Teacher credentialing: administrative services credential: occupational and physical therapists.

Blanca Rubio’s measure would reshape California’s teacher credentialing framework by allowing a valid license to practice occupational therapy or physical therapy to satisfy prerequisites for the preliminary administrative services credential, while specifying that a credential issued in part on a license would not automatically authorize supervision or evaluation of teachers unless the employing district or county office confirms additional qualifications. The proposal also raises the minimum experience for the credential to five years and explicitly counts school-based OT or PT experience toward that requirement, with a mechanism for a waiver of up to two years under defined conditions.

Key mechanisms include two parallel amendments that largely mirror each other in substance: eligibility pathways for the credential would include an entry-level program of specialized preparation or a one-year internship with Commission oversight of preservice, professional development, and supervision requirements; the local educational agency would determine whether an OT- or PT-licensed administrator has the additional qualifications needed to supervise teachers. The measure would retain a five-year, non-renewable credential timeline from initial employment and would define the local educational agency to include school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools. It would also authorize a waiver of up to two years of the experience requirement for candidates who complete an approved administrative services program and obtain employment in an administrative position.

Implementation implications center on regulatory standards and interagency coordination. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing would establish or adjust standards for license-based eligibility, supervision, and professional development as part of the credentialing pathways, while coordination with licensing boards for occupational therapy and physical therapy would influence credential eligibility and scope of authority. For districts, the proposal creates a guardrail by tying supervision eligibility to demonstrated educational or leadership qualifications beyond the license. The provisions also introduce sequencing with a related measure that would determine operative timing for changes to the credentialing framework, potentially affecting when different pathways become available and how they are implemented.

In context, the bill seeks to widen the pool of potential administrative candidates by recognizing clinical licenses as one avenue to meet credential prerequisites, while preserving district discretion over supervision of teachers and maintaining a defined credential lifecycle. The approach emphasizes a balance between expanding access to leadership roles and ensuring that school administration qualifications remain aligned with educational competencies, with regulatory guidance and budgetary considerations to be resolved through the oversight process and subsequent rulemaking.