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CTEL/BCLAD

In conjunction with the State of California, service is provided to the following counties:

Alpine	Glenn	Sacramento	Stanislaus
Amador	Lassen	San Joaquin	Sutter
Butte	Modoc	Shasta	Tehama
Calaveras	Nevada	Sierra	Tuolumne
Colusa	Placer	Siskiya	Yolo
El Dorado	Plumas	Solano	Yuba

The primary purpose of the project is to provide in service training to assist teachers to obtain authorizations to teach English Learners (EL).

California Education Code Sections 44253.3 and 44253.4 require the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to issue certificates that authorize the holder to provide specialized instruction to English Learners (EL). These certificates are the Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD™) Certificate and the Bilingual, Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD™) Certificate.

Section 44253.5 requires the CTC to develop and administer examinations on which a teacher can demonstrate competence in the knowledge and skill areas necessary for effective teaching of English Learners (EL). With expert advice from California educators and others, the CTC has developed the California Teacher of English Learners® (CTEL®) Examination for the purpose. The CTC has contracted with the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson to administer the examination.

About the Test

The CTEL Examination is composed of three separate subtests. The subtests are criterion referenced. A criterion-referenced test is designed to measure an examinee’s knowledge and skills in relation to an established standard rather than in relation to the performance of other examinees. The purpose of this examination is to help identify candidates for certification who have demonstrated the level of knowledge and skills required to effectively teach English Learners.

Each CTEL Examination subtest is designed to measure a specific set of knowledge and skills. All of the knowledge and skills were defined in conjunction with committees of California educators. Test materials matched to the knowledge and skills were developed using, in part, textbooks, frameworks and CTC program standards. The materials were developed through consultation with California teachers, teacher educators and other content and assessment specialists.

Requirements for a BCLAD Certificate. To earn a BCLAD Certificate, you must

1. have an appropriate prerequisite credential or permit;
2. satisfy one of the following;

have passed within the last five years all three CTEL Examination subtests;
have passed within the last seven years CLAD/BCLAD Tests 1,2 and 3 (these tests are no longer given);
hold an LDS Certificate;
hold or verify eligibility for a CLAD Emphasis Credential, a CLAD Certificate, a Multiple Subject or Single Subject Teaching Credential with an English Learner authorization based on AB 1059, an Education Specialist Instruction Credential with an English Learner authorization, or an SB 2042 Multiple Subject or Single Subject Teaching Credential;

3. have passing scores from within the last five years on the appropriate CSET subtests, as specified on the CSET website at www.ctcexams.nesinc.com. Three subtests are required: one assessing language and communication skills in the language of emphasis; one assessing the methodology of bilingual education; and one assessing bilingual cultural knowledge. See the CSET website for more information, including exceptions. (If you have already passed Test 4,5 or 6 of the BCLAD Examinations, see the program transition information in the current CSET registration bulletin, which is available on the CSET website at www.ctcexams.nesinc.com.)