BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 2248
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|Author: |Holden |
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|Version: |April 21, 2016 Hearing |
| |Date: June 8, 2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Lenin DelCastillo |
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Subject: Teacher credentialing: out-of-state trained teachers:
English learner authorizations
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
to issue bilingual learner authorizations to out-of-state
teachers who hold equivalent credentials, as specified.
BACKGROUND
Existing law:
1) Establishes authorizations for teachers to teach English
learners in English and also establishes authorizations for
teachers to teach English learners in their primary
languages. (Education Code § 44253.3 and § 44253.4)
2) Authorizes a teacher who possesses a credential or permit
and is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or
certificate that authorizes the instruction of English
language learners may qualify for the English learner
teaching authorization by submitting an application and fee
to the commission.
(Education Code § 44253.3)
ANALYSIS
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This bill requires the CTC to issue authorizations to teach
English learners in a primary language to out-of-state teachers
who are applying for a preliminary or clear teaching credential,
and who hold valid out-of-state credentials or certificates that
authorizes the equivalent instruction of English learners.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill. According to the author's office,
"California is experiencing one of the worst teacher
shortages with unprecedented unfilled teaching positions
and teaching positions filled by underqualified teachers.
The teacher shortage disproportionately impacts low-income
students of color, English language learners and students
with special needs, contributing to the growing achievement
and opportunity gap. Currently if a teacher possesses an
out of state bilingual teaching credential and moves to
California to continue teaching in their focus area, an
out-of-state teacher must take multiple professional tests
and course work regardless of education level, prior
teaching evaluations, and previous experience teaching in
another state." This bill seeks to address this issue by
expediting the ability of qualified bilingual teachers to
teach in California classrooms.
2) Bilingual authorizations for out-of-state teachers.
Current law allows teachers who hold an out-of-state
credential that authorizes instruction of English learners
to earn an English learner authorization to teach in
California. However, the enabling legislation for this
provision (SB 1209, Scott, Chapter 517, Statutes of 2006)
did not extend that authorization to out-of-state bilingual
teachers. The Commission on Teaching Credentialing
currently reviews each bilingual teacher's authorization
from out-of-state on an individual basis. This measure
would allow an out-of-state teacher who holds a bilingual
teacher authorization in another state to earn an
equivalent authorization in California. However, the
Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) does not
currently review or maintain a list of equivalent bilingual
teacher authorizations as it does for equivalent English
learner authorizations. Presumably, the CTC would need to
do a similar review of other states' bilingual
authorizations to administer the bill's provisions.
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3) Teacher shortage. The Learning Policy Institute (LPI)
recently released a report, "Addressing California's
Emerging Teacher Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and
Solutions." In this report, the LPI included the following
summary: "After many years of teacher layoffs in
California, school districts around the state are hiring
again. With the influx of new K-12 funding, districts are
looking to lower student-teacher ratios and reinstate
classes and programs that were reduced or eliminated during
the Great Recession. However, mounting evidence indicates
that teacher supply has not kept pace with the increased
demand." The report included the following findings:
a) Enrollment in educator preparation programs has
dropped by more than 70 percent over the last decade.
b) In 2014-15, provisional and short-term permits
nearly tripled from the number issued two years
earlier, growing from about 850 to more than 2,400.
c) The number teachers hired on substandard permits
and credentials nearly doubled in the last two years,
to more than 7,700 comprising a third of all the new
credentials issued in 2014-15.
d) Estimated teacher hires for the 2015-16 school
year increased by 25 percent from the previous year
while enrollment in the University of California (UC)
and the California State University (CSU) teacher
education programs increased by only about 3.8
percent.
4) Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) assessment. As part of
its Proposition 98 Education Analysis for the 2016-17
Governor's Budget released in February 2016, the LAO
includes a section on teacher workforce trends in which it
examines evidence for teacher shortages in specific areas,
identifies and assesses past policy responses to these
shortages, and raises issues for the Legislature to
consider going forward in terms of new policy responses.
In the report, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO)
indicates that the statewide teacher market will help
alleviate existing shortages over time and that the
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shortages may decrease without direct state action.
However, the LAO notes there are perennial staffing
difficulties in specific areas, such as special education,
math, and science, for which they encourage the Legislature
to address with narrowly tailored policies rather than with
broad statewide policies.
5) Related budget activity. The Senate's version of the
proposed 2016-17 budget includes $7 million in one-time
Proposition 98 funding to re-establish the California
Center on Teaching Careers and $60 million in one-time
Proposition 98 funding to establish or expand teacher
residency programs. Both programs would be required to
target chronic teacher shortage areas, including special
education and bilingual teachers.
6) Fiscal impact. The Assembly Appropriations Committee
indicates minor or absorbable costs for the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing to review out-of-state bilingual
teacher credentials.
SUPPORT
Arc and United Cerebral Palsy California Collaboration
Association of California School Administrators
California Alliance for Arts Education
California Art Education Association
California Association for Bilingual Education
California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance
California Association of Private School Organizations
California Catholic Conference, Inc.
California Charter Schools Association
California Federation of Teachers
California Language Teachers Association
California Music Educators Association
Californians Together Coalition
EdVoice
OPPOSITION
None received.
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