Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, § 80048.6 - Authorizations for Education Specialist Instruction Credentials and Special Education Added Authorization

(a) The following definitions apply to authorizations for Education Specialist Instruction Credentials and Special Education Added Authorizations:

(1) "Service across the continuum of program options available"; Pursuant to Education Code Sections 56031, 56360, and 56361, the continuum includes resource rooms or services; special education settings; general education settings; special schools; home/hospital settings; state hospitals; development centers; correctional facilities; non-public, non-sectarian schools and agencies as defined in Education Code Sections 56365 and 56366; and alternative and non-traditional instructional public school settings other than classrooms.

(2) "Developmental delay": Student who needs special education and related services by experiencing a delay in one or more of the following: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development or adaptive development.

(3) "Hard-of-hearing or hearing loss includes unilateral or bilateral, whether fluctuating, conductive, sensorineural, and/or auditory neuropathy": Hearing impairment or hearing loss, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness but may include problems involving the cochlea, the sensory organ of hearing.

(4) "Educational Assessment": Assessment of students in a comprehensive manner within the authorization of the teaching credential or added authorization using multiple sources of information and a variety of strategies that directly measure a student's performance to meet goals in areas of grade-level academic curriculum and/or functional goals designed to meet the Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individualized Family Service Program, and/or Individualized Transition Plan goals and objectives regarding eligibility and services that directly result from the student's disability according to state and federal accountability systems. The assessment process may include both formal and informal assessments to evaluate students' educational instruction needs and strengths for the purpose of making accommodations, modifications, and instructional decisions.

(5) "Special Education Support": Support includes participation in the IEP, Individualized Family Service Program, and/or Individualized Transition Plan process including planning and implementation of the student's IEP, Individualized Family Service Program, and/or Individualized Transition Plan; providing consultative, collaborative, and coordinating specially designed instruction with students, parents, teachers, and other community and school personnel; planning, developing, and implementing instructional program plans relative to and within the authorization of the credential or added authorization. Special education support does not include providing language, speech and hearing therapy, orientation and mobility, or audiology services.

(b) The following authorizations are issued by the Commission:

(1) The Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Mild/Moderate Disabilities authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to student's access to the academic core curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals, provide instruction, and Special Education Support to individuals with a primary disability of specific learning disabilities, mild/moderate intellectual disabilities, other health impairment, and emotional disturbance, in kindergarten, grades 1 - 12 through age 22, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available.

(2) The Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Moderate/Severe Disabilities authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to student's access to the academic core curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals, provide instruction, and Special Education Support to individuals with a primary disability of autism, moderate/severe intellectual disabilities, deaf-blind, emotional disturbance, and multiple disabilities, to students in kindergarten, grades 1 - 12 through age 22, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available.

(3) The Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Mild to Moderate Support Needs authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to students' access to the academic curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional goals, provide instruction, and Special Education Support to students with mild to moderate support needs related to one or more of the following disabilities: autism, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, and traumatic brain injury; in kindergarten, including transitional kindergarten, grades 1-12 through age 22, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available.

(4) The Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Extensive Support Needs authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to students' access to the academic curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional goals, provide instruction, and Special Education Support to students with extensive support needs related to one or more of the following disabilities: autism, deafblind, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, and traumatic brain injury; in kindergarten, including transitional kindergarten, grades 1-12 through age 22, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available.

(5) The Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to student's access to the academic core curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals, provide instruction, and Special Education Support to individuals with a disability of deaf or hard-of-hearing, or deafblind, including autism, and services to students with a hearing loss that manifests itself in conjunction with additional disabilities including unilateral or bilateral, whether fluctuating, conductive, sensorineural, and/or auditory neuropathy, to students from birth through age 22, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available.

(A) Holders of Education Specialist Credentials in Deaf and Hard-of Hearing and previously issued credentials authorizing deaf and hard-of-hearing instructional services who were employed prior to July 1, 2010 to provide instructional services in American Sign Language (ASL) to general education students may continue to provide instructional services in the area of ASL. Effective July 1, 2010, no new special education credential holders may qualify using this provision.

(6) The Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Visual Impairments authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to student's access to the academic core curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals, provide instruction, and Special Education Support to individuals with a disability of visual impairment including blind or deafblind, including autism, to students from birth through age 22, and classes organized primarily for adults in services across the continuum of program options available.

(7) Before July 1, 2022, the Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Early Childhood Special Education authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to student's access to the academic core curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals, and provide instructional and Special Education Support to students from birth through pre-kindergarten who are eligible for early intervention special education and related services, to individuals with a primary disability in specific learning disabilities, mild/moderate intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injury, other health impairment, autism, moderate/severe intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, and multiple disabilities including developmental delay and a disabling medical condition in services across the continuum of program options available.

(8) For candidates prepared on the basis of the Preliminary Education Specialist Teaching Credential Program Standards in section 80612 and Teaching Performance Expectations in section 80613, or credentials issued pursuant to 80048.3.1 or 80048.3.2, the Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Early Childhood Special Education credential authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to students' access to the academic curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals; and provide instruction and Special Education Support to students from birth through kindergarten who are eligible for early intervention special education and related services related to one or more of the following disabilities: autism, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, traumatic brain injury, and multiple disabilities including developmental delay and a disabling medical condition in services across the continuum of program options available. This authorization shall not be issued prior to July 1, 2022.

(9) Before July 1, 2022, the Early Childhood Special Education Added Authorization authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to student's access to the academic core curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals and provide instructional and special Education Support to students from birth through pre-kindergarten who are eligible for early intervention special education and support with a primary disability in specific learning disabilities, mild/moderate intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injury, other health impairment, autism, moderate/severe intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, and multiple disabilities including developmental delay and a disabling medical condition, in services across the continuum of program options available.

(10) For candidates prepared on the basis of the Preliminary Education Specialist Teaching Credential Program Standards in section 80612 and Teaching Performance Expectations in 80613, or credentials issued pursuant to 80048.3.1 or 80048.3.2, the Early Childhood Special Education Added Authorization authorizes the holder to conduct Educational Assessments related to students' access to the academic curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals; and provide instruction and Special Education Support to students from birth through kindergarten who are eligible for early intervention special education and related services related to one or more of the following disabilities: autism, emotional disturbance, intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, traumatic brain injury, and multiple disabilities including developmental delay and a disabling medical condition in services across the continuum of program options available. This authorization shall not be issued prior to July 1, 2022.

(11) Individuals enrolled in an education specialist teacher preparation program on or after January 1, 2010 who complete content in autism spectrum disorders are authorized to conduct Educational Assessments related to student's access to the academic core curriculum and progress towards meeting instructional academic goals, provide instruction, and Special Education Support to individuals with a primary disability of autism as defined in subsection 300.8(c)(1) of Title 34 Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart A, across the continuum of special education program options at the grade and age levels within the specialty area(s) of the education specialist credential held.

(12) An Education Specialist Instruction Credential also authorizes the holder to provide one of the following:

(A) Individuals enrolled in an education specialist teacher preparation program that includes content for teaching English learners as described in Education Code Section 44259.5 on or before December 31, 2013 who remain continuously enrolled, as defined in Education Code Section 44252.1(b)(2), until program completion are authorized to provide instruction to limited-English proficient pupils as specified in Education Code Section 44253.3(a).

(i) The final initial issuance date for a preliminary Education Specialist credential pursuant to this subsection shall be December 31, 2016 for individuals enrolled in traditional, blended or integrated, and university intern programs.

(ii) The final initial issuance date for a preliminary Education Specialist credential pursuant to this subsection shall be December 31, 2017 for individuals enrolled in district intern programs.

(B) Individuals enrolled in an education specialist teacher preparation program that includes content for teaching English learners as described in Education Code Section 44259.5(a) after December 31, 2013 are authorized to provide instruction for English language development as defined in Education Code Section 44253.2(a) and specially designed content instruction delivered in English as defined in Education Code Section 44253.2(b) within the specialty area(s) and grade/age level authorization of the Education Specialist credential.

(13) The Education Specialist Bridge Authorization: Mild to Moderate Support Needs authorizes the holder to perform all services authorized by the Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Mild to Moderate Support Needs under (b)(1) that are not otherwise authorized by their existing Mild/Moderate Disabilities Education Specialist Credential.

(14) The Education Specialist Bridge Authorization: Extensive Support Needs authorizes the holder to perform all services authorized by the Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Extensive Support Needs under (b)(2) that are not otherwise authorized by their existing Moderate/Severe Disabilities Education Specialist Credential.

(15) The Education Specialist Bridge Authorization: Early Childhood Special Education authorizes the holder to perform all services authorized by the Education Specialist Instruction Credential: Early Childhood Special Education under (b)(8) that are not otherwise authorized by their existing Early Childhood Special Education Credential.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 5, § 80048.6

1. New section filed 9-26-97; operative 10-26-97 (Register 97, No. 39).
2. Amendment of section heading, section and NOTE filed 5-27-2010; operative 6-26-2010 (Register 2010, No. 22).
3. Amendment of subsection (a)(5), new subsection (b)(8) and subsection renumbering filed 8-4-2011; operative 9-3-2011 (Register 2011, No. 31).
4. Amendment of subsections (b)(1)-(2) and (b)(6)-(7), new subsection (b)(10), redesignation and amendment of former subsection (b)(10) as new subsection (b)(10)(A), new subsections (b)(10)(A)(i)-(b)(10)(B) and amendment of NOTE filed 8-12-2013; operative 10-1-2013 (Register 2013, No. 33).
5. Amendment filed 5-31-2022; operative 7-1-2022 (Register 2022, No. 22).

Note: Authority cited: Section 44225, Education Code. Reference: Sections 16191, 44252.1, 44253.2(a), 44253.2(b), 44259.5, 44265, 44265.5, 56031, 56360, 56361, 56365 and 56366, Education Code; 34 C.F.R. 300.8(a), (b) and (c) and 300.39(a)(1)(i); and 20 USC 1401(3), (14), (15), (16), (29) and (30).

1. New section filed 9-26-97; operative 10-26-97 (Register 97, No. 39).
2. Amendment of section heading, section and Note filed 5-27-2010; operative 6-26-2010 (Register 2010, No. 22).
3. Amendment of subsection (a)(5), new subsection (b)(8) and subsection renumbering filed 8-4-2011; operative 9-3-2011 (Register 2011, No. 31).
4. Amendment of subsections (b)(1)-(2) and (b)(6)-(7), new subsection (b)(10), redesignation and amendment of former subsection (b)(10) as new subsection (b)(10)(A), new subsections (b)(10)(A)(i)-(b)(10)(B) and amendment of Note filed 8-12-2013; operative 10-1-2013 (Register 2013, No. 33).
5. Amendment filed 5-31-2022; operative 7/1/2022 (Register 2022, No. 22).