BILL NUMBER: AB 163 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
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 languages
languages-culture credential to a candidate who has met the
following requirements:
(1) Demonstrated (A)
For the American Indian language authorization,
demonstrated fluency in that tribe's language based on an
assessment developed and administered by that federally recognized
Indian tribe pursuant to subdivision (e).
(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).
(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.
(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 languages
languages-culture credential shall authorize the holder 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.
(c) The holder of an American Indian languages
languages-culture 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 , or culture, or both,
for which he or she is credentialed.
(d) Each American Indian languages
languages-culture 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
languages languages-culture 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 languages languages-culture
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 credential
authorization in that tribal language.
(D) Standards for effective teaching methods to be evaluated in
the classroom.
(3) In developing the culture assessment, an Indian tribe should
determine all of the following:
(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.
(B) The standard of knowledge required to qualify for an American
Indian culture authorization in that tribal culture.
(C) Standards for effective teaching methods to be evaluated in
the classroom.
(3)
(4) 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 languages
languages-culture 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
, or culture, or both, 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
American Indian language teacher. teacher of an
American Indian language, or culture, or both.
(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
languages languages-culture credential
with information on the teaching personnel evaluation process and the
California Standards for the Teaching Profession.
(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).
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 and culture is
essential to the proper education of American Indian children.
(b) Preserving American Indian languages and culture is
an important part of our national heritage and can be of value to
all Americans.