Education Administration in California

Career descriptions

As an administrator, one can begin a career in a principal, vice principal or district leadership position. Administrators provide the following services to grades K-12 and preschools:
  • Develop, coordinate, and assess instructional programs
  • Evaluate certificated and classified personnel
  • Provide students’ discipline, including but not limited to, suspension and expulsion
  • Provide certificated and classified employees discipline, including but not limited to, suspension, dismissal, and reinstatement
  • Supervise certificated and classified personnel
  • Manage school site, district, or county level fiscal services
  • Recruit, employ, and assign certificated and classified personnel
  • Develop, coordinate, and supervise student support services, including but not limited to extracurricular activities, pupil personnel services, health services, library services, and technology support services

Certification and Educational requirements

In order to start your career as an administrator, you need to go through two separate credentialing processes: a five-year preliminary credential, and then a clear credential.
  • Requirements for Preliminary Credential:
    1. Possesses a valid prerequisite credential. These include:
      • A valid California teaching credential requiring a bachelor's degree and a program of professional preparation, including student teaching;
      • A valid California Designated Subjects Teaching Credential, provided the holder also possesses a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally-accredited college or university
      • A valid California Pupil Personnel Services Credential, Teacher Librarian Services Credential, Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential, Clinical or Rehabilitative Services Credential, or a School Nurse Services Credential (Clear or Professional Clear level only), requiring a bachelor’s degree and a program of professional preparation, including field practice or the equivalent.
    2. Complete one of the following:
      • A Commission-approved program of specialized and professional preparation in administrative services resulting in the formal recommendation of the program sponsor.
      • A one-year Commission-approved administrative services internship program consisting of supervised in-service training resulting in the formal recommendation by the California college or university where the program was completed.
      • Achieve a passing score on The California Preliminary Administrative Credential Examination (CPACE), administered by Evaluation Systems, Pearson, or the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA), exam #1010, administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS).
    3. Satisfy the basic skills requirement in one of four ways:
      • Pass the CBEST.
      • Pass the CSET: Multiple Subject Plus Writing Skills Examination.
      • Pass the CSU Early Assessment Program or the CSU Placement examinations.
      • Pass a Basic Skills Examination from another state.
    4. Complete three years of full-time experience
    5. Verify employment in an administrative position using the verification form (those who complete the requirements for the credential by passing an administrative examination are exempt from this requirement.)
  • Requirements for the Clear Credential:
    1. Possess a valid Preliminary Administrative Services Credential.
    2. Verify a minimum of two years of successful experience in a full-time administrative position in a California public school, nonpublic school, or private school of equivalent status, while holding the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential.
    3. Complete one of the following:
      • Obtain the recommendation of a Commission-approved program verifying completion of an individualized program of advanced preparation designed in cooperation with your employer and the program sponsor.
      • A State Board of Education-approved Administrator Training Program. Verification of program completion (Modules 1, 2 and 3) must be submitted with the individual’s direct application to the Commission.
      • Meet Mastery of Fieldwork Performance Standards through a Commission-approved program. Colleges and universities with approved programs leading to a Clear Administrative Services Credential may offer a streamlined assessment option to allow candidates to forego the course work component of the program and allow them to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities through the assessment component of the program.
      • A Commission-approved alternative program based on Commission-adopted guidelines resulting in a formal recommendation from the program sponsor.
      • A Commission-approved performance assessment, when available.


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