BILL NUMBER: AB 2122 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member McCarty
FEBRUARY 17, 2016
An act to amend Sections 44391, 44392, and 44393 of, and to repeal
and add Section 44390 of, the Education Code, relating to teacher
credentialing.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2122, as introduced, McCarty. California Classified School
Employee Teacher Credentialing Program.
The Wildman-Keeley-Solis Exemplary Teacher Training Act of 1997
establishes the California School Paraprofessional Teacher Training
Program for the purpose of recruiting paraprofessionals to
participate in a program designed to encourage them to enroll in
teacher training programs and to provide instructional service as
teachers in the public schools. The act requires, among other things,
that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, in consultation with
certain other educational entities, to select, pursuant to specified
criteria, 24 or more school districts or county offices of education
representing rural, urban, and suburban areas that apply to
participate in the program. The act requires a school district or
county office of education to require a person participating in the
program to commit to fulfilling certain specified obligations
relating to obtaining a teaching credential and employment as a
teacher in the school district or county office of education. The act
requires a school district or county office of education to require
a program participant to obtain a certificate of clearance from the
commission and provide verification of a specified level of academic
achievement prior to participating in the program. The act expresses
the intent of the Legislature that in each fiscal year, funding for
the California School Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program be
allocated to the commission for grants to school districts and county
offices of education, limits grants to $3,500 per program
participant per year, and makes funding for the grants contingent
upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act.
This bill would substantially revise those provisions to instead
establish the California Classified School Employee Teacher
Credentialing Program for the purpose of recruiting classified school
employees to participate in a program designed to encourage them to
enroll in teacher training programs and to provide instructional
service as teachers in the public schools. Subject to an
appropriation for these purposes in the annual Budget Act, the bill
would require the commission to issue a request for proposals to all
school districts and county offices of education in the state in
order to solicit applications for funding. The bill would require the
criteria adopted by the commission for the selection of school
districts or county offices of education to participate in the
program to include, among other things, the extent to which the
applicant's plan for recruitment attempts to meet the demand of
teacher shortages in shortage areas in kindergarten and grades 1 to
12, inclusive. The bill would require an applicant that is selected
to participate to provide information about the program to all
eligible classified school employees in the school district or county
office of education and to provide assistance to each classified
school employee it recruits under the program regarding admission to
a teacher training program. The bill would also require an applicant
to require participants to satisfy specified requirements before
participating in the program, including passing a background check,
and to certify that it has received a commitment from each
participant that he or she will accomplish certain things, including
completing all of the requirements for, and obtain, a multiple
subject, single subject, or education specialist teaching credential.
The bill would require the commission to contract with an
independent evaluator with a proven record of experience in assessing
teacher training programs to conduct an evaluation to determine the
success of the program and would require the evaluation to be
conducted once every 5 years, with the first evaluation being
completed on or before July 1, 2021. The bill would also require the
commission, on or before January 1 of each year, to report to the
Legislature regarding the status of the program, as specified. The
bill would state the Legislature's intent that each fiscal year,
funding for the program be allocated to the commission for grants for
up to 1,000 new participants per year and would prohibit a grant to
an applicant from exceeding $4,000 per participant per year. The bill
would make funding for grants to applicants contingent upon an
appropriation in the annual Budget Act.
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 44390 of the Education Code is repealed.
44390. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that over the
next five years, as many as 50 percent of the classroom teachers in
many urban school districts with large percentages of minority pupils
will be eligible for retirement. The Legislature further finds and
declares that in many school districts there are a number of
classified employees, particularly minority group members, who are
enrolled in, who have been enrolled in, or who would be interested in
enrolling in, a teacher training program leading to a teaching
credential if they were provided assistance in applying for admission
and financial aid for that purpose.
The Legislature also finds and declares that educational
paraprofessionals who serve pupils in the public schools provide
valuable instructional services to public school pupils. A program to
enhance instructional competencies and to prepare school
paraprofessionals to become teachers would result in improved
services in terms of their role in the instructional program in the
classroom.
SEC. 2. Section 44390 is added to the Education Code, to read:
44390. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) All children deserve a highly qualified teacher.
(b) California faces a severe teacher shortage.
(c) The demand for new teachers is growing due to the inability to
attract new teachers into the profession, the high attrition rate of
new teachers, and the retirement of existing teachers.
(d) California has a 50-percent higher pupil-to-teacher ratio than
any other state in the country at 24 to 1.
(e) It is estimated that California will need 60,000 additional
teachers to maintain the current pupil-to-teacher ratio.
(f) California will need 135,000 additional teachers in order to
return to the prerecession pupil-to-teacher ratio of 16 to 1.
(g) Teacher shortages vary by subject and region.
(h) Enrollment in teacher credentialing programs dropped 76
percent between 2002 and 2014.
(i) In 2014 and 2015, 40 percent of credentials were awarded to
underprepared teachers.
(j) The diversity in the teacher workforce in California does not
match the diversity of the pupil population.
(k) Roughly 65 percent of teachers are white, 20 percent are
Hispanic, and 15 percent are a different race or ethnicity.
(l) Classified school employees currently working in public
schools represent a potential pool of future teachers.
(m) Classified school employees as a group make up the most
diverse segment of the professional school community.
(n) Providing incentives for classified school employees to obtain
a bachelor's degree and become fully credentialed teachers is a
proven strategy to increase the number of highly qualified teachers
in California's schools.
SEC. 3. Section 44391 of the Education Code is amended to read:
44391. This article shall be known known,
and may be cited cited, as the
Wildman-Keeley-Solis Exemplary Teacher Training Act of 1997.
California Classified School Employee Teacher
Credentialing Program.
SEC. 4. Section 44392 of the Education Code is amended to read:
44392. For the purposes of this article, unless the context
clearly requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a) "Applicant" means a school district or county office of
education applying for program funds under the California
School Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program established pursuant
to Section 44393. Classified School Employee Teacher
Credentialing Program.
(b) "Institutions of higher education" means the California
Community Colleges, the California State University, and
the University of California, and private institutions of
higher education that offer an accredited teacher training program.
California.
(c) "Participant" means a school paraprofessional who elects to
participate in the California School Paraprofessional
Teacher Training Classified School Employee Teacher
Credentialing Program.
(d) "Program" means the California School
Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program established pursuant to
Section 44393. Classified School Employee Teacher
Credentialing Program.
(e) "School paraprofessional" means the following job
classifications: educational aide, instructional aide, special
education aide, special education assistant, teacher associate,
teacher assistant, teacher aide, pupil service aide, library aide,
child development aide, child development assistant, and physical
education aide.
(e) "Classified school employee" means a noncertificated school
employee currently working in a public school pursuant to this
chapter.
(f) "Teacher training program" means an undergraduate or graduate
program of instruction conducted by a campus of an institution of
higher education that includes a developmentally sequenced career
ladder to provide instruction, coursework, and clearly defined tasks
for each level of the ladder, and that is designed to qualify
students enrolled in the program for a teaching credential
authorizing instruction in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12,
inclusive.
SEC. 5. Section 44393 of the Education Code is amended to read:
44393. (a) The California School Paraprofessional
Teacher Training Classified School Employee Teacher
Credentialing Program is hereby established for the purpose of
recruiting school paraprofessionals
classified school employees to participate in a program
designed to encourage them to enroll in teacher training programs and
to provide instructional service as teachers in the public schools.
(b) The commission, in consultation with the Chancellor
of the California Community Colleges, the Chancellor of the
California State University, the President of the University of
California, the chancellors of private institutions of higher
education that offer accredited teacher training programs, and
representatives of certificated and classified employee
organizations, shall select 24 or more school districts or county
offices of education representing rural, urban, and suburban areas
that apply to participate in the program. The commission shall ensure
that, at a minimum, a total of 600 school paraprofessionals are
recruited from among the 24 or more participating school districts or
county offices of education. Subject to an
appropriation for these purposes in the annual Budget Act, the
commission shall issue a request for proposals to all school
districts and county offices of education in the state in order to
solicit applications for funding. The criteria adopted by the
commission for the selection of school districts or county offices of
education to participate in the program shall include all of the
following:
(1) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates the capacity
and willingness to accommodate the participation of school
paraprofessionals classified school employees in
teacher training programs conducted at institutions of higher
education.
(2) The extent to which the applicant's plan for the
implementation of its recruitment program involves the active
participation of one or more local campuses of the participating
institutions of higher education in the development of coursework and
teaching programs for participating school
paraprofessionals. classified school employees.
Each selected applicant shall be required to enter into a written
articulation agreement with the participating campuses of the
institutions of higher education.
(3) The extent to which the applicant's plan for recruitment
attempts to meet the demand for bilingual-crosscultural teachers.
(4) The extent to which the applicant's plan for recruitment
attempts to meet the demand for multiple subject credentialed
teachers interested in teaching kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 3,
inclusive. For purposes of this paragraph, each paraprofessional
selected to participate shall have completed at least two years of
undergraduate college or university coursework and shall have
demonstrated an interest in obtaining a multiple subject teaching
credential for teaching kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 3,
inclusive.
(5) The extent to which the applicant's plan for recruitment
attempts to meet the demand for special education teachers.
(3) The extent to which the applicant's plan for recruitment
attempts to meet the demand of teacher shortages in shortage areas in
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Each classified school
employee selected to participate shall have completed at least two
years of undergraduate college or university coursework and shall
have demonstrated an interest in obtaining a multiple subject or
single subject teaching credential.
(6)
(4) The extent to which a developmentally sequenced
series of job descriptions leads from an entry-level school
paraprofessional classified school employee
position to an entry-level teaching position in that school district
or county office of education.
(7)
(5) The extent to which the applicant's plan for
recruitment attempts to meet its own specific teacher needs.
(8) The extent to which the applicant's plan for implementation of
its recruitment program involves participation in a district
internship program pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with Section
44325) and Section 44830.3 or a university internship program
pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 44450) of Chapter 3.
(c) An applicant that is selected to participate pursuant to
subdivision (b) shall provide information about the program to
all eligible classified school employees in the school district or
county office of education and assistance to each
school paraprofessional classified school employee
it recruits under the program regarding admission to a teacher
training program.
(d) (1) The applicant shall recruit and organize groups, or
"cohorts," of participants, of no more than 30, and no less than 10,
in each cohort. Cohorts shall be organized to consist of participants
having approximately equal academic experience and qualifications,
as determined by the school district or county office of education.
To the extent possible, the members of each cohort shall proceed
through the same subject matter and credential programs. The members
of each cohort shall enroll in the same college or university and
shall be provided appropriate support and information throughout the
course of their studies by the applicant.
(2)
(d) (1) An applicant shall
require participants to satisfy all of the following requirements
prior to before participating in the
program:
(A) For the purpose of obtaining current criminal history
information from the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, obtain a certificate of clearance from the commission
pursuant to Sections 44339 to 44341, inclusive, and related
regulations adopted by the commission.
(A) Pass a criminal background check.
(B) Provide verification of one of the following:
(i) Has earned an associate or higher level degree.
(ii) Has completed at least two years of study at a postsecondary
educational institution.
(iii) Has received a passing score on a formal academic assessment
that demonstrates knowledge of, and the ability to assist in the
instruction of, reading, writing, and mathematics. The formal
academic assessment shall be based upon a job analysis for validity
purposes and shall be made readily available to examinees.
(3)
(2) An applicant shall certify that it has received a
commitment from each participant that he or she will accomplish all
of the following:
(A) Graduate from an institution of higher education under the
program with a bachelor's degree.
(B) Complete all of the requirements for and obtain
for, and obtain, a multiple subject, single
subject, or education specialist teaching credential.
(C) Complete one school year of classroom instruction in the
school district or county office of education for each year
that he or she receives assistance for books, fees, and tuition while
attending an institution of higher education under the program.
(4) To the extent that a participant does not fulfill his or her
obligations, as set forth in paragraph (3), the participant shall be
required to repay the assistance. If a participant is laid off, the
participant may not be required to repay the assistance until the
participant is offered reemployment and has an opportunity to fulfill
his or her obligations under this section.
(5) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4), if a
participant is unable to fulfill his or her obligations pursuant to
paragraph (3) due to a serious illness, a pregnancy, or another
natural cause, the time period for repayment of the assistance shall
be extended by a maximum period of one year.
(6) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (4), if an
interruption in employment caused by a natural disaster prevents a
participant from completing one of the required years of service, the
time period for repayment of the assistance shall be extended by a
period equal to the period between the date the interruption of
employment begins and the date employment resumes.
(e) The commission shall contract with an independent evaluator
with a proven record of experience in assessing
career-advancement programs or teacher training programs to
conduct an evaluation to determine the success of the
recruitment programs established pursuant to subdivision (b).
program. The evaluation shall be conducted once
every five years and shall incorporate data annually
collected by the commission and reported to the Legislature.
years, with the first evaluation being completed on or
before July 1, 2021. The commission shall complete
the evaluation with existing resources. By January 1 of each year in
which an evaluation is conducted pursuant to this subdivision,
commencing with January 1, 2009, the commission shall
submit the completed evaluation to the Governor and the education
policy and fiscal committees of the Assembly and Senate. The
evaluation shall include, but is not limited to, all of the
following:
(1) The total cost per person participating in the program who
successfully obtains a teaching credential, based upon all state,
local, federal, and other sources of funding.
(2) The economic status of persons participating in the program.
(3) A description of financial and other resources made available
to each recruitment program by participating school districts or
county offices of education, institutions of higher education, and
other participating organizations.
(4) The extent to which pupil performance on standardized
achievement tests has improved in classes taught by teachers who have
successfully completed the program, in comparison to classes taught
by other teachers who have equivalent teaching experience.
(5) The extent to which pupil dropout rates and other measures of
delinquency have improved in classes taught by teachers who have
successfully completed the program.
(6) The extent to which teachers who have successfully completed
the program remain in the communities in which they reside and in
which they teach.
(7) The attrition rate of teachers who have successfully completed
the program.
(f) Each selected school district or county office of education
shall report to the commission regarding the progress of each cohort
of school paraprofessionals, and other information regarding its
recruitment program as the commission may direct.
(g)
(f) No later than On or before
January 1 of each year, the commission shall report to the
Legislature regarding the status of the program, including, but not
limited to, the number of school paraprofessionals
classified school employees recruited, the academic
progress of the school paraprofessionals
classified school employees recruited, the number of
school paraprofessionals classified school employees
recruited who are subsequently employed as teachers in the
public schools, the degree to which the program meets the
demand for bilingual and special education teachers as well as
meeting teacher needs in shortage areas as determined by the school
district or county office of education, the degree to which the
program or similar programs can meet that demand if properly funded
and executed, and other effects upon the operation of the public
schools. applicant meets the teacher shortage needs of
the school district or county office of education, and the ethnic
and racial composition of the participants in the program. The report
shall be made in conformance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.
(h)
(g) (1) It is the
intent of the Legislature that each fiscal year, funding for the
California School Paraprofessional Teacher Training
Classified School Employee Teacher Credentia
ling Program be allocated to the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing commission for grants
for up to 1,000 new applicants pursuant to
this section. participants per year. A grant to
an applicant shall not exceed three thousand five hundred
dollars ($3,500) four thousand dollars ($4,000)
per participant per year. Funding for grants to applicants
pursuant to this subdivision shall be contingent upon an
appropriation in the annual Budget Act.
(2) The commission shall report to the Department of Finance by
March 31 of each year the amount of funds collected by school
districts and county offices of education as repayment of assistance
pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) and the amount of funds
that remain unspent from the funds appropriated to the commission in
the annual Budget Act for purposes of the program.