each beginning teacher to complete a program of planned support and systematic assessment, as determined by the commission, as a condition for earning a clear teaching credential. (g) “Regionally accredited” means either of the following: (1) (A) An institution of higher education that has been accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the Higher Learning Commission, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the New England Commission of Higher Education, or the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. (B) A community or junior college that confers baccalaureate degrees and is regionally accredited by an accrediting agency listed in subparagraph (A) or by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges may meet this definition. (2) An institution of higher education that held preaccreditation status at the time the degree of an applicant for a credential was conferred, if the institution achieved full regional accreditation status within five years of earning preaccreditation status.