PROGRAM
SPONSOR
ALERT
DATE:
07/01/2024
NUMBER:
24-07
SUBJECT: BACHELOR’S DEGREE AS DEMONSTRATION OF BASIC SKILLS REQUIREMENT
Summary:
On June 29, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 153 (Chap. 38, Stats 2024). This budget
trailer bill addresses multiple topics related to education. Included in this new law, among other
provisions, is the allowance of a candidate’s bachelor’s degree to meet the Basic Skills
Requirement (BSR) for most credentials. Because this is a budget bill, its provisions take effect
immediately.
Key Provisions:
These new provisions in state law allow for the candidate’s bachelor’s degree or higher from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education to serve as demonstration of basic skills in
reading, writing, and mathematics. In an effort to address the teacher shortage and eliminate
barriers to the education profession, candidates in most credential programs will no longer
need to provide additional evidence of competence in basic skills if they hold a bachelor’s
degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. If the candidate
holds a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education,
educator preparation programs will no longer need to verify that a candidate has demonstrated
competence in basic skills through one of the eight other options for doing so, including passing
the California Basic Skills Examination for Teachers (CBEST) examination or performing a
transcript review of the reading, writing, and mathematics requirements. This change in state
educator preparation policy represents a major shift that will benefit the vast majority of
prospective educators in California.
At this time, the following four credentials/permits issued by the Commission still require
demonstration of Basic Skills Requirement through one of the allowable options as these
provisions in the budget trailer bill do not apply to these areas: Exchange Certificated Employee
PROGRAM SPONSOR ALERT 24-07: Bachelor’s Degree as Demonstration of Basic Skills Requirement
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Credential, the Sojourn Certificated Employee Credential, Designated Subjects Supervision and
Coordination Credential, and Emergency Substitute Permit for Prospective Teachers.
The Commission will be updating all related webpages, leaflets, preconditions, etc., to reflect
these changes, and will work to make sure all materials are updated as soon as possible.
Regulations will be revised in accordance with the new provisions. Programs must also
immediately update all program materials affected by this change and work expeditiously to
inform candidates and program staff that this change will take effect immediately.
Commission staff is working with the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson (ES) regarding
messaging to potential examinees who may not have heard about this legislative change and
who intend to take the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). The landing page for the
CBEST at California Educator Credentialing Examinations (nesinc.com) will include information
about the changes to the requirement to demonstrate basic skills. If a potential examinee
registers for the CBEST, the examinee can get a refund provided their appointment is cancelled
and their registration is withdrawn BEFORE the appointment date. Examinees will get a full
refund when they withdraw following the policy guidelines.
The online recommendation process will remain unchanged.
Important Dates:
June 29, 2024 – Senate Bill 153 signed into law and takes effect immediately.
Background:
California Education Code and Title 5 Regulations specified that, in most cases, applicants for a
credential, certificate, or permit to serve in the public schools of California must verify basic
skills proficiency before the credential, certificate, or permit would be issued. For Preliminary
Teaching Credential candidates, the Basic Skills Requirement had to be met prior to being
recommended for an intern teaching credential or a preliminary teaching credential.
California Education Code also prohibited the Commission on Teacher Credentialing
(Commission) from issuing an initial credential, permit, certificate, or renewal of an emergency
credential to a person to serve in the public schools unless the person had demonstrated
proficiency in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills in the English language by passing
the state basic skills proficiency test, except for those persons who are exempt from the basic
skills proficiency test requirement. The law also prohibited the governing board of a school
district from initially hiring on a permanent, temporary, or substitute basis a certificated person
seeking employment in the capacity designated in the certificated person’s credential unless
that person has demonstrated basic skills proficiency or is exempt from the basic skills
requirement.
The new budget trailer bill law for fiscal year 2024-25 eliminates this requirement for most
credentials.
PROGRAM SPONSOR ALERT 24-07: Bachelor’s Degree as Demonstration of Basic Skills Requirement
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Sources:
SB 153
References:
Education Code Sections 44252.5, 44252.7, 44259, 44260.2, 44270.3, 44274.2, 44275.4, 44300,
44830
Contact Information:
Contact Information for the Professional Services Division is available at the Professional
Services Contact webpage.
