THERE ARE TWO STEPS TO OBTAIN A DSC CTE CLEAR CREDENTIAL:

Follow these steps to complete your preliminary application

1. Pay the DSC Application/Recommendation Fee

Payment of a $140 fee to the Ventura County Office of Education for advisement, processing, and recommendation.

Follow the gold "Register Now" link above to complete the Eligibility Form, then register and pay for the application service. Once you have registered, you will have access to the course in ESE Canvas, where you will submit your application documents.

2. Obtain Verification of your Work Experience

REQUIREMENTS:

• You must have 3 years full-time (or 3000 hrs) of work/field experience in the CTE Industry Sector you are applying for.

 AND

• You must document recent experience in the CTE industry sector you are applying for:    
  • 1 year (or 1000 hrs) within the last 5 years or
  • 2 years (or 2000 hrs) within the last 10 years. 

Work Experience FAQs

The Work Experience Verification Self-Help Tool will guide you through the process of determining the documentation needed for the CTE Industry Sector to verify your work experience. Click the button below to get started.

➡️WORK EXPERIENCE VERIFICATION TOOL ⬅️

3. CPR Requirement

• Individuals can satisfy this requirement by completion of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) that covers Adult, Child, and Infant (or Adult/Pediatric) certification (same standards as the American Red Cross or American Heart).
  • Note: The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) will accept online CPR training certification through www.cprtoday.com toward the credential requirements.

4. Submit your documentation to VCOE

Please submit completed documentation in your Canvas course by logging in at https://ese.instructure.com.

• Log in using the username and password you created when you paid the DSC Advisement Fee via Canvas Catalog.
• Click on the course called "Preliminary Application CTE-DSC" and follow the instructions.

5. CTC's Credential Application Fee

Once recommended, you will receive an email from the CTC with a 90-DAY DEADLINE to complete the Professional Fitness Questionnaire (PFQ) and pay their $100 credential application fee ($50 if this is your first California credential).

• When you have completed the PFQ and paid the CTC's credential application fee, you will receive another email from the CTC confirming receipt of your credential application. The CTC takes approximately 14 days to issue credentials.

To check if your credential has been issued, go to the CTC’s website at ctc.ca.gov and click “Search for an Educator”.

IMPORTANT - Additional Steps to Complete if You Do Not Hold a Qualifying CA credential (Single Subject, Multiple Subject, or Education Specialist)

6. Obtain Verification of High School or GED Diploma (or above)

IMPORTANT NOTE: You do not need to submit this requirement if you already hold a California teaching credential  (Multiple Subject, Single Subject, or Education Specialist) or an Emergency 30-day Substitute Permit.

You must document at least one of the options below:

• A copy of your U.S. high school or GED diploma
• Official transcript of U.S. High School or GED
• Official transcript of an Associate's, Bachelor’s, or higher degree  

Official transcripts must be submitted:

• Please be aware that transcripts are only official if received directly from the school or university. Please request that an Official Electronic Transcript be sent to academicadvise@vcoe.org. 
  • You can also obtain your electronic transcripts by submitting a request through Parchment.com 

​Foreign Transcript
If your diploma or degree is from another country, a foreign transcript evaluation by a CTC-approved agency is required. CLICK HERE for more info.  Please contact our office at (805) 437-1320 to arrange an evaluation with our credential analyst.

7. Apply for Certificate of Clearance (COC)

IMPORTANT NOTE: You do not need to apply for a Certificate of Clearance if:
(1) you already hold a valid California teaching credential or an Emergency 30-day Substitute Permit, OR it has been less than 18 months since your California teaching credential expired; OR
(2) you already hold a valid (not expired) Certificate of Clearance.

Follow the steps below to apply for your Certificate of Clearance:

1. Complete Live Scan Fingerprints:
   Download the “Request for Live Scan Service” form (41-LS) and take it to a Live Scan operator.  Live Scan locations: https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. A fee will be required.
2. Create your Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Educator Login: 
   • Go to CTC - Create Account.
3. Apply for the COC:
   Once your CTC Educator Login is created, go to https://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/submit-online and follow the instructions.
4. Pay the CTC’s processing fee of $50 and complete their Professional Fitness Questionnaire (PFQ).
   • Refer to “How to Complete the CTC Online Professional Fitness Questions” for guidance.
   • If you answer “Yes” to any of the questions, you will need to submit the required additional documentation as specified in the Professional Fitness Explanation Form
5. ​​Submit a copy of your COC:
   It may take 5-10 business days for the CTC to issue your Certificate of Clearance. 

• You can obtain a copy of your COC by logging in to your CTC’s Educator Portal at ctc.ca.gov, clicking on the COC Document, and selecting "Email Document" the CTC will then email you a copy of your COC Certificate. 
• You will need to contact the CTC's Division of Professional Practice directly if you have any questions regarding the status of your COC.

 For questions, please refer to the CTC's Fingerprints FAQs

Registration for 26-27 DSC Clear Credential Programs OPEN

Program Fees and Schedule

2026-2027 CTE Full-Year Credential Program Schedule 

Candidates who will be paying their own costs (without employer assistance) will pay the non-refundable Registration Fee at the time of registration and may pay the Program Cost in its entirety or in 2 installments, per the schedule below.  

Fees:

• Non-refundable Registration Fee:  $150
• Program Cost:  $3,000

If paying for your course in installments:

• Installment #1, due 11/01: $1,550 ($1500 + $50 service charge)
• Installment #2, due 04/01: $1,550 ($1500 + $50 service charge)

Financial Assistance:  If your district/organization does not cover program costs, financing may be available through Schools First Credit Union.

2026-2027 CTE Equivalency Credential Program Schedule

Program costs are currently $1,150 and due at time of registration.

CLU Professional Development Units Option

Candidates have the option to purchase Professional Development Units on completion of their DSC clear credential program.  Units are provided through California Lutheran University and may be used for salary advancement*.

• Full-Year DSC-CTE Credential Program: 9 units for $810
• DSC-CTE Equivalency Program:  1 unit for $90

*Check with your employer prior to purchase to verify that units will be accepted for salary advancement.

PROGRAM TRANSCRIPTS:

Some employers may only require documentation of completion and credit hours for salary advancement.  You may request a VCOE transcript for this documentation ($15 fee). 

Frequently Asked Questions:

• I'm not sure if I want units this year; can I purchase units for this year's work in a later year?  You can purchase units up to one year after completing your program.
• Are these units acceptable toward salary credit with my district/employer?  Please check with your employer's human resources/personnel department for their specific policy re: acceptance of units.
• I only need three units to move up on the salary scale, can I purchase fewer units?  No, units are only available for the full course.

Early Orientation Requirement (Full-Year Candidates Only)

Designated Subjects Credential Standards require an orientation before or during the first month of teaching.  The early orientation includes the introductory skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for teaching success. 

• CTE Early Orientation Form
• Enroll in CTE Early Orientation (free course) 
  • Pass all 7 Canvas modules

Links and Resources

• ​​Canvas VCOE Instructure Login (online courses)
• Canvas Catalog (registration)