BILL ANALYSIS Ó
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 5|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CONSENT
Bill No: SB 5
Author: Padilla (D), et al.
Amended: 4/24/13
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 9-0, 5/1/13
AYES: Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Hancock, Hueso, Huff,
Jackson, Monning
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Teacher Preparation Programs
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill allows teacher preparation programs to
include up to two years of professional preparation which is
double the current cap of one year of professional preparation.
This bill updates cross-references and makes other technical
changes.
ANALYSIS : Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing to issue credentials for teaching specialties,
including bilingual education, early childhood education, and
special education. Education specialist teaching credentials
are to be based upon a baccalaureate degree from an accredited
institution, completion of a program of professional
preparation, and standards that the commission may establish.
Existing law prohibits multiple and single subject teacher
CONTINUED
SB 5
Page
2
credential programs from including more than one year of
professional preparation, including student teaching.
This bill allows teacher preparation programs to include up to
two years, or the equivalent of 2/5 of a five-year program, of
professional preparation. This bill updates cross-references
and makes other technical changes.
Comments
According to the Senate Education Committee analysis, the
original intent of the current time restriction on programs of
professional teacher preparation of one year was to limit the
ability of higher education institutions to increase revenue by
loading programs with unnecessary coursework. However,
according to the author's office, the effect of this cap has
been to limit the ability of programs to adequately prepare
candidates to work in schools, particularly English learners and
special populations. Since the cap was put into place in the
1979 Ryan Act, the Legislature has added new requirements for
credential programs to prepare all candidates to teach reading,
use instructional strategies to help English learners access
curriculum, and teach special needs pupils who are not in
special day classes. Many argue that as these new requirements
are added, the credentialing programs are not able to provide
candidates with sufficient theoretical or practical knowledge to
be successful.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction's Task Force on
Educator Excellence has recommended lifting the cap on credits
for preparation in order to support preparation models that will
provide candidates with more robust training, particularly to
teach culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Lifting
the cap would also enable programs to provide candidates with a
longer period of supervised student teaching. No other state
has a time restriction on the amount of time or units that
comprise professional teacher preparation programs.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/10/13)
Association of California School Administrators
SB 5
Page
3
United Ways of California
PQ:k 5/10/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****