Aspiring teachers are no longer required to take the California Basic Skills Test (CBEST) or the California Subject Matter Exams for Teachers (CSET) to earn their credential.

The relaxed rules, which were part of the new state budget, are “a game changer” for many teacher candidates who have been excluded by the test requirements, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Executive Director Mary Vixie Sandy said.

“These tests are meant to accurately measure readiness to begin teacher preparation, not to be a barrier that keeps potentially great teachers from learning to teach,” Sandy said. “We are eager to move forward with this shift in state policy. As alternatives to high-stakes testing these measures will right-size the role of testing and allow a broader and more diverse array of people to make a career out of teaching.”

Source: State eases testing requirements for teachers | CalSchoolNews.org