BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 916
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 29, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 916
(Allen) - As Amended April 27, 2016
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|Policy | Education |Vote:| 7 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill authorizes the California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CCTC) to issue a single subject teaching
credential in dance and theater. This bill also includes a
grandfather provision to allow a person issued a credential in
English prior to the establishment of a credential in theater,
to teach theater and a person issued a credential in physical
education before the establishment of a teaching credential in
dance, to teach dance.
FISCAL EFFECT:
SB 916
Page 2
One-time administrative costs to the CCTC in the range of
$400,000 to $500,000 [Test Development and Administration
Account (TDAA)] to develop credential standards and develop both
the dance and theater exams for certification. The TDAA
currently has a reserve of $2.9 million.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. Under current law, a teacher must obtain a credential
in physical education to teach dance and an instructor must
obtain a credential in English to teach theater. According to
the author, the standards for teaching dance are separate from
the standards for teaching physical education, and an English
credential provides no training in theater instruction. The
California Alliance for Arts Education is sponsoring this bill
to enable students to receive dance and theater instruction
from teachers who have been trained to deliver standards-based
education.
2)Background. Prior to 1970, the state authorized credentials in
dance and theater. These credentials were eliminated when the
Teacher Preparation and Licensing Law of 1970 (also known as
the Ryan Act) was enacted. Several legislative attempts have
been made over the years to reauthorize these credentials but
measures have stalled due to opposition.
The CCTC has also attempted to address this issue. In 2013,
the Teacher Advisory Panel (TAP) to the CCTC recommended the
establishment of single subject credentials in dance and
theatre, and staff developed a proposal to create a Visual and
Performing Arts credential with concentrations in dance,
theatre, music, and visual arts. This proposal did not move
forward due to stakeholder concerns. Staff notes there is no
registered opposition to this bill.
SB 916
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Supporters also note that alignment is needed between dance
and theater content standards and credentialing requirements.
The framework and content standards for visual and performing
arts include the four disciplines of dance, music, theater,
and visual arts. The CTC aligns its subject matter
preparation requirements to the state's content standards. Art
and music have single subject credential authorizations but
dance and theater do not.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081