New Budgets Reduce Licensing Requirements for California Teachers

25 Year Anniversary Logo
A banner reads "New Budgets Reduce Licensing Requirements for California Teachers" with the Unlock Legal logo and tagline, "A Professional Law Corporation," over a background image of people interacting.

Last year, there were more than 300,000 credentialed teachers working in California schools. These teachers are responsible for shaping and modeling the students in our communities. As a result of the current pandemic, teachers are facing many changes for the upcoming season including challenges with their professional licenses. Recent budgeting approvals are helping more California teachers obtain and maintain their professional licenses. 

License Requirements and Waivers

California’s Department of Consumer Affairs maintains regulations of 76 professional boards including several education boards. Under this organization, licensed professionals must adhere to very strict guidelines when applying for their credential and keep them active. These California boards also have higher standards in comparison to other states, with a larger impact on those carrying occupational licenses. According to the Institute for Justice, these regulations result in nearly 200,000 job losses each year for licensed professionals. Teachers are one of the many occupations affected. With new budgeting changes, teachers specializing in K-12 who are affected by COVID-19 school closures will have an easier time completing their credential and permit requirements. 

The budget gives teachers who have passed their required licensing tests 11 years to complete any additional requirements. Previously, teachers had only 10 years to complete any additional credential or permit requirements after passing their initial teaching exam. As a result, more teachers in California districts will be able to continue teaching or applying for their first teaching positions without being hindered by COVID-19 closures. Even those upcoming teachers currently in credential programs can request a waiver that would allow them to finish their required coursework while teaching.

Related Article: What Do I Do If I Lost My Teaching License

For teaching candidates still struggling with applications to their licensing board, the budget has also created a 120-day extension to file any missing application information to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. All these changes are predicted to help solve the teacher shortage many schools are currently facing in the wake of COVID-19.

Additional Licensing Revisions for School Staff

Licensing requirements have improved for other positions in schools as well. Counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers will now only have to train at one school to complete the experience portion of their certificates. Previously, these professionals had to gain experience from 2-3 schools in both the high school and elementary school settings. Virtual school experiences will also be counted towards overall licensing requirements.

This upcoming school year will be a challenge for many teachers throughout the state. These budgetary changes and licensing modifications are put in place to help keep more teachers and licensed school staff in the classroom. We understand how important teachers are to our community. If you are facing challenges with your teaching license, our teacher certification defense attorneys can help protect your career. 

At Unlock Legal, we have helped hundreds of licensed professionals protect their livelihoods. We’ve stood before licensing boards to petition for reinstatement, fight against license denial, and even manage administrative hearings when a professional’s license is under investigation. Our priority is to get you the best outcome possible and handle your case from beginning to end – no matter how long it takes. 

Unlock Legal provides focused representation in criminal defense and defense for California licensed professionals. Contact Unlock Legal today or give us a call at 949-997-1469 to speak with a professional about your case and your unique needs. You’ll find we are compassionate, easy to talk to, and willing to help in any capacity we can.

California Professionals: Request a free consultation

Contact us today for a confidential case assessment

We respect your privacy. We will never share your information to any third party. See our Privacy Policy

Search through our posts...