Multiple Subject Credential Program

California State University, Fresno is one of twenty-three universities in the California State University system. Fresno State began as a Normal School in 1911 and has a strong history of service and preparation of education professionals. The Dean of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development is the Unit Head who oversees twenty-one programs. The Multiple Subject Program prepares teacher candidates for service as elementary teachers (primarily grades K-6). Our last joint accreditation (NCATE/CCTC) visit was in spring 2014.

The Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential Program is a three semester program of forty-four units: thirty-three units in teacher preparation coursework and eleven units of supervised clinical practice [student teaching]. The Multiple Subject Credential Program is based on a clearly stated rationale that requires candidates to complete foundation classes and content-specific methods coursework while concurrently practicing the application of these concepts in field placement settings. Candidates are expected to apply the theoretical and scholarly concepts, knowledge, and teaching skills in the planning and implementation of effective and appropriate lessons and units of study. The program provides extensive opportunities for candidates to learn to teach using the state adopted academic content standards with all students. Fieldwork placements are made in diverse settings including many high need, urban schools.

Coursework in the Multiple Subject Credential program is offered through a cohort model with a variety of options from which the candidate selects at admission to the program.  The first option is the Basic Multiple Subject Credential Program, three semesters of fulltime face-face or hybrid format coursework in the late afternoons and evenings. In Phases 2 and 3, candidates also enroll in supervised student teaching experiences during the day in public school settings. The second option is the Dual Certification in Multiple Subject and Education Specialist which is four semesters of fulltime face-face, hybrid, and online coursework. The third option is the University Teacher Internship Program for candidates who will be employed as teachers of record and who meet the intern eligibility requirements. Multiple Subject candidates may apply to the Teacher Internship Program in Phase 3; Dual Certification candidates may apply for internship in Phases 3 and 4. There also is the Residency Partnership Program, an accelerated, course blended, daytime program in partner districts that condense coursework in order to fast-track candidates through their program. Teacher preparation coursework is delivered in the daytime in the partner district through faculty co-teaching in hybrid formats with traditional student teaching infused throughout the week. Residency Partnerships also include district professional development, preferential employment upon successful program completion and other special features.  There are two Dual Residency Partnerships in Multiple Subject and Education Specialist Mild/Moderate in two partner districts, one Multiple Subject only Residency Partnership, two Bilingual Residency Partnerships in Multiple Subject with the Bilingual Authorizations in Spanish or Hmong. The final option is the undergraduate Integrated Teacher Education Program [ITEP], a pilot program that addresses a critical need for well-qualified, highly-committed teachers for schools in the southern Central Valley of California. Currently, college students who wish to become teachers through an exemplary, evidence-based teacher education program need to travel to Fresno from their communities in the South Valley for coursework at California State University, Fresno, a trip of more than an hour, two or more days per week.

Overview of Structure

The Multiple Subject Credential Program faculty cross over from two departments, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction [C & I] and the Department of Literacy, Early, Bilingual and Special Education [LEBSE].

Leadership in the Multiple Subject Credential program is through collaborative monthly meetings with faculty from both departments as well as the two Chairs.  Tenure-track faculty and adjunct faculty are invited to attend the monthly credential program meetings to receive pertinent information, to engage in discussion and to provide input on program decisions. Additional communication is exchanged by Zoom and through email. The program faculty attend meetings with other faculty and coordinators in the Kremen School and through university committee work. There are also faculty run monthly Faculty Assembly meetings to which all Kremen faculty are invited.

Our district partners also provide input to the program through meetings held with the Continuous Improvement Lead faculty, the Professor in Residence, and the faculty who will be teaching in the program. Teacher candidates may provide input on signature assignments through informal discussions with instructors and formal class evaluations. District and County Superintendents may provide input at the President’s Commission on Teacher Education held three times a year. 

Courses of Study

Two prerequisite courses are required prior to admission:  Educational Applications of Technology and Introduction to Teaching.

Phase 1 Multiple Subject candidates complete fifteen units of coursework: Literacy Foundations addresses examines influential factors and guiding principles of becoming literate in multiple subject areas and the design and implementation of  integrated, thematic literacy instruction. Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Pedagogy addresses the pedagogy and best practices for teaching Emergent Bilingual students.  Curriculum and Pedagogy- Designing for Successful Teaching TK-8 includes background information on curriculum theories and multiple pedagogical approaches with a focus on the integration of curriculum and instruction; Understanding Children, Learning and Development in TK-8 Classrooms addresses the principles of educational psychology and their relations with recent research and school practice; diverse theoretical perspectives on learning and development in children and adolescents, as well as their implementation and application in school settings.   Inquiry and Puzzles of Practice A addresses the first of three inquiry courses. Dual candidates also take Designing Effective Environments for Students with Disabilities, a course which addresses special education law, lesson planning, writing effective learning plans for student with disabilities and related special education topics, for a total of eighteen units in Phase 1.

Multiple Subject Credential candidates in Phase 2 complete fourteen units of coursework: Science Instruction and Applied Technology, designed to prepares candidates to effectively and equitably teach elementary school science with contemporary instructional technologies; Mathematics Instruction and Applied Assessment addresses strategies for teaching and assessing mathematics concepts; Disciplinary Literacies and Integrated Curriculum TK-8 examines how reading, writing, talking, listening and viewing are tools for learning content will guide an inquiry-based approach to curriculum planning, curriculum implementation, and assessment across curricula. Inquiry and Puzzles of Practice B continues with the inquiry cycle introduced in Phase 1; and Field Study B which is the initial supervised clinical practice experience in a general education classroom. In place of Field Study B, Dual candidates enroll in Initial Dual Student Teaching, which is a mixture of initial Multiple Subject and Special Education clinical experiences. Dual candidates also enroll in Positive Behavior and Social Supports which addresses the principles of behavior and best practices for structuring and maintaining effective classroom management and individualized behavioral intervention strategies.

In Phase 3, Multiple Subject candidates complete three courses: Inquiry and Puzzles of Practice C is the last of the three cycles of inquiry and Field Study C, the final student teaching experience in a general education classroom. Differentiated Instruction and Classroom Management, examines the role of Universal Design for Learning, provides strategies for teaching diverse learners and using effective classroom management. This course is taken by the Multiple Subject Credential candidates only. In place of enrollment in Differentiated Instruction and Classroom Management, Dual candidates enroll in two special education teacher preparation courses: Assessing Students with Special Needs which addresses formal and informal assessments, interpretation of test data, and the practical application of data to form instruction. Assessment and Instruction for Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe Disabilities provides a knowledge base of strategies and interventions for students who are not responding to the current instructional environment with a focus on evidence-base curricula and instructional methods that are effective with students with mild/moderate or moderate/severe disabilities. At this point, Multiple Subject candidates will have completed all of their coursework and clinical practice. Dual candidates will have one more phase coursework and clinical practice in special education to complete their Education Specialist Credential.

Multiple Subject and Dual Mild/Moderate or Moderate Severe Courses and Units

Note: All courses shown below are taken by Multiple Subject Candidates, except where noted as a Dual only course

Phase 1

• LEE 158 Literacy Foundation TK-8 (3 units)
• LEE 159 Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Pedagogy in the TK-8 context(3 units)
• CI 162 Understanding Children, Learning, and Development in TK-8 Classrooms (3 units
• CI 163 Curriculum and Pedagogy: Designing for Successful Teaching TK-8 (3 units)
• LEE 160 Inquiry and Puzzles of Practice A   (3 units)

Phase 2

• LEE 166 Disciplinary Literacies and Integrated Curriculum (3 units)
• LEE 167 Inquiry and Puzzles of Practice B (3 units)   
• CI 175 Science Instruction and Applied Technology  (3 units)  
• CI 176 Mathematics Instruction and Applied Assessment (3 units)

• MS only: EHD 178 Field Study B (2 units)

• Dual: EHD 110D Initial Dual Student Teaching  (4 units)

• Dual: SPED 125 Positive Behavior and Social Supports (3 units)

Phase 3

• LEE 169s Inquiry and Puzzles of Practice C (3 units)
• EHD 170 Field Study C: Final Multiple Subject Student Teaching (9 units)

• MS only: SPED 179 Differentiated Instruction and Classroom Management (3 units)

• Dual: SPED 130 Assessing Students with Special Needs (3 units)

• Dual: SPED 136 Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction for Students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities (3 units)

or

• Dual: SPED 146 Assessment and Instruction for Students with Moderate/Severe Disabilities (3 units)

ITEP Program: https://fresnostate.edu/kremen/liberal-studies/itep.html

Total Units: 45 units 

Supervised clinical practice experiences are required in all three phases [4 phases for Dual] with additional supervised clinical practice for interns if needed.  Candidates are placed in the general education classroom with co-teaching opportunities. Clinical practice placements reflect the socioeconomic and cultural diversity of the Central Valley, include supports for English learners/emergent bilinguals, and provide opportunities for teacher candidates to work with students with disabilities in schools with a qualified administrator who oversees the school site.  Field supervision of teacher candidates is conducted by both district provided Veteran Practitioners and University Clinical Practice Coaches. Veteran Practitioners must hold a Clear Credential in the content area for which they are providing supervision and have a minimum of three years of content area K-12 teaching experience. The Veteran Practitioner must have demonstrated exemplary teaching practices as determined by the employing district and the university teacher preparation program. The matching of Teacher Candidate and the Veteran Practitioner is a collaborative process between the school district and the program.

University Clinical Practice Coaches hold a valid Multiple Subject Credential and/or a Clear Administrative Credential. All have many years of teaching experience and hold Master degrees or higher. Their role is to coach and support teacher candidates to develop their instructional, management, and professional skills.  University Clinical Practice Coaches conduct eleven on-site visits with each candidate: three triad meetings with master teacher and candidate [initial, mid-term and final triad meetings]; six formal on-site lesson observations with debriefing and coaching; and two informal drop-in visits. In addition, coaches verify time logs, review candidates’ six formal lesson plans, post-lesson reflections and weekly reflections on learning; and additional contacts as needed.

Over the past three years, the following changes have been made to the program:

• A program self-study was conducted in 2017-2018 to coordinate coursework, to review signature assignments and make adjustments as needed.
• A new Multiple Subject Credential Program was developed to align with new Multiple Subject Program Standards
• A new clinical practice rubric [CREATe] was written, calibrated with coaches, and implemented in 2018. Based on this work, a new clinical practice rubric is being collaboratively developed with the Single Subject and Education Specialist Credential programs and will begin in spring 2021.
• Course of study forms were revised to reflect changes in course numbering of Multiple Subject course coursework and to provide candidates with additional information.
• Joint development of two new summer start dual residency programs in local school districts receiving CTC Teacher Recruitment grants. Each dual residency includes a Professor in Residence, a focus on faculty co-taught courses delivered in an intensive, shorter timeframe in the district, and an infusion of special education and general education clinical practice hours across all phases.
• Implementation of TK20, a new clinical practice data management system.

Assessment of Candidates

Multiple Subject and Dual Certification teacher candidates are assessed on their performance formally and informally.  There are formal teacher performance assessments in the Fresno Assessment of Student Teachers [FAST], a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) system designed for exclusive use at California State University, Fresno. The assessments, the Site Visitation Project Teaching Sample Project and the Teaching Sample Project, collectively measure the pedagogical competence of teacher candidates and interns and provides information for determining program quality and effectiveness.

Each assessment evaluates multiple TPEs using a task-specific rubric for each section of the task. The tasks are scored by trained faculty and supervisors. To pass, students must earn a score of a 2 on a 4-point scale for each section of each assessment. Scores are reported to the candidate by task section. This disaggregated reporting provides useful feedback to candidates, to induction programs, and to university personnel. FAST is completely embedded into the Multiple Subject and Dual credential programs, with formative assessments included as part of course work, and the summative assessments required as part of the field work. The Site Visitation Project assesses teacher candidates’ ability to plan, implement, and evaluate instruction. The three parts of the project include (1) Planning: planning documentation for a single lesson incorporating state-adopted content standards and English language development, (2) Implementation: an in-person observation and videotaping of the teaching of the lesson, and (3) Reflection: a review of the entire video, selection of a 3- to 5-minute video segment, and a written evaluation of the lesson. (TPE 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.7, 6.1). Teaching Sample Project: This task assesses teacher candidates’ ability to (a) identify the context of the classroom, (b) plan and teach a series of at least five cohesive lessons with a focus on content knowledge and literacy, (c) assess students’ learning related to the unit, (d) document their teaching and their students’ learning, and (e) reflect on the effectiveness of their teaching. Teacher candidates document how they are addressing the needs of all their students in the planning, teaching, and assessing of the content. (TPE 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2.1, 2.3, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.7, 5.1, 5.2, 5.5, 5.8, 6.1, 6.3, 6.5).

In clinical practice, student teachers receive ongoing formative feedback and coaching on their lesson plans and instruction from their University Coach and Veteran Practitioner. The Coach also provides written feedback from their observations of the candidate’s six formal lessons. At the mid-term and final points of the semester, triad meetings are conducted with the Mentor Teacher, University Coach and Teacher Candidate to provide overall performance and growth feedback and for the candidate to set professional goals.

The mid-term and final evaluation utilize the Continuum of Reflective, Engaging and Accessible Teaching [CREATe] Rubric, a data-driven, continuous quality improvement framework developed in 2018. The primary transformational goal of the CREATe rubric is to provide candidates with actionable, formative feedback on their classroom practice through fourteen (14) data points at the candidate’s mid-term and final evaluation. The fourteen data points include:  Caring Community; Inclusive Learning Environment, High Expectations; Positive Behavior Expectations; Student Reflection, Assessment and Self-Assessment; Funds of Knowledge; Varied Strategies; Research-Based Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals and Students with Special needs; Critical and Creative Thinking; Subject Matter Knowledge; Content Accessibility; Interdisciplinary Integration; and monitoring Student Learning and Adjusting Instruction.   A published article [pgs. 21-23] on the CREATe Rubric provides more detailed information. Extensive and repeated training for coaches on the use of the CREATe Rubric has been offered, the use of double scoring utilized, and a pilot study in 2019 validated that the CREATe rubric is successfully differentiating performance trends across three of its four dimensions (internal consistency/reliability), and that overall performance trends on CREATe are consistent across different observation instruments (convergent construct validity).

 Service Delivery Models

• Multiple Subject Credential Program Organizational Chart
• Kremen School of Education and Human Development Organizational Chart

Multiple Subject Distribution Table

Annotated Faculty List 

• Clinical Practice Coach Job Description
• Coach Application

• Adjunct Faculty Recruitment
• Job Description for Instructors/Lecturers

Prior to admission, applicants select the Course of Study form that matches their desired pathway. The applicant downloads, reviews, signs and submits the Course of Study with the program admission packet. If an admitted teacher candidate later decides to change his/her/their credential choice to a different option, the candidate completes a Special Consideration request and the new Course of Study form that matches the change request. The program coordinator reviews the documentation and approves or denies. The forms are added to the candidate’s record.

Preliminary Multiple Subject Courses of Study for the Multiple Subject and Dual Certification programs:

• Multiple Subject 2 Semester (Residency)
• Multiple Subject 3 Semester (On Campus)
• Dual Mild Moderate 3 Semester (Residency)
• Dual Mild Moderate 4 Semester (On Campus)
• Dual Moderate Severe - Spring Start
• Dual Moderate Severe - Fall Start
• Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP)

• Course Matrix 

• Course Matrix-Part 2

Table Denoting Number of Hours of Clinical Practice

Internship Clinical Practice Hours [taken when above courses are either completed or prior to final student teaching if CSETs are not passed]

• Memorandum of Understanding
• Criteria for veteran practitioner selection, training and evaluation.
• Support and assessment roles and responsibilities for the program and the district.

• Virtual Co-teaching for Veteran Practitioners
• Co-Teaching for Veteran Practitioners

Program candidates are placed in schools in the surrounding region. Every effort is made by program faculty to ensure that candidates are in the best possible placement to support their development. As demonstrated by the data represented below, our region is home to some of the most diverse student populations in the state, meaning candidates in all programs have opportunities to develop as practitioners while working with students from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as students with disabilities.

• Documentation of Candidate Placements

Multiple Subject Teacher Candidates enrolled in clinical practice receive information about their Clinical Practice Handbook at two points each semester. First, candidates receive information about the handbook at the mandatory Multiple Subject Clinical Practice Orientation, which is held on the first day of  instruction. Second, handbook information [link/attachment] is emailed to candidates by their University Coach following the orientation. Candidates are provided a paper copy of the handbook at no cost, if requested. The handbook is also available year round on the Office of Clinical Practice website. 

• Information to the district and candidates about expectations within the clinical experience including appropriate placements
• Veteran practitioner support
• Information about clinical practice assessment with the performance assessment requirements
• The retake policy, and advice, assistance, and support the program will provide to its candidates. 

• EHD 178
• EHD 170/160A/160B

Clinical Practice Assessment Instruments

• Mid-term and Final Evaluation Rubric
• Coach Observation Rubric

The Preliminary Multiple Subject Credential program ensures that only qualified candidates are recommended for the credential. Prior to admission each teacher candidate is required to sign and submit a Course of Study form that shows the sequence of courses for their chosen pathway. The signed Course of Study form is kept in the candidate’s record and serves as the official Candidate Progress Monitoring document. Upon completion of the program and all requirements, the candidate completes the  application for the preliminary credential as shown on our website.

Following receipt of the candidate’s application, the University Credential Analyst checks the candidate’s transcripts against the signed Course of Study in the candidate’s record to determine and document on page 5 of the application that all courses have been completed with a ‘C” grade or better; there is a minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average overall;  the US Constitution requirement is met; passing scores on the CBEST, CSET and RICA examinations; a valid Certificate of Clearance and CPR certificate for infants, children and adults, and passing scores on the teacher performance assessment. After all requirements are met, the candidate is recommended to CCTC for the preliminary credential. 

• Multiple Subject Candidate Progress Monitoring Form
• Dual Multiple Subject Candidate Progress Monitoring Form

• Individual Development Plan Form