Written Public Comment Submission Detail

Public Comment Details

Meeting
Commission Meeting - February 2021

Agenda Item
1J: New Business

Name
Nicholas LaPointe

Organization
--

Comments
Hello, I am an upcoming secondary school teacher and I have a couple questions, comments, and concerns. Let me start by stating my academia and career experience. I have taught Kinesiology at a California Community College for three years and coached community college football for nine years. I hold a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from California State University. I also hold a graduate degree in Education with a concentration in Cognitive Science from Minot State University. I understand I need to take the CSET to fulfill the requirement and to waive the CSET, the rule states a teacher needs a bachelors degree in Kinesiology, specifically, in pedagogy. I understand that part. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and received a concentration in exercise science instead of a concentration in pedagogy.
My concerns and questions are not with the CSET but with the CBEST.
To be honest, I am not a writer, I am a physical education teacher and a football coach. At graduate school, I worked a long - strenuous, year and a half, in creating and researching, a published - thesis on "Situational Learning in Fifth and Sixth Grade Football."
With this information, I have passed two sections of the CBEST, the reading and the math. Moreover, the writing section, specifically, the two writing essays have been a little more challenging for me. However, the last two attempts, I passed the expository essay but failed the persuasive essay. Yet, the next test attempt, I failed the expository and passed the persuasive essay. If these tests had been sectioned off, as two separate essays, I would have passed both essays and saved a lot of needed money from unemployment.
I am not looking for a handout, though wanted to reach out to you, to the commission, and receive some guidance for my path.
Is there any legislation, rules, and/or orders that apply to my situation?
Can we make a legislation and/or rule for this situation?
Since, technically I passed both essay sections.
Has anyone thought of separating these two essays into two sections because of the time and the building anxiety during both essays, especially near the end of these essays. This part of the test can be difficult for non-writers like myself. We can handle each essay but have the sections separate.
I have followed the CTC website since March, 2020, that being said, my last question and concern I have was an asking for an update on the "Exemption AB 1982"
(stated below) and Would this rule/order apply to my situation?
In final, I love teaching and coaching our students and student-athletes, and I believe if we challenge our students by leading, guiding, and mentoring our students then we can change a student and if we change a student, we can change a family, if we can change a family, then we can change our communities.
My daily adage is "Get Better Everyday."
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
A Teacher to be named later
CBEST Exemption AB 1982
Introduced by Assembly Member Cunningham
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Fong and Wicks)
January 23, 2020
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1.
Section 44252 of the Education Code is amended to read:
An applicant who earns at least a letter grade of B in qualifying coursework determined by a credential preparation program program, or determined by the commission for an applicant not enrolled in a California credential preparation program, to sufficiently serve as an alternative indicator of proficiency in the basic skills. basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills in the English language. As used in this section, “qualifying coursework” means a course or courses taken at a regionally accredited institution of higher education for academic credit that applies toward the requirements for an associate’s degree, baccalaureate degree, or higher degree. Qualifying coursework does not include professional development or continuing education units, inservice training or workshops, or courses where credits do not apply toward the requirements for an associate’s degree, baccalaureate degree, or higher degree.

Back