Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) - mandated 2-year induction program designed to support the professional development of beginning teachers in California; successful completion results in the Professional Clear Credential for elementary and secondary teachers.

Board of Examiners (BOE) - NCATE site visit review team.

California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) - state-developed test to meet laws related to credentialing and employment of teachers; tests basic competencies in reading, writing and mathematics that all teachers should possess; administered by National Evaluation Systems.

California Commission On Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) - the state agency that serves as the standards board for educator preparation, licensing, enforcement of professional practices, and discipline of credential holders in the state of California.

California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) - a set of 6 standards designed to guide teachers as they define and develop their practice.

California State University Center for Teacher Quality - administers the CSU System-wide Evaluation of Professional Teacher Preparation project.

California State University System-wide Evaluation of Professional Teacher Preparation Evaluation - a project now in its 9th year in which the CSU surveys exiting program candidates, graduates of credential programs at the end of their initial year of teaching, and employers of graduates; provides extensive survey data to CSU colleges of education that are used for program improvement purposes.

California Subject Matter Examinations for Teachers (CSET) - a series of subject matter examinations for prospective teachers who choose to meet the state subject matter competency requirement by examination; administered byNational Evaluation Systems.

California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA) - an assessment of preservice candidate performance on 4 multi-part Tasks which measure, in sum, a candidate’s ability to demonstrate ability to implement the 13 Teaching Performance Expectations through knowing subject matter, knowing about students and the context of learning, planning for all students to learn, assessing equitably, and reflecting to improve teaching; required of all applicants for the Multiple Subject and Single Subject credentials beginning July 1, 2008.

California Teaching Performance Expectations (CalTPE) - 13 teaching behaviors that define what a teacher should know and be able to do.

Certification for Teaching English Learners (CTEL) - the CTEL Certificate authorizes instruction for English language development (ELD) and specially designed academic instruction delivered in English (SDAIE) in grades twelve and below, including preschool, and classes organized primarily for adults. This is the equivalent of the authorization on the CLAD Certificate (see below).

College of Education (CED) - principal administrative arm of the unit; houses 3 initial teacher preparation programs and 12 programs for advanced teacher preparation and programs for other school professionals.

College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) - houses 3 programs in the unit reviewed by NCATE, and 2 additional credential programs reviewed by CCTC.

Credential Center (CC) - office in the College of Education responsible for credential-related functions; interfaces with the CCTC for all programs.

Cross-cultural, Language, and Academic Development (CLAD/BCLAD) - credential authorization for working with second language learners and in multicultural and cross-cultural settings; formerly a stand-alone authorization, now incorporated in the SB 2042 credential. BCLAD authorization permits the teacher to work in bilingual classrooms. (See CTEL above.)

Education Career Services - Educational Career Services assists students and alumni in their search for professional positions in the field of education. The office serves prospective teachers, special educators, administrators, counselors, librarians, school psychologists, and college instructors. The Center contains current job announcements and school district literature. Individual advisement on job search and resume writing for educators is available. The office maintains an active website to assist candidates and graduates throughout their careers.

Education Specialist Credential Program (ESCP) - CED program for the special education credential; Tier I program leads to initial (preliminary) credential, Tier II program leads to professional clear credential; housed in Department of Educational Psychology, Administration and Counseling.

Filemaker Pro - software used for administrative purposes in unit offices and programs.

Induction - in California, the first 2 years of employment on a Preliminary Multiple Subject, Single Subject, or Education Specialist credential during which teachers are required by law to participate in a state-approved Induction Program if it exists in their district.

INTASC - The Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) is a consortium of state education agencies and national educational organizations dedicated to the reform of the preparation, licensing, and on-going professional development of teachers. Created in 1987, INTASC's primary constituency is state education agencies responsible for teacher licensing, program approval, and professional development.

Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) - an initial teacher preparation program that combines subject matter and pedagogical preparation in a degree program and credential program; also known as a "blended" program.

Intern - candidate in a credential program who is employed by a partner school district and who has not yet earned the preliminary credential, e.g., a Multiple Subject Program candidate who is employed as the teacher of record in an elementary classroom.

Level I Credential - preliminary (initial) Education Specialist credential.

Level II Credential - professional clear (advanced) Education Specialist credential.

Multiple Subject Credential Program (MSCP) - CED program responsible for elementary education credential; housed in Department of Teacher Education.

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) - primary national accrediting organization for schools, colleges and departments of education.

NBPTS - The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards improves teaching and student learning. National Board Certified Teachers are highly accomplished educators who meet High and rigorous standards. Like board-certified doctors and accountants, teachers who achieve National Board Certification have met rigorous standards through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment and peer review. NBPTS offers 25 certificates that cover a variety of subject areas and student developmental levels.

Preliminary Credential - an initial teaching or service credential; valid for 5 years.

Professional Clear Credential - advanced certification awarded on the basis of advanced course work and/or experiences in an approved induction program.

Program Assessment and Evaluation System (PAES) - principal unit mechanism for individual program assessment efforts; contains Student Learning Outcomes, signature/benchmark assessments, data collection procedures and timetables, results, analyses, program improvement efforts, etc.

Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) - state mandated test to measure a prospective teacher’s knowledge, skill and ability relative to effective reading instruction. The exam is administered by National Evaluation Systems.

Ryan Credential - credential authorization from 1970-1998, based on AB 122.

SB 2042 Credential - credential authorization replacing the Ryan credential in 1998; based on SB 1422.

Signature Assignments - assignments, projects, activities or experiences (e.g., class projects, student teaching, comprehensive exams) designed specifically to assess program-level learning outcomes. These assignments are common across multiple sections of a course and are scored using a common rubric. Data on signature assignments are reported to the Assessment Office as part of the college's UAS.

Single Subject Credential Program (SSCP) - program responsible for secondary education credential; university-wide program drawing on 11 subject area programs.

SPA - Specialized Professional Associations - The national organizations that represent teachers, professional education faculty, and other school professionals who teach a specific subject matter (e.g., mathematics or social studies), teach students at a specific developmental level (i.e., early childhood, elementary, middle level, or secondary), teach students with specific needs (e.g., bilingual education or special education), administer schools (e.g., principals or superintendents), or provide services to students (e.g., school counselors or school psychologists). Many of these associations are member organizations of NCATE and have standards for both students in schools and candidates preparing to work in schools.

Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) - also known as Sheltered English; based on the premise that second language learners need "comprehensible second language input" and a "supportive affective environment" while studying academic content as they transition to English fluency.

Student (Candidate) Learning Outcomes (SLOs) - a set of explicit, assessable expectations for candidate learning developed by each program in alignment with standards established by the discipline, state and national accrediting agencies, and professional organizations.

TaskStream - software used as a course and program administrative tool.

Teacher Preparation Advising Center (TPAC) - office in the College of Education housing the three initial teacher preparation programs; provides information, advising, admission processing, etc.

Tier I Credential - initial Administrative Services credential for educational administrators.

Tier II Credential - professional clear Administrative Services credential for educational administrators.

Transition Points - Key points in a program when a unit assesses candidate knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions to determine if candidates are ready to proceed to the next stage in a program. Standard 2 requires transition points upon program entry, at appropriate point(s) during the program, and upon program completion.

Unit - all programs in the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Services that lead to initial teacher preparation credentials and credentials, authorizations or degrees for programs for advanced (continuing) teacher preparation and programs for other professional school personnel. Note: there are programs in both colleges that are not included in the accreditation unit because they are not governed by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and/or are not recognized by NCATE for accreditation purposes.

Unit Accreditation Board (UAB) - NCATE body that makes final decision on accreditation action based on BOE report and institution's rejoinder.

Unit Assessment System (UAS) - a comprehensive and integrated set of evaluation measures that provides information for use in monitoring candidate performance and managing and improving unit operations and programs for preparation of professional educators.