BILL NUMBER: SB 368	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 8, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 15, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 1, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Pavley

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to add Section 44265.2 to the Education Code, relating to
teacher credentialing.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 368, as amended, Pavley. Teachers: added authorization in
special education.
   Existing law establishes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing,
and authorizes the commission to issue teaching and service
credentials, including a special education credential. Existing law
also authorizes the commission to grant an added or supplementary
authorization to a credentialholder who has met the requirements and
standards of the commission for the added or supplementary
authorization.
   This bill would authorize program sponsors, as defined, to offer
comparability and equivalency, as those terms are defined, for
 credentialholders   a special education
credentialholder  seeking  added authorizations for
  to add a  special education  credentials
  authorization to his or her special education
credential  in accordance with specified guidelines and
criteria.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 44265.2 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
   44265.2.  (a)  Program sponsors   A program
sponsor  may offer comparability and equivalency for 
credentialholders   a special education credentialholder
 seeking  added authorizations for special education
credentials, which shall be determined in accordance with the
following guidelines   to add a special education
authorization to his or her credential. The following are guidelines
for offering comparability and equivalency, subject to criteria and
guidelines issued by the commission  :
   (1) Decisions regarding comparability are at the discretion of the
program sponsor.
   (2)  Program sponsors have   A program
sponsor has  a broad range of  possibilities for
  possible  data  in considering 
 that may be considered as  evidence for comparability.

   (3) Evaluations of evidence for comparability are not required to
be based on a course-credit model. Evaluations shall be
evidence-based, and reflect the current commission-approved standards
for education specialist credentials.  
   (4) 
    (3)  For  candidates   a candidate
 simultaneously pursuing a degree in addition to earning a
credential,  approved program sponsors   a
program sponsor  may use  their   its 
own institutional  processes and procedures  
process and procedure  for course credit evaluations. 
   (5) The evaluation process shall be guided by the principles of
candidate friendliness and candidate responsibility. 

   (6) The burden of retrieving, organizing, and reflecting on
evidence provided for evaluation is on the candidate. 

   (7) The comparability evaluation process shall be rigorous and
labor intensive. 
   (b)  Options   Evidence  used to verify
competency  shall include, but are not limited to, 
 may include  the following  , subject to  
criteria and guidelines issued by the commission  :
   (1) Examination results.
   (2) Portfolio.
   (3) Performance narrative.
   (4) Field experience.
   (5) Video.
   (6) Transcript.
   (7) Prior learning assessment.
   (8) A review board process.
   (c)  When a candidate presents   A program
sponsor may use the following to evaluate  evidence  to
a program sponsor  for  comparability, the following
shall be evaluated   comparability presented by a
candidate, subject to criteria and guidelines issued by the
commission  :
   (1) Whether  the  information is based on current,
adopted California credential standards, as appropriate to the
 specific credential   authorization 
sought.
   (2) Whether  a  written  agreements formulated
  agreement  between the candidate and program
sponsor  are evidence-based   is evidence based
 , as appropriate to the  specific credential 
 authorization  sought.
   (3) Whether  evaluative   the 
information  presented by the candidate  is aligned
with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.
   (d) Flexible enrollment may be considered for  candidates
who need   a candidate who needs  minimal work to
complete a credential program.  Program sponsors 
 A program sponsor  may explore alternatives for candidate
enrollment in the program, including, but not limited to, visitor
status, concurrent enrollment, open university, county or district
programs, university extension programs, and professional development
activities.
   (e)  Program sponsors   A program sponsor
 may take advantage of frequent collaborations to formalize 
a  written  agreements   agreement 
concerning comparability of coursework or fieldwork. The 
agreements   agreement  may be created to meet the
needs of  the  individual  programs  
program  or  the  individual  candidates
  candidate  .
   (f)  Prospective candidates   A candidate
 may be granted recognition and credit for  their
  his or her  life and learning 
experiences   experience  through  a 
prior learning assessment  ,  in which
candidates have   the candidate has  the
opportunity to demonstrate how  their experiences 
 his or her experience  and learning are comparable to
 what is required by  the  standards
  commission program standard  .
   (g) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

   (1) "Equivalency" means the determination  , through an
evaluation process,  that a given  set of
knowledge, skills, and abilities  as reflected in standards
have   required by a commission program standard has
 been met through coursework, fieldwork, or prior learning
 experience, as determined by an evaluation process 
 experience  .
   (2) "Comparability" means the determination that a candidate has
demonstrated the essence of a set of knowledge, skills,  or
  and  abilities required by a  particular
 commission program standard through another route.
   (3) "Prior learning assessment" means a process through which a
person develops a portfolio of life experiences, training, or
preparation experience that  establish  
establishes  the basis for meeting the  appropriate
standards   commission program standard  .
   (4) "Program sponsor" means any university-based or local
educational agency-based program approved by the commission.