BILL NUMBER: ABX5 6 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Nestande
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
An act to add and repeal Section 44262.1 of the Education Code,
relating to teacher credentialing.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 6, as introduced, Nestande. Teacher credentialing:
county-issued eminence credential.
Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing,
upon the recommendation of the governing board of a school district,
to issue an eminence credential to a person who has achieved eminence
in a field of endeavor taught or service practiced in the public
schools of California. The eminence credential authorizes teaching in
the public schools in the subject or subject area or the performance
of services in the public schools at the level approved by the
commission, as designated on the credential. An eminence credential
is issued initially for a 2-year period and may be renewed for a
3-year period by the commission upon the request of the governing
board of the school district. Upon completion of the 3-year renewal
period, the holder of an eminence credential is eligible, upon
application, for a clear teaching credential.
This bill, in addition, would authorize a county board of
education, upon the recommendation of a school district, to authorize
a county superintendent of schools to issue an eminence credential
to a person who has demonstrated subject matter competence through an
examination, college degree, or work experience, and if the subject
or service in which the person demonstrates eminence is one that the
governing board wishes to have taught in the schools of the district.
The issuance of an eminence credential would be required to be based
on a recommendation from the governing board of the school district,
a statement of proposed employment, and a verification of the
eminence qualifications of the individual. The county board of
education would be required to provide notice to the public of the
individuals to whom it is considering issuing eminence credentials
and would be authorized to charge the applicant a fee to recover
costs incurred in processing an eminence credential application.
An applicant for a county-issued eminence credential would be
required to comply with specified requirements relating to
demonstration of moral character, including, but not limited to,
successfully completing a moral character review conducted by the
commission. The county-issued eminence credential would authorize
teaching in the public schools in the authorizing county in the
subject or subject area and at the level approved by the county
superintendent of schools and would be issued initially for a 3-year
period and renewable for a 2-year period. The bill would set forth
the minimum requirements for renewal, including the study of health
education and computer-based technology and completion of a program
of personalized preparation and 2 semester units, or passage of an
examination, on the United States Constitution. The holder of a
county-issued eminence credential would be eligible to apply to the
commission for a clear teaching credential upon completion of the
2-year renewal period. The clear teaching credential would authorize
teaching in any public school in the state, in subjects and levels as
approved by the commission.
A county office of education would be required to notify the
commission when it issues and renews an eminence credential. The
commission would be required to track and report on the county-issued
eminence credentials in the same manner that existing eminence
credentials are reported.
These provisions would become inoperative on January 1, 2014, and
would be repealed on January 1, 2015.
By increasing the duties of county boards of education, this bill
would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 44262.1 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
44262.1. (a) Upon the recommendation of a school district, a
county board of education may authorize a county superintendent of
schools to issue an eminence credential to an eminent individual who
has demonstrated subject matter competence through an examination,
college degree, or work experience in a subject matter that the
governing board wishes to have taught in the schools of the district.
This credential shall authorize the credentialholder to teach in the
public schools of the authorizing county in the subject or subject
area and at the level approved by the county superintendent of
schools.
(b) As used in this section, "eminent individual" means a person
who is recognized as eminent beyond the boundaries of his or her
community, has demonstrably advanced his or her field, and has been
acknowledged by his or her peers beyond the norm for others in the
specific endeavor.
(c) The requesting school district shall demonstrate how the
eminent individual will enrich the educational quality of the school
district and not how he or she will fill an employment need.
(d) The issuance of an eminence credential shall be based on a
recommendation from the governing board of the school district, a
verification of the eminence qualifications of the individual, and a
statement of proposed employment, as follows:
(1) The statement of employment in the district shall include the
proposed assignment of the credential applicant and a certification
of the intention of the district to employ the applicant if granted
an eminence credential.
(2) The verification of eminence qualifications of an applicant
for an eminence credential shall include:
(A) Recommendations from any of the following:
(i) Professional associations.
(ii) Former employers.
(iii) Professional colleagues.
(iv) Individuals or groups whose evaluations or recommendations
would support eminence.
(B) Documentation of achievement, which may include, but need not
be limited to, any of the following:
(i) Advanced degrees earned.
(ii) Distinguished employment.
(iii) Evidence of related study or experience.
(iv) Publications.
(v) Professional achievement.
(vi) Recognition attained for contributions to his or her field of
endeavor.
(3) The county board of education shall provide notice to the
public of the individuals to whom it is considering issuing eminence
credentials. Any association, group, or individual may provide the
county board of education with a written statement regarding the
qualifications of an individual under consideration for an eminence
credential.
(4) A county office of education may charge the applicant a fee to
recover, and not to exceed, costs incurred in processing eminence
credential applications.
(e) A county office of education may issue an initial eminence
credential for a three-year period and may renew an eminence
credential for two years upon receipt of an application for renewal
with a written statement of support from the governing board of the
school district adopted in a public meeting. Upon completion of the
two-year renewal period, the holder of a county issued eminence
credential shall be eligible to apply to the commission for a clear
teaching credential.
(f) The minimum requirements for the two-year renewal of the
county-issued eminence credential are all of the following:
(1) A valid three-year county-issued eminence credential.
(2) Two years of successful teaching as authorized by the
county-issued eminence credential.
(3) Completion of a program of personalized preparation as
approved by the commission. It is the intent of the Legislature that
the program of personalized preparation be consistent with whether
the credential holder performs full-time or part-time service.
(4) The study of health education, as specified in subparagraph
(A) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 44259.
(5) Completion of two semester units or passage of an examination
on the principles and provisions of the United States Constitution,
as specified in Section 44335.
(6) The study of computer-based technology, including the uses of
technology in educational settings.
(g) The commission may issue a clear teaching credential at the
end of five years of possession of the county-issued eminence
credential pursuant to this section with a written statement of
support from the governing board of the school district adopted in a
public meeting and submission of an application and the application
fee prescribed in regulations. The clear teaching credential
authorizes teaching in any public school in the state, in the subject
or subject area and at the level approved by the commission.
(h) An applicant for an eminence credential issued pursuant to
this section shall comply with the requirements set forth in Sections
44339, 44340, 44341, 44345, 44346, and 44346.1, including, but not
limited to, successfully completing a moral character review
conducted by the commission, and holding a valid certificate of
clearance issued by the commission while he or she is employed by a
school district under this section.
(i) Upon issuance and renewal of an eminence credential, the
county office of education shall notify the commission. The
commission shall track and report all county-issued eminence
credentials in the same manner that existing eminence credentials are
reported.
(j) Each county that issues the eminence credential may issue one
eminence credential per year and one additional eminence credential
per year for each 200,000 pupils enrolled in the public schools
located in the county.
(k) This section shall become inoperative on January 1, 2014, and,
as of January 1, 2015, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2015, deletes or
extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because a
local agency or school district has the authority to levy service
charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or
level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section
17556 of the Government Code.