44344. (a) The commission shall issue the appropriate credentials authorized by the law operative, and the rules and regulations of the commission in effect on December 31, 1971, to any person who completed the requirements for such credential before September 15, 1974.
(b) A person may be issued a credential under this section after September 15, 1974, if that person, between December 31, 1971, and September 15, 1974:
(1) Was engaged in teaching in a foreign country, after such person had completed the requirements of such credential.
(2) Holds a credential issued under partial fulfillment and was working towards meeting the requirements of that credential and was enrolled in a teacher training institution.
(3) Was working towards meeting the requirements of such credential and was prevented from completing those requirements because of active military service, illness, or other causes determined by the commission.
(4) Was accepted into and enrolled in a teacher education curriculum at any institution and would be required to take more than 15 semester-hour units or the equivalent quarter-hour units after September 15, 1974, beyond the requirements necessary to receive such credential, in order to meet the requirements of credentials issued under this chapter.
(5) Was enrolled in a student-declared degree program at a regionally accredited institution of higher education leading to such credential with at least a junior standing as determined by the institution and would be required to take more than 15 semester-hour units or the equivalent quarter-hour units after September 15, 1974, beyond the requirements necessary to receive such credential, in order to meet the requirements of credentials issued under this chapter.
(c) No credential authorized under this law and rules and regulations in effect on December 31, 1971, shall be issued to any person pursuant to the exceptions specified in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) after September 15, 1976.
(d) For purposes of this section, “teacher education curriculum” means any professional education course or sequence of professional education courses required for a credential authorized by the law operative, and the rules and regulations of the commission in effect on December 31, 1971.
(e) For purposes of this section, “student-declared degree program” means any student-elected degree objective at a regionally accredited institution of higher education selected for the purpose of obtaining a credential authorized by the law operative, and the rules and regulations of the commission in effect on December 31, 1971.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 663, Sec. 26. (AB 320) Effective January 1, 2022.)