BILL NUMBER: AB 1242 CHAPTERED 10/10/99 CHAPTER 737 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 10, 1999 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 7, 1999 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 10, 1999 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 9, 1999 AMENDED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 9, 1999 AMENDED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 2, 1999 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 26, 1999 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 29, 1999 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 3, 1999 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 12, 1999 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Lempert FEBRUARY 26, 1999 An act to amend Section 44253.8 of, and to add and repeal Section 44259.8 of the Education Code, relating to teacher credentialing. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1242, Lempert. Teacher credentialing: California Preliminary (CAP) credential. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to charge examination fees that are sufficient to recover the costs of developing and administering examinations for teachers to demonstrate competence in the skills necessary to instruct limited-English-proficient pupils and to earn a certificate of bilingual-crosscultural competence. This bill would, in addition to the fees collected pursuant to the above, authorize the commission to establish and collect fees to recover its costs for the administration of any assessment of teaching competence adopted by the commission, unless the costs are recovered by appropriations from another source. Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue an eminence credential to any person who has achieved eminence in a field of endeavor taught or service practiced in the public schools of California. This credential authorizes teaching or the performance of services in the public schools in the subject, subject area, or service, and at the level or levels, approved by the commission as designated on the credential. This bill would require the commission, until January 1, 2005, upon the recommendation of the governing board of a school district, to issue a California Preliminary (CAP) credential to any person who displays knowledge and expertise in a subject area as demonstrated by the qualifications of possession of a postbaccalaureate or graduate degree in one of a number of specified subjects, 5 or more full-time equivalent years of practice in the field for which the postbaccalaureate or graduate degree was awarded, and basic skills proficiency. This credential would be a preliminary single subject teaching credential and would authorize teaching in the subject or subject area, or the performance of services, approved by the commission and designated on the credential. The bill would require the governing board of the school district electing to recommend a person for a CAP credential to enroll candidates for the CAP credential in a preservice training program that is aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession and to develop an individual program of professional preparation consisting of no less than 150 hours of study for each candidate to pursue professional development. The bill would require each recipient of the CAP credential to complete the preservice training program before providing classroom instruction. The credential would be issued initially for a 2-year period upon completion of certain requirements and could be renewed for an additional 2-year period upon completion of certain requirements, after which the holder would be eligible for a professional clear teaching credential. The bill would require the commission to report to the Legislature by February 1, 2004, on the number of credentials issued in each subject, the retention rates of candidates who receive a CAP credential, and recommendations for improvement to the program. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares the following: (1) California needs between 250,000 and 300,000 teachers in the next 10 years. (2) Other states have initiated signing bonuses of one thousand dollars ($1,000) to twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) in order to attract new teachers to the teaching profession. California must also be aggressive in its effort to recruit, train, and retrain professionals in the teaching profession and to reduce barriers to entering the teaching profession, while maintaining high standards of competency for teachers. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to allow highly qualified teaching candidates the opportunity to enter the teaching profession with relative ease and to ensure that teaching candidates are truly competent professionals prior to obtaining a professional clear teaching credential. SEC. 2. Section 44253.8 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44253.8. (a) For the examinations required by Sections 44253.5 and 44253.7, the commission shall charge examination fees that are sufficient to recover the costs of developing and administering the examinations, including the costs of periodic studies of the examinations, except to the extent that these costs are recovered by appropriations from another source of funds. (b) In addition to the fees collected pursuant to subdivision (a), within the limits set forth in this chapter, the commission may establish and collect fees to recover its costs for the administration of any assessment of teaching competence adopted by the commission to implement the provisions of this chapter, unless the costs are recovered by appropriations from another source of funds. SEC. 3. Section 44259.8 is added to the Education Code, to read: 44259.8. (a) Upon the recommendation of the governing board of a school district, the commission shall issue a California Preliminary (CAP) credential to any person who displays knowledge and expertise in a subject area as demonstrated by all of the following qualifications: (1) Possession of a postbaccalaureate or graduate degree in a subject specified in Section 44257 from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. (2) Five or more full-time equivalent years of practice in the field for which the postbaccalaureate or graduate degree was awarded. (3) Basic skills proficiency as measured by the test adopted pursuant to Section 44252. (b) The CAP credential is a preliminary single subject teaching credential. The CAP credential shall authorize teaching in the subject or subject area, or the performance of services, approved by the commission and designated on the credential. The commission shall also approve and designate on the credential the grade level or levels for which the teaching or service authorization is valid. (c) The governing board of a school district electing to recommend a person for the CAP credential shall do the following: (1) Enroll candidates for the CAP credential in a preservice training program for a minimum of 40 hours of pedagogical training that is aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession. A candidate for the CAP credential shall complete this training before providing classroom instruction. The preservice training program shall include the following: (A) Preparation in classroom management and organization. (B) Grade-level curriculum content and instructional models and strategies. (C) Pupil assessment practices. (D) Literacy development in the subject to be authorized on the credential. (E) Equity, access, and diversity training. (F) Appropriate instructional strategies for English language learners and pupils with special needs. (2) Develop an individual program of professional preparation consisting of not less than 150 hours of study for each candidate to pursue professional development in the areas specified in subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, of paragraph (1) and designed to assist the candidate in passing the assessment specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e). (3) Require each recipient of the CAP credential to complete the preservice training program specified in paragraph (1) and the preparation program specified in paragraph (2). (d) Each CAP credential shall be issued initially and renewed for the following periods of time pending completion of the requirements of this section: (1) The CAP credential shall be valid for two years to allow for completion of the requirements of subdivision (e). (2) Upon the completion of the requirements of subdivision (e), the CAP credential shall, upon application, be renewed for two additional years to allow for completion of the requirements of subdivision (f). (3) Upon completion of the two-year renewal period and completion of the requirements of subdivision (f), the holder of a CAP credential shall be eligible, upon application, for a professional clear teaching credential. (e) Holders of a CAP credential shall meet the following requirements prior to receiving a two-year renewal of the CAP credential: (1) Completion of the individual program of professional preparation offered pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c). (2) Demonstration of basic pedagogical skills by passing the teacher performance assessment that is adopted by the commission pursuant to Section 44320.2. (f) Holders of a renewed CAP credential shall meet the following additional requirements prior to obtaining a professional clear credential: (1) Participation in a two-year induction program, as specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 44259 or Section 44279.1, that is designed to extend the teacher's prior preparation and help the teacher prepare for the assessment requirement of paragraph (2). (2) Demonstration of teaching competence by passing an assessment of the depth and breadth of the teacher's pedagogical knowledge, skills, and abilities that shall be adopted for this purpose by the commission. (3) Establishment of subject matter competence pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 44259. (g) The commission may not accept new applications for the CAP credential after January 1, 2005. (h) The commission shall report to the Legislature by February 1, 2004 on the following: (1) The number of CAP credentials issued in each subject specified in Section 44257. (2) The retention rates of candidates who receive a CAP credential. (3) Recommendations for improvements to the CAP credential program. (i) This section shall remain in effect until January 1, 2005, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2005, deletes or extends that date.