Amended in Senate August 16, 2016

Amended in Senate June 21, 2016

Amended in Assembly April 27, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2353


Introduced by Assembly Member McCarty

February 18, 2016


An act to add Article 3.2 (commencing with Section 44475) to Chapter 3 of Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to teacher professional development.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2353, as amended, McCarty. Teacher professional development: culturally responsive instruction.

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(1) Existing

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begin insertExistingend insert law establishes various programs of professional development for teachers, including the California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System, and requires the State Department of Education to issue a request for proposals to contract for the development of standards for professional development for educators and instructional leaders.

This bill would require the department to identify professional development programs in culturally responsive instruction and provide links to those programs on its Internet Web site. The bill would state legislative findings and declarations relating to the importance of culturally responsive teaching.

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(2) Existing law appropriated the sum of $490,000,000 from the General Fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to be allocated to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools, as provided, for specified teacher and administrator training and professional development, including to promote educator quality and effectiveness.

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This bill would specify that school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools are authorized to use those moneys to provide professional development in culturally responsive instruction.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) Culture is essential to learning.

4(b) Culture plays a role not only in communicating and receiving
5information, but also in shaping the thinking process of groups
6and individuals.

7(c) A pedagogy that acknowledges, responds to, and celebrates
8fundamental cultures offers full, equitable access to education for
9pupils from all cultures.

10(d) Culturally responsive teaching is a pedagogy that recognizes
11the importance of including pupils’ cultural references in all aspects
12of learning.

13(e) Culturally responsive teaching acknowledges the legitimacy
14of a pupil’s cultural heritage that shapes dispositions and attitudes.

15(f) Culturally responsive teaching builds bridges of
16meaningfulness between home and school.

17(g) Culturally responsive teaching uses a wide variety of
18instructional strategies that are connected to learning styles.

19(h) Culturally responsive teaching incorporates multicultural
20information, books, and other educational resources.

21(i) Culturally responsive teaching promotes the idea of the
22classroom family and all pupils are in it together.

23(j) Culturally responsive teaching teaches pupils that they can
24be successful and that they are appreciated by educators who have
25high expectations of them.

P3    1(k) Culturally responsive teaching develops the social
2consciousness of pupils to better handle the world of prejudice and
3racism.

4

SEC. 2.  

Article 3.2 (commencing with Section 44475) is added
5to Chapter 3 of Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Education
6Code
, to read:

7 

8Article 3.2.  Professional Development in Culturally Responsive
9Instruction
10

 

11

44475.  

The department shall identify professional development
12programs in culturally responsive instruction and provide links to
13those programs on its Internet Web site.

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14

SEC. 3.  

Moneys appropriated to the Superintendent of Public
15Instruction and allocated to school districts, county offices of
16education, charter schools, and the state special schools for
17professional development to promote educator quality and
18effectiveness pursuant to Section 58 of Chapter 13 of the Statutes
19of 2015 may be used by the school district, county office of
20education, charter school, or the state special school to provide
21professional development in culturally responsive instruction.

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