BILL ANALYSIS SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION Gloria Romero, Chair 2009-2010 Regular Session BILL NO: AB 2160 AUTHOR: Bass AMENDED: April 6, 2010 FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: June 16, 2010 URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Beth Graybill SUBJECT : Teacher credentialing: Instruction to pupils with autism. SUMMARY This bill extends until October 1, 2013, employment options that allow teachers who hold a credential authorizing them to teach students with mild to moderate disabilities to also serve students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). BACKGROUND Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to issue credentials for teaching specialties, including bilingual education, early childhood education, and special education. Education specialist credentials authorize a holder to teach special education students in various areas of specialization such as mild/moderate disabilities, moderate/severe disabilities, deaf and hard of hearing, visual impairments, physical and health impairments, and early childhood special education. (Education Code 44225) Existing law requires the CTC to report to the Legislature and the Governor by December 1, 2007, on the current existing process and requirements for obtaining a specialist credential in special education and recommend modifications to enhance and expedite these procedures. (EC 44265.1) Existing law, AB 2302 (Bass, Chapter 41, 2008), outlines temporary options authorizing local education agencies and schools to assign teachers who hold a Level 1 Education Specialist Credential authorizing the instruction of students with mild/moderate disabilities to serve students with ASD. Existing law makes this employment option inoperative on August 31, 2011, or two years after the CTC adopts AB 2160 Page 2 regulations to implement the recommendations in the 2007 report, whichever occurs first and is repealed on January 1, 2012, unless a later enacted statute extends or deletes the sunset date. (EC 44265.1) To be assigned under these options, a teacher must have either: Provided full-time instruction for at least one year prior to September 1, 2007, in a special education program that serves pupils with autism pursuant to their individualized education programs and received a favorable evaluation or recommendation to teach pupils with autism from the local educational agency or school; or Completed a minimum of three semester units of coursework in the subject of autism offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education. ANALYSIS This bill : 1) Extends to October 1, 2013, the options authorizing local education agencies and schools to assign teachers with a mild/moderate education specialist credential to teach pupils with ASD. 2) Repeals the December 2007 reporting requirement because the CTC satisfied the requirement. 3) Removes the Level 1 limitation on the options, thus allowing Level II education specialist credential holders who meet the specified requirements to be assigned to teach children with ASD. STAFF COMMENTS 1) Need for the bill : Historically, students with autism were placed in classroom settings taught by special education teachers authorized to provide instruction to students with moderate/severe disabilities. Today, autism is considered to be part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that cause a range of difficulties including language delays, communication problems, limited social skills, and AB 2160 Page 3 repetitive and other unusual behaviors. According to the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism, schools in California have seen a doubling of students with ASD in the past five years, exacerbating the existing shortage of special education teachers. In its 2007 report, the CTC found that while pupils with milder forms of ASD may be appropriately placed in classrooms with other students who have mild to moderate disabilities, districts experience challenges in placing students in these classrooms because the mild/moderate education specialist credential did not authorize teaching pupils with ASD. Although the CTC has adopted regulations that enable existing special education teachers to add an authorization for autism spectrum disorders to their credential, the author maintains that the 2011 sunset date specified in current law may not provide sufficient time for these teachers to complete the training required for the added authorization. By extending the sunset date to October 1, 2013, the author hopes AB 2160 will maintain the bridge that is enabling special education teachers to work with ASD pupils while they complete requirements and coursework necessary for the added authorization. 2) New regulations . The 2007 report the CTC submitted to the Legislature and the Governor included various recommendations to enhance the requirements and process for education specialist credentials. Key recommendations included the need to ensure that that all future special education credential candidates receive appropriate training to provide instructional services to pupils with ASD and the need to provide routes for existing special education teachers to become authorized to provide services to ASD pupils. Based on recommendations contained in the report, the CTC approved new pathways for existing special education teachers to voluntarily become authorized to teach students with ASD. The following authorizations were approved by the Office of Administrative Law on July 3, 2009. a) Added Authorization for Autism Spectrum Disorders: This authorization allows any existing special education credential holder who completes a Commission-approved program for this authorization AB 2160 Page 4 to teach students with ASD. b) Special Education Limited Assignment Permit: This permit, which establishes requirements that mirror the employment options authorized by AB 2302, allows a special education teacher to teach pupils with ASD while they are completing the requirements for the ASD added authorization or completing requirements for the moderate/severe education specialist credential. 3) Related and prior legislation . AB 2302 (Bass, Chapter 41, 2008) authorizes until August 31, 2011, local education agencies to assign special education teachers with a Level credential for mild/moderate disabilities to teach ASD pupils. SB 51 (Perata, Chapter 124, Statutes of 2005) established a sixteen-member California Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism. The Commission submitted its finding and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature in September 2007. SUPPORT California Association of School Psychologists California School Boards Association Commission on Teacher Credentialing Los Angeles County Office of Education OPPOSITION None received.