Authorization for teaching credentials shall be of four basic kinds, as defined below:

(a) “Single subject instruction” means the practice of assignment of teachers and students to specified subject matter courses, as is commonly practiced in California high schools and most California junior high schools. The holder of a single subject teaching credential or a standard secondary credential or a special secondary teaching credential, as defined in this subdivision, who has completed 20 semester hours of coursework or 10 semester hours of upper division or graduate coursework approved by the commission at an accredited institution in any subject commonly taught in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, other than the subject for which he or she is already certificated to teach, shall be eligible to have this subject appear on the credential as an authorization to teach this subject. The commission, by regulation, may require that evidence of additional competence is a condition for instruction in particular subjects, including, but not limited to, world languages. The commission may establish and implement alternative requirements for additional authorizations to the single subject credential on the basis of specialized needs. For purposes of this subdivision, a special secondary teaching credential means a special secondary teaching credential issued on the basis of at least a baccalaureate degree, a student teaching requirement, and 24 semester units of coursework in the subject specialty of the credential.

(b) (1) “Multiple subject instruction” means the practice of assignment of teachers and students for multiple subject matter instruction, as is commonly practiced in California elementary schools and as is commonly practiced in early childhood education.

(2) The holder of a multiple subject teaching credential or a standard elementary credential who has completed 20 semester hours of coursework or 10 semester hours of upper division or graduate coursework approved by the commission at an accredited institution in any subject commonly taught in grades 9 and below shall be eligible to have that subject appear on the credential as authorization to teach the subject in departmentalized classes in grades 9 and below. The governing board of a school district by resolution may authorize the holder of a multiple subject teaching credential or a standard elementary credential to teach any subject in departmentalized classes to a given class or group of pupils below grade 9, provided that the teacher has completed at least 12 semester units, or six upper division or graduate units, of coursework at an accredited institution in each subject to be taught. The authorization shall be with the teacher’s consent. However, the commission, by regulation, may provide that evidence of additional competence is necessary for instruction in particular subjects, including, but not limited to, world languages. The commission may establish and implement alternative requirements for additional authorizations to the multiple subject credential on the basis of specialized needs.

(c) “Specialist instruction” means any specialty requiring advanced preparation or special competence, including, but not limited to, reading specialist, mathematics specialist, specialist in special education, or early childhood education, and such other specialties as the commission may determine.

(d) “Designated subjects” means the practice of assignment of teachers and students to designated technical, trade, or career technical courses which courses may be part of a program of trade, technical, or career technical education.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 865, Sec. 7. (AB 2319) Effective January 1, 2019.)