Can I do student teaching while on EDD's California Training Benefits program?

I was in a similar situation back in 2024! Yes, you absolutely CAN student teach while on CTB, but you need to get it approved BEFORE you start. The CTB program is designed for exactly this - allowing people to complete education/training while receiving benefits. First, make sure your teaching credential program is on the state-approved list (most are). Then you need to submit the DE 3100 form and get a letter from your program confirming the student teaching is a required component of your credential. I went through this whole process and continued receiving my benefits throughout my student teaching semester. The key is getting it approved as a CTB exemption so you don't have to do the regular job search requirements. With CTB approval, your student teaching counts as your "work search" activity. Check out claimyr.com if you need help getting through to an EDD rep quickly - their service helped me connect with someone who actually understood CTB policies. They have a video demo that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km

OMG the EDD and their "look online" responses drive me CRAZY!!! 😤 I had a similar situation but with nursing clinical rotations. Student teaching SHOULD qualify under CTB but EDD reps give different answers depending who you talk to. My cousin's friend did student teaching on unemployment but got hit with an overpayment notice 6 months later because they said she wasn't "available for work" during that time. Be careful!!!

The previous advice about CTB is mostly correct, but there are some important specifics you need to understand about student teaching and EDD requirements: 1. Student teaching CAN qualify under CTB, but only if your entire credential program was approved, not just the student teaching portion. 2. You must be marked as "actively participating" in an approved training program to be exempt from work search requirements. 3. The key distinction is that student teaching is considered part of your educational program, not employment. 4. You MUST have submitted the DE 3100 form and received approval BEFORE starting your student teaching. 5. Your credential program needs to provide documentation that student teaching is a required component. The approval process typically takes 10-15 business days, so submit your paperwork ASAP. You can also request expedited processing if your start date is approaching.

When I was in the teaching credential program last year I just didn't tell EDD I was student teaching and kept certifying normally. As long as you say you're available for work they don't really check what you're doing during the day. Just be careful about what your master teacher or program coordinators might say if EDD calls them.

I went through this EXACT situation in January! Here's what worked for me: 1. I applied for CTB approval using the DE 3100 form 2. Got a letter from my university stating student teaching was REQUIRED for my credential 3. Called EDD about 20 times before finally getting through (nightmare!) 4. The rep manually added notes to my account about my training program 5. Received approval letter about 2 weeks later 6. Was able to do my student teaching without job search requirements The system is designed to let you complete necessary education/training while receiving benefits. You just need to get through to the right person who understands CTB.

The EDD system is designed to PREVENT people from getting benefits they deserve. I tried to do a nursing program on CTB and they kept denying me even though it was on their approved list! Had to appeal THREE TIMES and by then my program had already started and I had to drop out because I couldn't pay rent. The whole system is broken and designed to frustrate you until you give up. They don't want to help people improve their lives.

i did student teaching last year but wasnt on unemployment so cant help with that part but just wanted to say good luck with your credential!! the student teaching part is super intense but totally worth it. hope u get the edd stuff figured out!!

After reading all these comments, I want to add something important: document EVERYTHING. Save copies of all forms you submit, take screenshots of online submissions, note the name of every EDD rep you speak with along with the date and time, and keep copies of all approval letters. I initially got approved for CTB, then halfway through my student teaching got a weird notice saying I needed to look for work. When I called, they had no record of my CTB approval! Thankfully I had saved the approval letter and was able to email it to a supervisor who fixed the problem. Also, since no one else mentioned it - you still need to certify every two weeks while on CTB, but you'll answer "no" to looking for work and indicate you're in training. Make sure you do this consistently.

My roommate tried calling EDD for TWO WEEKS about her CTB application and couldn't get through to anyone. She finally used this service called Claimyr that got her connected to an EDD agent in like 10 minutes! It costs money but she said it was totally worth it not to spend hours redialing. Their website has a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km

WHY is everything with EDD so unnecessarily complicated?!?! In literally any other state, this would be a simple yes/no question with a clear answer. But California has to make a whole bureaucratic nightmare out of it. My friend in Arizona just checked a box saying she was in school and that was it!!!! Meanwhile we're filling out special forms and calling 500 times and STILL getting different answers from every rep. It's RIDICULOUS.

As someone who just went through this process last month, I can confirm that student teaching DOES qualify for CTB! Here's my experience: I submitted my DE 3100 form about 4 weeks before my student teaching started. The key documents I included were: - Letter from my university confirming student teaching was mandatory for credential completion - My program's approval letter showing it's on the state-approved training list - Documentation showing my expected completion date The approval took exactly 12 business days. During student teaching, I continued certifying every two weeks but selected "I am in an approved training program" instead of job searching. One tip that saved me: when I submitted the DE 3100, I also faxed it AND mailed a copy via certified mail. Good thing too, because they initially said they never received it! Having that certified mail receipt got it sorted out quickly. Don't let the inconsistent info from different reps discourage you - the CTB program exists specifically for situations like yours. Just make sure you get everything submitted and approved BEFORE you start. You've got this! 🍎📚