Amended in Assembly March 16, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 163

Introduced by Assembly Member Williams

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(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Alejo)

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bigelow, Eduardo Garcia, Roger Hernández, Linder, and Wilk)

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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 amended, Williams. Teaching credential: American Indian begin delete languages-culture end delete begin insert language-culture end insert 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 begin delete languages-culture end delete begin insert language-culture end insert 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 begin delete languages-culture end delete begin insert language-culture end insert 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 begin delete languages-culture end delete begin insert language-culture end insert 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-culture end delete begin insert language-culture end insert
credential to a candidate who has met the following requirements:

(1) (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 begin delete languages-culture end delete begin insert language-culture end insert
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 begin delete languages-culture end delete
begin insert language-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, or culture, or both, for which he
or she is credentialed.

(d) Each American Indian begin delete languages-culture end delete begin insert language-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-culture end delete begin insert language-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-culture end delete begin insert language-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 begin delete languages end delete begin insert language end insert 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, begin delete rituals end delete begin insert ceremonies end insert 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.

(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 begin delete languages-culture end delete
begin insert language-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, 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
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
begin delete languages-culture end delete begin insert language-culture end insert 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
begin delete language end delete begin insert languages end insert credential before the effective date of this
section, the tribe that recommended the candidate for the American
Indian begin delete language end delete begin insert languages end insert 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 begin delete languages end delete begin insert language end insert and culture
is essential to the proper education of American Indian children.

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