You must have:                                                                                                

• Three (3) years of industry experience within the past 10 years with one year in the past 5 years
• Copy of High School Diploma or official college transcript
• Certificate of Clearance with Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
• Pay fee of $300

There are 15 industry sectors:                                                                                              

• Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Arts, Media, and Entertainment
• Building and Construction Trades
• Business and Finance
• Education, Child Development,and Family Services
• Energy, Environment, and Utilities
• Engineering and Architecture
• Fashion and Interior Design
• Health Science and Medical Technology
• Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation
• Information and Communications Technologies
• Manufacturing and Product Development
• Marketing, Sales, and Service
• Public Services
• Transportation

If you qualify for more than one industry sector you can apply for multiples. On the 41-4 form, you put one industry sector on page 1 in section 4 and the other(s) on Page 5 in the box under your signature.                                         

You need to submit a copy of your high school diploma OR an official college transcript.
The official electronic transcript can be sent to:  ctecredentials@ocde.us or official transcripts can be mailed to:  OCDE; CTE Credentials; 200 Kalmus Drive; Costa Mesa, CA  92626​ ​            

Send official electronic transcripts to: ctecredentials@ocde.us​                             

Foreign transcripts must be evaluated.  See the CTC website for approved organizations to complete the evaluation https://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/foreign-transcript-evaluation-(cl-635)​​
​ I drop off my application packet?             

Mail it to:                          

Orange County Department of Education 
CTE Credential Program
200 Kalmus Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626                                      

Complete the Live Scan fingerprinting and then go to: www.ctc.ca.gov, create an Educator Account and apply for the Certificate of Clearance. Instructions are in the application packet.​                 

If you have been hired by a school district, you need two sets of fingerprints.            

One is for the school district/county to be a reporting agency. This goes through the DOJ evaluation.            

The other is for the CA CTC (Commission on Teacher Credentialing) to be a reporting agency. This goes through the DOJ and FBI evaluation.                      

Complete section 3 of the Live Scan Fingerprint form​  - take it to a Live Scan Fingerprint facility.  The fee is not part of the OCDE payment.
           

The preliminary CTE credential is valid for 3 years.  During that time you need to complete the coursework and meet the milestones to clear the credential.  
            

Once the credential is clear it is valid for 5 years.  At that time, you log into your educator account at www.ctc.ca.gov to renew it.  Usually this is a $100 payment.            

If anything is missing from your application packet, we communicate with you to complete the application packet. When you are recommended to the CTC for the preliminary CTE credential you will receive an email from the CTC. You need to complete the recommendation at www.ctc.ca.gov.  
            

Once you have completed the recommendation, you recieve a welcome letter to the OCDE CTE Credential Program with your next steps.
            

Early Orientation is to be completed within the first 30 days of holding the preliminary CTE credential.                                                                       

First Time Credential Holders    

Coursework  - ​CTE 101, CTE 102, Teaching English Learners, and Health Education for Educators
    

• ​​​​US Constitution requirement
• CPR for adult, child, and infant
  
• ​Teach CTE class under the preliminary CTE credential for 4 semesters

• ​US Constitution requirement
• Health Education for Educators class​
• CPR for adult, child, and infant
• Teach CTE
• ​If you have taught one year on a clear single subject or multiple subject credential, you must teach CTE classes under the preliminary CTE credential for 2 semesters
• If you hold a preliminary single subject or multiple subject credential or have been placed in CTE Core, you must teach CTE classes under the preliminary CTE credential for 4 semesters.