Reach FAQ

CTC Accreditation | WASC Accreditation | Public Nonprofit Institution

The Reach Institute for School Leadership is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. You may view the current list of approved programs HERE.

Regional Accreditation: Reach Institute for School Leadership is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.

What is the Reach cohort model?

The Reach Institute uses the cohort model for our Intern Program and our Instructional Leadership Academy. The cohort model means that you will join a group of students and will complete the course sequence with the same group of students. With the support of peers in your cohort and with your Reach faculty member, you will work to integrate new knowledge and skills into your developing teaching/leadership practice.

Campus Details

By design, most Reach programs and learning opportunities take place on site at partner schools. The majority of seminars, field coaching, and practicum projects occur at candidates’ schools or in neighborhood schools. Reach maintains Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with each of its partner schools, in which partner schools commit to providing Reach candidates with computer access, wireless internet access and group workspaces.

To provide additional support for candidate learning, Reach offers physical facilities, resources and access to equipment for use by candidates in each of its programs and locations.

Reach Institute for School Leadership maintains one central office located in Oakland, CA. This office space contains a small library, meeting space, and work space. All candidates can access the books that are part of the library.

The central Reach office space also includes the ability to lease additional meeting, conference, or event space as may be necessary for the program. The Reach office allows candidates access to a printer, scanner, and copier.

Finally, Reach candidates are able to use virtual environments in order to collaborate, reflect and learn. Reach uses multiple platforms to facilitate different types of engagement including  learning management platforms such as Canvas and other access to electronic resources such as EBSCO.

Reach Partner Schools

If I want to get my credential with Reach, do I have to be employed by one of your partner schools before I can enroll? Yes, the Reach Programs are exclusively for our partner schools. Employment from a partner school is required prior to being enrolled in Reach.

What if I don’t work at a Reach partner school? In some cases, Reach has been able to initiate new partnerships as the result of interest from candidate teachers. If you have a preliminary job offer from a school (especially, but not exclusively, from a charter school) and would like Reach to discuss with your school the prospect of becoming a Reach partner school, please send your inquiry to partnerschools@reachinst.org.
Does Reach offer job placement services? No, Reach does not offer job placement, although Reach does send out a jobs newsletter to the Reach community. You can sign up for the newsletter by emailing info@reachinst.org. Reach also posts open positions from our partner schools on our Facebook page.

Here is a list of the Reach partner schools along with the links to their career pages. Please contact these schools directly if you have specific questions regarding any of the job

Financial Aid

At this time the candidates of the Reach Institute for School Leadership are not able to receive federal financial aid. The Reach Institute for School Leadership is in the process for applying for eligibility to be able to offer financial aid for our graduate students. We anticipate that the financial aid would primarily consist of unsubsidized federal direct loans. The Reach Institute for School Leadership will provide more information about financial aid as it becomes available.

Transfer Credit Policy

Prior credit from accredited institutions and certain forms of prior experience may meet some course requirements, in whole or in part. Transfer of credit toward credentials or degrees is not guaranteed and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Transferring credit into any Reach CTC-approved credential program
Reach recognizes that candidates may have prior experience or coursework that satisfies elements of the content or practice required by Reach to earn California Preliminary Teaching, Clear Teaching, Preliminary Administrative Services or Clear Administrative Services credentials. When applying to a Reach credential program, the candidate may request a review of prior experience, and equivalency may be granted for Reach courses, assignments, or particular sessions based on the analysis of the Program Coordinator. Reach accepts most credits and/or work from other CTC-accredited credential programs, however, Reach does not hold an articulation or transfer agreement with any college or university.

For enrollment in Reach credential programs, the applicant will indicate in the space provided on the online application form that s/he is applying for the transfer of prior units and/or experience. Applicant must submit official transcripts  and course syllabi (or official course catalog descriptions) to Reach Student Services. Reach Student Services would then send the completed Transfer Packet to the respective Program Coordinator for Review. The Program Coordinator would complete a Transfer Request Form. The Program Coordinator would then communicate the transfer credit decision directly to the candidate and Reach Student Services. This communication would then be added to the candidate’s admissions file.  Candidates may then elect to continue with the application process if they choose. Any transfer credit must be approved by the Program Coordinator for the Reach program to which the candidate is applying no later than August 1 of the candidate’s first year in the Reach Program. Transfer credit may meet all or part of the requirements of any given Reach course.

Transferring credit into any Reach master’s program
Graduate coursework taken at a regionally-accredited institution may be considered for transfer credit. A maximum of nine semester units of graduate coursework, with an earned grade of B or higher, may be applied as transfer credit toward a Reach Master of Education.

In considering awarding transfer credit, Reach will consider such factors as the degree to which the course content or field of study has changed substantively in recent years.

Applicants may petition to transfer credit by indicating in the space provided on the online application form that s/he is applying for the transfer of prior units and/or experience. Applicants must submit official transcripts and course syllabi (or official course catalog descriptions) to Reach Student Services. Reach Student Services would then send the completed Transfer Packet to the respective Program Coordinator for Review. The Program Coordinator would complete a Transfer Request Form. The Program Coordinator would then communicate the transfer credit decision directly to the candidate and Reach Student Services. This communication would then be added to the candidate’s admissions file.  Candidates may then elect to continue with the application process if they choose. Any transfer credit must be approved by the Program Coordinator for the Reach program to which the candidate is applying no later than August 1 of the candidate’s first year in the Reach Program. Transfer credit may meet all or part of the requirements of any given Reach course.

If you feel that you qualify for transfer credits please contact the program that you are applying for:

Early Completion Option

Course work in Reach is taught in a structured sequence across all of our program offerings. The Intern and Induction Program do offer the ability to complete the respective credential programs in adjusted timelines. Detailed information about these Early Completion Options can be found in the attached PDF below. 

Download the Reach Intern Program: Early Completion Option (PDF)