What We Offer

The MCOE Teacher Credentialing Program/BTSA is a two-year induction program for teachers who are seeking to clear their California teaching credential. Beginning teachers receive professional support from an experienced teacher, formative assessment through observation and feedback, and personal professional development based on their identified needs.

Experienced teachers (trained Support Providers) work with BTSA participants to develop skills, knowledge, and confidence in accordance with the California Standards of the Teaching Profession (CSTP) which are:

  • Engaging and supporting all students in learning
  • Creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning
  • Understanding and organizing subject matter for student learning
  • Planning instruction and designing learning experiences for all students
  • Assessing students for learning
  • Developing as a professional educator

Completion of the 2-year program will result in the participating teacher being awarded their Clear California Teaching Credential. To begin BTSA, please contact your district's Human Resources director.

Professional Development

BTSA offers professional development through a series of seminars for participants. Seminars focus on BTSA curriculum content, FACT, and support provider development. The seminars also provide valuable time for participant collaboration and networking.

History of BTSA

The MCOE Teacher Credentialing Program/BTSA, a consortium of 27 school districts and private institutions, is one of the original 29 BTSA programs funded in 1993. Created by AB 1266 (Mazzoni, 1997), California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program grew out of legislation established in SB 1422 (Bergeson, 1992) and was based on research from the California New Teacher Project (CNTP). A central finding of this research identified the need to provide beginning teachers with focused induction support. To be useful, this support must be provided at a sufficient level of intensity to make a difference in the performance, retention, and satisfaction of beginning teachers. The 1997 Mazzoni legislation that established BTSA encouraged collaboration among local school districts, county offices of education, colleges and universities to organize and deliver professional development for beginning teachers.

In 1998, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing sponsored and the Governor signed, legislation that restructured teacher credentialing in California. Following passage of SB 2042 (Alpert/Mazzoni, Ch. 548, Statutes of 1998), the architecture of Learning to Teach in California was re-designed to include these major reforms:

  • The creation of multiple, standards-based routes into teaching.
  • Alignment of teacher preparation standards with State adopted academic and content and performance standards for students.
  • A new requirement that teachers pass a teaching performance assessment embedded in their preparation program prior to earning a preliminary teaching credential.
  • A new requirement that teachers complete a two-year induction program of support and assessment during the first two years of teaching in order to earn a California Clear Teaching Credential. (www.btsa.ca.gov)

What is the Role of a Support Provider?

Support Providers assist beginning teachers in a myriad of ways. They observe new teachers in the classroom and provide confidential opportunites and feedback during weekly collaborative meetings. They encourage reflection and guidance as to a variety of best practices; they serve as a new lens from which education may be viewed and reveal the many layers that make an effective teacher. Support Providers also complete the Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT) training while attending related BTSA regional meetings. Support Providerss are carefully selected by their district and must apply through the district's BTSA Program Advisor. They do receive an annual stipend for their work in the BTSA program.

"My support provider gathered information about my teaching. Then she helped me look at teaching standards to pinpoint where I needed to grow." - Beginning Teacher

"Working with one or two new teachers by putting curriculum ideas on the table and sharing what works tends to create a collaborative teaching environment. This spreads throughout the school. This has been one of the most rewarding aspects of working with new teachers in the BTSA Program." - Experienced Teacher

 

What is the Role of a BTSA Teacher?

Teachers in their first and second year of BTSA meet weekly with their Support Provider for instruction and guidance. Beginning teachers also participate in the Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT) self-assessment process. They attend professional development sessions in large and small groups based on their identified needs. Participating Teachers may earn continuing education credits for their participation.

"BTSA gave me support from an experienced teacher and release time to observe other classes. This helped me sharpen my teaching techniques." - Beginning Teacher

 

Contact Us
Anna Weidhofer, Ed.D
Program Director
Phone: 831.784.4189
Fax: 831.755.0367
Stella Flores
BTSA Support
Phone: 831.755.0834