Students depend on qualified faculty and staff. When Assembly Bill 1725 was signed into law, the issuance of credentials was discontinued in 1990, credentials were replaced by a set of ‘minimum qualifications’ that determine eligibility for academic and administrative positions in the California Community Colleges system.
For academic disciplines, the minimum qualifications are a masters’ degree in the discipline of the assignment, or a bachelor’s degree in the discipline of the assignment and a master’s degree in a reasonably related discipline. A statewide ‘disciplines list’ defines the degrees that are considered to be reasonably related.
Counselors and librarians are also expected to hold appropriate master’s degrees. There are special requirements for employees of Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS). For disciplines in which a master’s degree is not generally expected or available, the minimum qualifications are a bachelor’s degree (in any major) and two years of experience in the occupational area of the assignment. Assignments that fall into this category are generally in technical, trade, or industrial fields. Nearly 150 such disciplines are covered in this area. Examples include:
- Administration of Justice
- Interior Design
- Automotive Technology
- Manufacturing Technology
- Carpentry
- Office Technologies
- Dental Technology
- Real Estate
- Electronics
- American Sign Language
- Fire Technology
- Telecommunication Technology
- Graphic Arts
- Welding
For educational administrators, the minimum qualifications are a master’s degree (in any discipline), and one year of formal training, internship, or leadership experience reasonably related to the administrative assignment.
All public California community districts have hiring authority and must adhere to the minimum qualifications when establishing hiring criteria and/or determining hiring eligibility. The districts may include additional criteria over and above the minimums, but can never hire below the minimums.
