General Preconditions

General Statement Applicable to all Preconditions for all Educator Preparation Programs

Pursuant to Education Code Section 44227 (and 44265 where applicable for Education Specialist Program) each program of professional preparation that leads to a teaching or services credential shall adhere continually to the requirements of California State Law or Commission Policy. Each institution must respond to the general preconditions as well as all other applicable program specific preconditions.

Precondition 1(b): School Districts

I, the undersigned Superintendent of the Antelope Valley Union High School District (AVUHSD), which sponsors the Antelope Valley Teacher Induction (AVTI) program, submit verification of the governing board’s approval of sponsorship of the program, pursuant to Article 16 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. This local education agency (LEA) shall adhere to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing preconditions’ requirements for the general education and special education induction programs and hereby respond to the general preconditions.

Precondition 2: Enrollment and Completion

Candidates are enrolled in the AVTI program based on their full-time employment with the AVUHSD or other entity with whom the district has contracted.

The criteria for program admission require that candidates hold either a preliminary multiple or single subject credential, or a preliminary education specialist credential. Candidates must have a teaching assignment in the credential content area being cleared, or have other teaching experiences that allow the participant to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required by the induction program standards. The AVUHSD candidate eligibility form is submitted as evidence to support this certification.

The unit head, Greg Nehen, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, hereby assures the Commission that once a candidate is enrolled in the Antelope Valley Teacher Induction preparation program, the AVUHSD implements the approved program, meeting the adopted standards, until the candidate:

1. completes the program;

2. withdraws from the program;

3. is dropped from the program based on established criteria; or

4. is admitted to another approved program to complete the requirements, with minimal disruption, for the authorization (see transportability process).

In the event the program closes, the candidate will use the program Individual Learning Plan micro-credential benchmarks as a teach out plan to identify his or her completion point for the relative year. This plan will be used to identify remaining completion requirements. After determining the remaining induction requirements, the candidate can continue his or her induction journey with another induction program or continue to use the district’s resources. The AVTI program maintains records on a secured digital server for five years to accommodate candidate access.

Precondition 3: Responsibility and Authority

1. The Antelope Valley Union High School District assures that there is an identified position within the organization that is responsible for ongoing oversight for all educator preparation programs offered by this institution. This individual’s title is Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. See Organizational Chart

2. The Organizational Chart identifies the relationship between Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and the individual that coordinates the AVTI program. The Induction Coordinator reports to the Director of Curriculum and the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. The Induction Coordinator has oversight of two full time Teacher Induction Mentoring Specialists, along with a full-time secretary who performs clerical responsibilities. One teacher induction specialist holds mentoring responsibilities primarily for general education teachers and the other is responsible for special education teachers. In addition to the two full-time mentoring specialists, the induction coordinator also supervises part-time mentors and just-in-time support coaches who serve teachers on their school sites.

3. District Board Policy 4112.2 Certification page “a” stipulates that the superintendent or designee, a current employee of the AVUHSD, is solely authorized to recommend candidates who successfully complete the induction program for the Clear credential to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The current employee assigned to recommend candidates is Loy Dakwa, Induction and Professional Development Coordinator.

Precondition 4: Lawful Practices

I, the superintendent, verify that all personnel decisions in the AVUHSD are made without consideration of differences due to gender or other constitutionally or legally prohibited considerations.

The AVUHSD is committed to offering an employment and educational environment free from discrimination with respect to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religious creed, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, gender, actual or perceived sexual orientation, or any other unlawful consideration.

Board Policies #4111.1, #4211.1, #4311.1 state, in part, “Recruitment, selection and employment practices of the district shall provide a concerted effort to hire and promote qualified individuals of minority ethnic background so that the total district staff is representative of student and community populations of the district. The administration shall make an effort to assign staff to each school so that a reasonable representation of the student population is achieved.”

Enrollment and candidacy in the Antelope Valley Teacher Induction program is determined by full time employment in the Antelope Valley Union High School District or other school or district with which the AVUHSD has contracted. Eligibility for candidacy is determined without unlawful discrimination harassment, intimidation against district employees and job applicants on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religious creed, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and actual or perceived sexual orientation, at any district site and/or activity. The Board also prohibits retaliation against any district employee or job applicant who complains, testifies or in any way participates in the district's complaint procedures instituted pursuant to this policy.

Precondition 5: Commission Assurances

The AVTI program’s unit head, Greg Nehen, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, makes the following assurances:

1. assure that the sponsor will fulfill all of the applicable standards of program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the Commission,

2. assure that all candidates participating in public school-based field activities hold a Certificate of Clearance from the Commission,

3. assure that the approved program sponsor will cooperate in an evaluation of the program by an external team or a monitoring of the program by a Commission staff member, and

4. assure that the approved program sponsor will participate fully in the Commission’s accreditation system, including the timely submission of documents required for accreditation.

Precondition 6: Requests for Data

The AVUHSD, as represented by Greg Nehen, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, confirm that the AVTI program shall respond to requests for data from the Commission, including, but not limited to, program enrollments, program completers, examination results, including performance assessments, and state and federal reporting within the time limits specified by the Commission. Institutional contact information will be updated annually. The person responsible for submitting data to the commission is the Induction Coordinator, Dr. Loy Dakwa.

The AVTI program and AVUHSD understand that it is their responsibility to check the contact information listed on the Commission’s approved programs’ page and to make any necessary updates at least on an annual basis.

Precondition 7: Veracity in all Claims and Documentation Submitted

In order to uphold and maintain accreditation standards by the Committee on Accreditation, the unit head, Greg Nehen, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, positively affirm the veracity of all statements and documentation submitted to the Commission. I certify that the AVUHSD shall monitor the program exit process and assure the Commission that only candidates that meet the criteria established by the induction Common and Program Standards shall be recommended for a clear credential.

Precondition 8. Grievance Process

Candidates who do not satisfy the induction program’s exit requirements and are deemed ineligible for the Clear credential may pursue the following actions:

• Take advantage of the one-month extension period, after the exit interview, to provide substantive evidence that was not included in the ILP to the program coordinator.

• Candidates who do not meet the one-month deadline for completing the extension process are offered the first quarter of the new school year to do a mini-inquiry to demonstrate professional growth in their new setting. Once this occurs, they are recommended for the clear credential.

• Candidates who neglect to complete all extended offers for demonstrating professional growth for earning the Clear credential can opt to participate in the

Early Completion Option during the upcoming school year at potential cost to them.

• Candidates who object to the non-recommendation decision at any level can appeal their case to the Learning-to-Teach committee by presenting a petition that includes their rendition of completing the AVTI requirements.

Information about the grievance process is described in the grievance process of the induction program and comprehensively on the program website. The requirements are also contained in the Memorandum of Understanding between participants and the district, which must be agreed to and signed upon program enrollment. The grievance process is also addressed in the exit preparation presentation for candidates.

Precondition 9: Faculty and Instructional Personnel Participation

This precondition does not apply to LEA sponsors of credentialing programs in California. Reference: Education Code Section 44227.5 (a) and (b).

Precondition 10: Communication and Information

The AVTI program provides appropriate information to the public, prospective educators, and enrolled candidates about the requirements for admission and successful completion for all its educators and ensures that it is accessible to guide each candidate's attainment of all program requirements. Participating teachers have three primary sources of accessing information:

1. A program brochure to provide general information during recruitment and enrollment.

2. A program handbook which is distributed during the orientation session and contains a record of the mission, purpose of induction, early completion, terms of agreement, participating teacher completion timelines, and concern form, among other pertinent items.

3. The program website is available at http://avti.avhsd.org. The website is open to the public and includes, among other items, documentation, eligibility criteria, Early Completion Option, grievance policy, and professional learning information.

Preconditions 11: Student Records Management, Access, and Security

The AVTI program will maintain and retain student records in accordance with the AVUHSD record retention policy. The AVUHSD verifies that:

1. Candidates and graduates will have access to and be provided with annual completion verification, confirming that activities in the Individual Learning Plan are met toward program completion.

2. All candidate records will be maintained at the AVUHSD central office (digital copies) for a period of five years.

3. Paper records will be kept securely in locked cabinets, and digital copies on a password protected web server located in a room not accessible by the public.

Preconditions 12. Disclosure

The AVUHSD does not currently contract with any outside organizations to provide direct educational services as all or part of the AVTI program. In the event that the AVUHSD decides to contract with any outside organizations to provide direct educational services as all or part of the AVTI program, that information will be duly disclosed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.