Creating Inclusive Educational Environments for Students With and Without Disabilities: Examining Dual Credential Pathways in California

Authors

• Nat Hansuvadha, California State University, Long Beach
• Andrew Wall, Fenix Research and Evaluation
• Meghan Cosier, Chapman UniversityFollow
• Kaylie Holke, Chapman University
• Audri Sandoval Gomez, Chapman UniversityFollow
• Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, California State University, Long Beach
• Linda Blanton, CEEDAR

Document Type

Policy Report

Publication Date

3-2026

Abstract

"In this report, we examined system-level alignment in educator preparation policy, with a particular focus on California’s efforts to prepare teachers to support inclusive PK–12 environments. Central to this analysis was the state’s 'Common Trunk' approach to teacher credentialing. Adopted in 2016 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), the Common Trunk establishes a unified set of teaching performance expectations (TPEs) that apply across multiple subject, single subject, and education specialist credential pathways. This policy reflects a deliberate shift toward a shared professional foundation for all teachers that emphasizes competencies related to supporting diverse learners, fosters inclusive and culturally responsive classrooms, and implements evidence-based instructional practices (California CTC, 2016).

Recent policy developments have further reinforced the Common Trunk as a foundation for inclusive preparation models, including dual-credential pathways and broader efforts toward universal teacher preparation. By positioning inclusion as a core expectation of teaching practice rather than a specialized add on, California’s credentialing framework reflects a growing recognition that access for students with disabilities depends on alignment between policy and practice across systems."

Recommended Citation

Hansuvadha, N., Wall, A., Cosier, M., Holke, K., Gomez, A., Grenot-Scheyer, M., & Blanton, L. (2026, March). Creating Inclusive Educational Environments for Students With and Without Disabilities: Examining Dual Credential Pathways in California. Chapman University, Thompson Policy Institute on Disability. https://doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000769

Copyright

Thompson Policy Institute on Disability