ACSA is creating more pathways for school leaders across the state to complete their Preliminary Administrative Services Credential.

All LEAs now have the ability to create an intern program for candidates seeking a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential. This option allows candidates who meet prerequisite conditions to complete their preliminary credential while working in an administrative position.

Previously, only colleges and universities could offer an intern program. Following efforts by ACSA staff and state lawmakers, a new state law allows for county offices of education and school districts to also offer this type of program, providing more flexibility for LEAs and candidates throughout the state.

The new law also means ACSA’s Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Program, which is offered through the Sacramento County Office of Education, will add an intern program beginning this fall.

Sometimes LEAs need to hire an administrator without a credential, usually due to a lack of qualified applicants in the area. LEAs have two tools to do this: an administrative waiver or an intern option. The intern option requires the candidate to have five years of teaching experience and be currently serving in an administrative position with a contract requiring completion of an Administrative Intern Program.

ACSA Credential and Coaching Services Director Dr. Tamerin Tooker said ACSA receives a handful of inquiries each year from candidates looking to complete an intern program, however ACSA was unable to serve these candidates.

When Tooker raised the need for an intern pathway with ACSA Legislative Advocate Serette Kaminski in 2024, Kaminski brought the issue to ACSA’s Council of Human Resources Leaders, who agreed it would be beneficial for county offices of education and school districts to be able to offer an intern program. Kaminski also contacted three school districts’ HR directors, who expressed interest in creating intern programs if given the opportunity.

In early conversations, ACSA and state Assemblymember Heather Hadwick found mutual alignment. Hadwick understood this flexibility would benefit LEAs — she is a former teacher and school board member who also worked for the Modoc County Office of Education. The bill also aligned with ACSA’s One Voice platform in the “staff shortages” priority area because it reduced barriers to recruitment and supports expedited credentialing.

ACSA partnered with the Placer County Office of Education and the California County Superintendents to co-sponsor Hadwick’s bill, AB 959, which was introduced in February 2025. The bill had strong bipartisan support and “sailed” through committees, Kaminski said.

AB 959 was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2025, allowing all COE and district preliminary programs in the state to offer an intern program following approval by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The law provides a local pathway and enables LEAs to create “grow their own” programs, which is especially beneficial for rural areas that lack access to a university.

“We need more people entering the profession, but high standards for administrative preparation must remain in place,” Kaminski said. “This bill provides the structure and oversight needed for a supervised training program while removing barriers for candidates through a local, low-cost credentialing experience that is more relevant to their day-to-day work in schools.”

On June 16, ACSA’s Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Program offered through the Sacramento County Office of Education received approval from the CTC to offer the intern option.

“This is a strong example of how ACSA listens to its members and works with state lawmakers to create practical solutions,” Tooker said. “By helping establish this new pathway, ACSA helped solve a statewide challenge for LEAs and expanded access to local administrative preparation.”

This change allows ACSA to serve even more candidates in its rapidly growing preliminary program. In 2025-26, the program served 50 candidates. This year, there are approximately 80 enrolled and registration will continue until Aug. 10.

ACSA’s preliminary program has undergone extensive revisions in the last few years, with fieldwork rewritten to support the California Administrator Performance Assessment. The CalAPA is the leadership readiness assessment candidates must pass to receive their Preliminary Administrative Services Credential.

These changes have positioned candidates to be successful on their assessments. ACSA’s program continues to demonstrate strong outcomes, with mean CalAPA scores increasing by three points across all three assessment cycles over the past year and program completion rates reaching an all-time high of 92 percent.

“Choosing the right preparation program matters. Candidates should seek a program that not only develops strong educational leaders but also has a proven history of supporting candidates through successful CalAPA completion.” Tooker said.