S4 @ The Beach - Single Subject Credential Program (SSCP) ONLY

S4 is the online platform that the College of Education is using to track and manage clinical practice courses, placements, and fieldwork hours for students enrolled in all levels of clinical practice.   

S4 requirements vary for each course; however, a general list of requirements by clinical level can be found below. Students should check with instructors if they are unclear on which requirements to complete. 

SSCP students enrolled in a Clinical 1 course are required to complete the following in S4 after uploading the required documentation for TB Test results and CTC Clearance on MyCED: 

1. Complete the placement process  
2. Record fieldwork hours using the S4 Time Log 

SSCP students enrolled in a Clinical II courses are required to complete the following: 

1. Complete the placement process 
2. Record fieldwork hours using the S4 Time Log 

SSCP students enrolled in a  Clinical III course are required to complete the following: 

1. Complete the Midterm/Formative Evaluation Request Form (at semester midpoint). 
2. Complete the Final/Summative Evaluation Request Form (at the end of the semester). 
3. Complete any additional forms that may be required by your program. 

Before you can receive your approval to be in PK-12 settings, you must first upload a negative TB test and your Certificate of Clearance to be cleared and approved through MyCED.  

 Below are the steps to be cleared and approved to move forward in the process. 

Step 1: Obtain a negative TB Test and Valid CTC Clearance. 

You will not be able to begin your fieldwork until you have BOTH of these documents submitted and approved.  If you do not already have CTC Clearance (Certificate of Clearance, 30-Day Sub Permit, Child Development Permit, or Activity Supervisor Permit issued by the CTC), it takes time to get one, so start the process NOW!!  

 CTC Clearance 

The state of California requires all students completing fieldwork related to an educator preparation program to have clearance issued by The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) before they are allowed in a classroom.  If you currently do not have a Certificate of Clearance or another clearance document (valid 30-Day Sub Permit, Child Development Permit, Activity Supervisor Permit, or a valid credential) issued from the CTC, you will need to obtain one.  Please note clearance through a school district does not meet this requirement; you must be cleared by the CTC.  

There are two steps to obtaining a Certificate of Clearance: 

1. Live Scan Fingerprinting (average cost is $75) 
2. Completing the Certificate of Clearance application on the CTC website ($50)  

To obtain a Certificate of Clearance: 

1. Go to www.csulb.edu/ocp and click on Certificate of Clearance for detailed step-by-step instructions. 
2. Download the 41-LS form and take it to an agency that provides LiveScan Fingerprinting. (The CSULB Campus Police Department provides LiveScan fingerprinting by appointment only. Payment by cash or debit card, no credit cards. 
3. Once you have completed the LiveScan fingerprinting process, immediately go to the CTC website (www.ctc.ca.gov) to apply for your Certificate of Clearance. Your fingerprints will be electronically transmitted to the CTC to match up with your Certificate of Clearance application. 
4. It typically takes about 10 days to two weeks to be issued a Certificate of Clearance, but it can take up to several weeks or months, so we suggest that you begin this process NOW if you haven’t already done so. 
5. Once issued, the Certificate of Clearance is valid for 5 years, so you will not need to obtain a new one and can use the same one for all of your credential courses as long as you finish the program within 5 years. 

 TB Test 

You will also need to obtain a TB Test if you have not had one done in the last 3 years. They are valid for 4 years at a time (chest x-rays are valid for 8 years) and need to remain valid throughout the semester.  The TB Test can be done through your own health care provider or through the CSULB Student Health Center (TB tests are free through the CSULB Student Health Center). It is also suggested you keep a copy of your TB test for your records, as you will be asked to provide it at other times in the credential program. (TB tests are free through the CSULB Student Health Center). It is also suggested you keep a copy of your TB test for your records, as you will be asked to provide it at other times in the credential program.  

Step 2: Upload your TB Test and CTC Clearance to MyCED. 

To access your MyCED, you must be on campus or connected to VPN to access the system. Read instructions on how to download VPN to access MyCED off-campus.

Once you are on-campus or have VPA downloaded and running on your computer, log in with your Beach ID and password. Step-by-step instructions on how to upload your CTC Clearance and TB Test can be found on our MyCED Help website. Please note that MyCED will only upload PDF documents, so you will need to ensure your TB Test and CTC Clearance are saved as PDF documents prior to uploading. If you need assistance accessing or using MyCED, contact ced-myced-tech@csulb.edu for additional support. 

Once you have uploaded all required documentation, you will receive a notification email with a letter confirmation that can be taken to schools as proof of your qualifications to complete fieldwork at approved sites.  

You CANNOT begin any fieldwork hours until you have been cleared. All Clinical I fieldwork is completed through self-placement except for those working with LBUSD. 

After you have secured a placement, you will need to complete the placement process on S4 @ the Beach. For assistance with the S4 placement process, contact CED-S4@csulb.edu. 

Fieldwork for all SSCP Clinical I and II courses is based on self-placement by the student, with the exception of Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD). Self-placement in LBUSD is NOT allowed.  SSCP students planning to do fieldwork in Long Beach Unified School District must complete the LBUSD clearance and placement process to secure a placement. Once an application has been submitted to LBUSD, the student will be notified by email directly from LBUSD of their fieldwork site. It is the student’s responsibility to enter the LBUSD placement information into S4. 

Prior to making a placement: 

• You must upload your TB Test and CTC Clearance documents to MyCED.
• SSCP Clinical I students need to receive a letter stating they are cleared to work at a school site 

Read step-by-step instructions on the placement process.

1. Login to your SSO (Single Sign On) portal using your campus ID and password.  Click on the S4 @ The Beach chiclet to access S4. 
2. Scroll toward the bottom of the homepage until you see a box entitled “Course.” Click the green placement button next to your course. 
3. Once you click Place, follow these steps to enter a placement: 
   1. Click Search by Site 
   2. Sites Page--Scroll and select the school district you are completing your fieldwork hours in.
   3. On the School District page--click Select this site (green button) Do not select a school site from this page.
   4. Select Opportunity page 
      • If your school site is listed, click Select for your school site. 
      • If your school site IS NOT listed, click Skip this Step (white button at the top of the page). 
   5. Dates of Placement Page  

      • Input the correct Term and an estimate of how many hours of fieldwork you plan to complete. Your professor will be able to provide this information. ---Click Next 

   6. Placement Forms Page—click Complete Form (enter placement information, then click submit) * Please do NOT input a site staff* 

   7. Once you complete the form, you will be taken back to the Placement Forms page---Click Finish Placement (green button) 

4. You will need to enter a placement, even if it is the same placement, for each course listed in the “Course” section of your homepage. 

All SSCP Clinical I and II candidates are expected to record clinical practice hours using the S4 @ The Beach time log throughout the semester. For step-by-step instructions on how to log your fieldwork hours using the S4 time log, click here S4 Timelog Instructions (PDF) 

How to Access your Timelog 

1. Login to your SSO (Single Sign On) portal using your campus ID and password. Click on the S4 @ The Beach chiclet to access S4. 
2. After you have completed a placement in S4, your student dashboard will show a purple Pending Tasks box with a link to update your Timelog. 

   • Select this link 

SSCP Clinical III Student Teachers will complete a Midterm/Formative Evaluation Request Form at the semester midpoint and a Final/Summative Evaluation Request Form at the end of the semester.  Once you complete your evaluation request forms, S4 will send a link to your cooperating teachers to complete your evaluation.