Earning Your Credential

To teach in California, it is necessary to hold a California teaching credential.  As a Fellow, you will have the unique opportunity to teach full-time in an OUSD classroom, while completing all credentialing requirements. All candidates accepted into the Oakland Teaching Fellows will enroll in a designated intern program to earn their California teaching credential. The Teaching Fellows office will provide accepted candidates with additional information and resources for making contact with and enrolling in specific intern programs. Once a Fellow has been accepted by a credential program and has secured a teaching placement, that program will apply for an Intern Teaching Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) on the Fellows’ behalf.

While the Oakland Teaching Fellows program helps Fellows connect the pieces to earn their California teaching credentials, it is the Fellow’s responsibility to meet credential program requirements and submit verification of Intern status to OUSD Human Resources by August 7, 2009. 

Note: One requirement to gain admittance to an Intern Credential Program and to teach anywhere in the State of California is the passage of California teaching tests.  Fellows must take and pass the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST) and the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) prior to beginning training.  Please click here for more information and to get started preparing for these important tests.

Intern status gives eligible individuals with no previous education coursework the opportunity to teach and earn a full teacher's salary and benefits while taking classes to earn their Preliminary or Level I Teaching Credential. Assuming timely completion of requirements and good standing with the District, all Fellows will receive a Preliminary Teaching Credential by the end of their third year of teaching. Fellows should continue on to earn their Clear Credential. Visit the FAQ page for responses to common questions about earning your credential by clicking here.

For more information about the credentialing process in California visit the CCTC website.

Credential Pathways

Fellows are required to enroll in an OTF-approved credential program that aligns with the subject area they are teaching.

Oakland Practitioner Teacher Program

The Oakland Practitioner Teacher Program (OPTP) is the District Intern Program.  Each component of the OPTP is designed to complement the needs of first-year teachers.  The program focuses on opportunities for teachers to gain practical experience and build on their current teaching practice.  Participants attend seminars conveniently located in Oakland and taught by instructors who are familiar with the challenges of teaching in high-need schools  For more information about OPTP, click here.