Anyone who would like to teach in adult education in public adult schools in California. Here are the general and academic subjects you may be authorized to teach. Please note: the program will not enable you to receive a Career and Technical Education (CTE) credential to teach high school age students.

Please see the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) website for the requirements to apply for the preliminary credential.

Please review the information in Appendix A carefully to determine which Adult Education Credential Subject Areas you would qualify for based on your official transcripts.

You will need to get preliminary Adult Education Credential with English as a Second Language listed as a subject area.

The requirements for the English as a Second Language (ESL) credential are very specific and cannot be waived by experience or other course work.  The requirements as specificed on the Commission on Teacher Credentialing Adult Education (CTC) Website: 

Credential holder must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher completed at a regionally-accredited college or university to include a degree major, certificate in:

• Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• Second Language Acquisition
• Language other than English (Spanish, Mandarin, etc)
• Linguistics
• Bilingual/Bicultural studies

OR

completion of 20 semester undergraduate units in one or any combination of the following:

• Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• Second Language Acquisition
• Language other than English
• Linguistics
• Bilingual/Bicultural studies

OR

10 upper division semester units in one or any combination of the following:

• Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• Second Language Acquisition
• Language other than English
• Linguistics
• Bilingual/Bicultural studies

You will be able to teach once your paperwork has been processed by CTC and they have issued you your preliminary credential.

You will have 3 years to clear your credential once your preliminary credential is issued.  Clearing the credential requires:

•  At least one teaching assignment for at least 4 semesters during the 3 year time frame.
• Completing the adult education coursework offered through Evergreen Community College.  The course work is scheduled to start in Fall, 2025. The plan is for the coursework to be offered in an online, synchronous format, and will take approximately one year to complete.
• Additional health modules, CPR certification, and a possible US Constitution exam are also required and may have additional fees.

Yes, you must do it again.

Yes, you can. Please note that the requiments for the credential may have changed.  See Appendix A on the CTC Adult Education Credential page.

Yes, there are no exceptions.

You will need to redo the Live Scan fingerprinting process again if it’s been more than 18 months since they were submitted.

You have three years to clear the credential.

You must teach at least one class for at least 4 semesters within the 3 years you have to clear the credential.

The application for the credential process includes a total fee of $100. The courses are offered through Evergreen Valley College and are non-credit so they are free. There are nominal fees for enrolling in the college.

1. Apply for a CTC Online Account. Please read the instructions carefully.
2. Submit your fingerprints.

Complete the form if you are interested in the program, and we will add you to the waiting list to start the process in May.