BILL NUMBER: SB 837	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 2, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 18, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 28, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 22, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 2, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Steinberg

                        JANUARY 6, 2014

   An act relating to early childhood education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 837, as amended, Steinberg. Early childhood education:
professional development.
   Existing law authorizes a school district or charter school to
maintain a transitional kindergarten program and defines transitional
kindergarten as the first year of a 2-year kindergarten program that
uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and
developmentally appropriate. Existing law requires the Superintendent
of Public Instruction to administer all California state preschool
programs. Existing law requires those programs to include part-day
age and developmentally appropriate programs designed to facilitate
the transition to kindergarten for three- and four-year-old children.

   Of the moneys appropriated in the  2014 Annual Budget Act,
  Budget Act of 2014,  this bill would allocate
certain of those moneys for purposes of professional development for
teachers in transitional kindergarten and teachers in the California
state preschool  programs,   program,  as
provided. The bill would require the State Department of Education to
consult with various entities, including the California Community
Colleges, for purposes of administering the above provisions.
   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.  (a) Of the moneys appropriated in Item 6110-196-0001 of
the Budget Act of 2014, the sum of fifteen million dollars
($15,000,000) shall be allocated to the  department 
 State Department of Education  to be used to fund
professional development for teachers. The funds shall be allocated
as follows:
   (1) (A) First priority shall be for professional development for
transitional kindergarten teachers.
   (B) For purposes of this paragraph, professional development shall
include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:
   (i) Stipends for teachers to complete at least 24 units in early
childhood education or childhood development, or a combination of
both, pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (g) of Section 48000
 of the Education Code  .
   (ii) Strengthening teacher knowledge of the California Preschool
Learning Foundations, as developed by the department.
   (2) Second priority shall be for professional development for
teachers in the California state preschool program, pursuant to
Article 7 (commencing with Section 8235) of Chapter 2 of Part 6 of
Division 1 of Title 1  of the Education Code  .
   (b) Of the moneys appropriated in Item 6110-196-0001 of the Budget
Act of 2014, the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) shall be
allocated to the  department   State Department
of Education  to be used for other professional development
projects, not described in subdivision (a), for transitional
kindergarten and California state preschool program teachers, as
determined by the department.
   (c) The  department   State Department of
Education  shall consult with the California Community Colleges,
 the California State University, resource   and
referral programs,  the California Children and Families
Commission, school administrators, and teachers in administering this
section.