California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 163

Introduced by Assembly Member Williams

January 21, 2015

An act to amend Section 44262.5 of the Education Code, and to amend Section 1 of Chapter 324 of the Statutes of 2009, relating to teacher credentialing.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 163, as introduced, Williams. Teaching credential: American Indian languages-culture credential.

Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, among other things, to establish professional standards, assessments, and examinations for entry and advancement in the education profession. Existing law requires the commission, upon recommendation by a tribal government of a federally recognized Indian tribe in California, to issue an American Indian languages credential to a candidate who has demonstrated fluency in that tribal language and met other requirements.

This bill would instead require the commission, upon recommendation by a tribal government of a federally recognized Indian tribe in California, to issue an American Indian languages-culture credential with an American Indian language authorization, or an American Indian culture authorization, or both, to a candidate who has met specified requirements. The bill would authorize the holder of an American Indian languages-culture credential to teach the American Indian language, or culture, or both, for which the credential was issued in California public schools in preschool, kindergarten, grades 1 to 12, inclusive, and in adult education courses, and would make the holder of that credential eligible for a clear teaching credential after 5 years, upon application and the recommendation of the tribal government, as specified. The bill would encourage each federally recognized American Indian tribe to develop a written and oral assessment that should be successfully completed before an applicant is recommended for an American Indian languages-culture credential with an American Indian language authorization, American Indian culture authorization, or both, as provided.

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 44262.5 of the Education Code is
amended to read:

44262.5.  

(a) Upon recommendation of the tribal government
of a federally recognized Indian tribe in California, the commission
shall issue an American Indian begin delete languages end delete begin insert languages-culture end insert
credential to a candidate who has met the following requirements:

(1)  begin delete Demonstrated end delete begin insert (A) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert For the American Indian language
authorization, demonstrated end insert fluency in that tribe’s language based
on an assessment developed and administered by that federally
recognized Indian tribe pursuant to subdivision (e).

begin insert

(B) For the American Indian culture authorization, demonstrated
knowledge in that tribe’s culture based on an assessment developed
and administered by that federally recognized Indian tribe pursuant
to subdivision (e).

end insert begin insert

(C) Candidates meeting the requirements of both subparagraphs
(A) and (B) shall be granted both the American Indian language
and the American Indian culture authorizations.

end insert

(2) Successfully completed a criminal background check
conducted under Sections 44339, 44340, and 44341 for
credentialing purposes.

(3) Submitted an application, fee, and recommendation for the
credential to the commission through the federally recognized
Indian tribe.

(b) The American Indian begin delete languages end delete begin insert languages-culture end insert credential
shall authorize the holder to teach the American Indian language begin insert ,
or culture, or both, end insert for which the credential was issued in
California public schools in preschool, kindergarten, grades 1 to
12, inclusive, and in adult education courses.

(c) The holder of an American Indian begin delete languages end delete
begin insert languages-culture end insert credential who does not also have a valid
teaching credential issued by the State of California shall not teach
in a public school, including a charter school, any subject other
than the American Indian language begin insert , or culture, or both, end insert for which
he or she is credentialed.

(d) Each American Indian begin delete languages end delete begin insert languages-culture end insert
credential shall be issued initially for a two-year period and may
be renewed for a three-year period upon recommendation of the
tribal government. Upon completion of the three-year period, the
holder of an American Indian begin delete languages end delete begin insert languages-culture end insert
credential shall be eligible for a clear teaching credential for that
language upon application and the recommendation of the tribal
government, in consultation with the applicant’s public school
employer.

(e) (1) Each federally recognized American Indian tribe is
encouraged to develop a written and oral assessment that should
be successfully completed before an applicant is recommended
for an American Indian begin delete languages end delete begin insert languages-culture end insert credential.

(2) In developing the language assessment, an Indian tribe
should determine all of the following:

(A) Which dialects of the tribal language will be included in
the assessment.

(B) Whether the Indian tribe will standardize its writing system.

(C) The standard of knowledge and fluency required to qualify
for an American Indian languages begin delete credential end delete begin insert authorization end insert in that
tribal language.

(D) Standards for effective teaching methods to be evaluated
in the classroom.

begin insert

(3) In developing the culture assessment, an Indian tribe should
determine all of the following:

end insert begin insert

(A) The candidate’s understanding of the tribe’s culture and its
practices, including, but not limited to, rituals and traditions,
social institutions and relationships, holidays and festivals, health
practices and traditions, patterns of work and leisure, and culinary
traditions and practices.

end insert begin insert

(B) The standard of knowledge required to qualify for an
American Indian culture authorization in that tribal culture.

end insert begin insert

(C) Standards for effective teaching methods to be evaluated in
the classroom.

end insert begin delete

(3)

end delete

begin insert (4) end insert  The assessment should be administered at an appropriate
location that does not create hardship for members of the Indian
tribe administering the assessment.

(f) Upon agreement by the tribe, a tribe recommending a
candidate for an American Indian begin delete languages end delete begin insert languages-culture end insert
credential shall develop and administer a technical assistance
program guided by the California Standards for the Teaching
Profession. To the extent feasible, the program shall be offered by
teachers credentialed in an American Indian language begin insert , or culture,
or both, end insert who have three or more years of teaching experience. The
technical assistance program may consist of direct classroom
observation and consultation, assistance in instructional planning
and preparation, support in implementation and delivery of
classroom instruction, and other assistance intended to enhance
the professional performance and development of the begin delete American
Indian language teacher. end delete begin insert teacher of an American Indian language,
or culture, or both. end insert

(g) Public school personnel responsible for evaluating teachers,
in accordance with local governing board policy, shall provide
individuals employed to teach on the basis of the American Indian
begin delete languages end delete begin insert languages-culture end insert credential with information on the
teaching personnel evaluation process and the California Standards
for the Teaching Profession.

begin insert

(h) For a candidate who has already received an American
Indian language credential before the effective date of this section,
the tribe that recommended the candidate for the American Indian
language credential shall determine if the candidate may add the
American Indian culture authorization to the preexisting languages
credential, or if the candidate must reapply for the American Indian
culture authorization as a new initial credential pursuant to
subdivision (a).

end insert

SEC. 2.  

Section 1 of Chapter 324 of the Statutes of 2009 is
amended to read:

Section 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a) Teaching American Indian languages begin insert and culture end insert is essential
to the proper education of American Indian children.

(b) Preserving American Indian languages begin insert and culture end insert is an
important part of our national heritage and can be of value to all
Americans.