The California Education Code and Title 5 Regulations specify, in most cases, that applicants for a credential, certificate, or permit to serve in the public schools of California must verify basic skills proficiency before the credential, certificate, or permit will be issued. For Preliminary Teaching Credential candidates, the basic skills requirement must be met prior to serving as an intern. However, institutions may require the basic skills requirement prior to program enrollment. Contact the college or university education department for more information. The basic skills requirement may also be required as a condition of employment. Applicants should contact the school district where they are considering employment for more information.
Information on options for meeting the Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) can be found below:
Individuals may satisfy the basic skills requirement by one of the following methods:
Online recommendations from a Commission-approved preparation program must include Form 41-BSR, entitled Verification of Basic Skills Requirement when choosing the coursework option. Form 41-BSR is available on the Credential Information Guide (CIG). Form 41-BSR is not required if CBEST or CSET scores are being used to meet the requirement.
Individual and LEAs without a Commission-approved program may use Form CL-130, entitled Basic Skills Requirement Evaluation Worksheet.
Online recommendations from a Commission-approved program sponsor must include Form 41-BSR, entitled Verification of Basic Skills Requirement when choosing the mixing-and-matching option. Form 41-BSR is available on the Credential Information Guide (CIG). Form 41-BSR is not required if CBEST or CSET scores are being used to meet the requirement.
A restructuring of the SAT Suite of Assessments has adjusted the qualifying scores on the revised Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Mathematics examinations required to meet the basic skills requirement. The new scores listed have been deemed by the College Board as equivalent to the scores shown for the examinations as administered prior to this revision. See Appendix Tables 2-3.
An individual having earned a score of 22 or higher on the ACT English exam combined with a score of 23 or higher on the ACT Mathematics exam is determined to have met the basic skills requirement. See Appendix Table 4.
Individuals filing applications directly to the Commission using the CSU, SAT/ACT, or AP exams to meet the basic skills requirement must submit original passing score reports with their application packet. Scores posted only on high school transcripts are not acceptable. Commission-approved program sponsors or local employing agencies may submit a photocopy of the score report as long as the program sponsor or agency has verified it actually received from the educator an original score report, not a scanned or PDF copy.
Effective October 1, 2017, the English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry-Level Mathematics Exam (ELM) are discontinued. As of September 30, 2019, Educational Testing Systems (ETS) no longer provides these test results.
The testing agencies maintain files of test scores taken within the last few years online. Check the testing agency’s website for details if you completed one of these examinations recently. These agencies also maintain an archive of test results that date back for decades. For a fee, you can request a copy of your archived test scores for each of these examinations.
Archived SAT scores may be requested by mail or by telephone. Check the College Board website for the Archived Score Report Order Form or phone ordering directions and current duplicate report fees.
Information from the College Board on obtaining archived AP exam scores and the Archived AP Scores Request Form may be found on the College Board website.
Information on obtaining archived ACT scores online, by phone, or by mail may be found on the ThoughtCo website.
Appendix A
Table 1