Education Department

Education Basic Skills Requirement/Verification

Basic Skills Verification Form

The California Education Code and Title 5 Regulations specify that applicants for a credential who wish to serve in a public school in California must verify basic skills proficiency.
 

California Assembly Bill 130 allows verification of the Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) based on coursework in English and math.

A 3 unit semester or 4 unit quarter course passed with a grade of B or better from a regionally accredited college or university taken for degree applicable credit may be considered for verification. Each section of the proficiency areas must be met to receive verification.

Courses that qualify for each area:

  • Reading Proficiency: a course in critical thinking, literature, philosophy, reading, rhetoric, or textual analysis.
  • Writing Proficiency: a course in composition, English, rhetoric, written communication, or writing.
  • Mathematics Proficiency: a course in algebra, geometry, mathematics, quantitative reasoning, or statistics.

**If you are a Westmont student, please see our list of approved courses for meeting the basic skills requirement. 

The following types of coursework are not acceptable:

  • Professional development or continuing education
  • In-service training or workshops
  • Courses where credits do not apply towards the requirements for an associate's degree, baccalaureate degree, or higher degree

AB 130 also allows for a combination of coursework and exam scores.

If you have questions regarding course/exam requirements, please consult our Westmont FAQ sheet.

If after reviewing this document, you still have questions, please contact program assistant Heather Bergthold at hbergthold@westmont.edu.

Westmont only provides verification to current Westmont students or applicants who have applied/are applying to one of our credential programs.

The approximate processing time for a BSR verification is 3-4 weeks as part of the application process.

Please do not mail, email, or fax documents unless requested to do so. Failure to follow submittal instructions may be cause for delay or rejection of the verification.

Instructions:

Complete and submit your verification request with your unofficial transcripts and/or test scores in one PDF document to the credential program application.

No other file format but PDF will be accepted. Do not zip or password protect your file. Do not upload multiple files; your verification request must be in one file.

How to create and submit your verification form and documents:

  1. To complete the verification request, download the form below to your device. Open it in Adobe Reader and fill it in, ensuring you have completed all required information. Print or save the application as a PDF to your device. If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download the app for free from any app store. 
  2. To compile your verification request and supporting documents into one file, you will need to merge your documents. Adobe Reader does not have merge functions unless purchased. To merge your documents, there is free Adobe merge software available such as: I love PDF, PDF Merge, or PDF Joiner.
  3. Name your PDF: Last name_First Name_Westmont ID_BSR. Save a copy for your records.
  4. Upload your PDF file to the credential program application.

Basic Skills Verification Form