SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the appointment of Leslie Littman, a high school social studies teacher in Newhall, Los Angeles County, as his designee to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Littman teaches social studies at Hart High School in Newhall and previously has taught Economics, Honors Economics, U.S. Government, U.S. History, U.S. History Sheltered, Modern Civilizations, Sociology, and Sheltered Government.

"Leslie brings a wealth of experience to the Commission," O'Connell said. "As a teacher for more than 10 years, she knows first hand the kind of experience and qualifications needed by today's educators to successfully instruct our children. She has a strong commitment to raising our teachers' professional standards as well as our students' achievement levels."

Littman earned a Masters of Education at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1992 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Economics at UCLA in 1991. She also holds a Single Subject Professional Clear Credential in Social Studies.

Littman is a former member of the Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education, Professional Personnel Development Work Group, 2001, and is the former California Teachers Association (CTA) liaison to the Commission. She currently is a CTA State Council member and is the Hart District Teachers Association Vice-President.

Based in Sacramento, the Commission's mission is to assure the fully prepared and effective educators that communities require and is responsible for the promotion of educational excellence through the preparation and certification of professional educators.

The Commission's Web site is California Commission on Teacher Credentialing [http://www.ctc.ca.gov] (Outside Source).