BILL NUMBER: AB 1223	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Block
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Wiggins)

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act relating to teacher training.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1223, as introduced, Block. Teacher training: Legislative
Analyst advisory committee.
   Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to
issue various types of teaching credentials.
   This bill would express legislative findings and declarations
relating to the educational value in both academic and career
technical coursework. The bill would express the intent of the
Legislature that high school courses provide pupils with rigorous
learning experiences that will prepare them for postsecondary success
and that both academic and career technical education teachers
employ pedagogical strategies that will ensure pupil success.
   The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to convene
an advisory committee to determine the preparation and professional
development needs of both academic and career technical teachers. The
bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to present the
findings of the advisory committee to the Legislature by January 10,
2010.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (1) There is inherent educational value in both academic and
career technical coursework. Both should be promoted. Both academic
and career technical courses are strengthened when they are delivered
in ways that mutually reinforce one another. All pupils should have
equal access to both types of coursework.
   (2) Pupils need a range of educational experiences to prepare them
for success beyond high school.
   (3) A foundation of academic knowledge, general workplace
competencies, and occupationally specific knowledge and skills
enables pupils to better access all postsecondary options.
   (4) Most pupils achieve better subject mastery and technological
skills when they are enrolled in courses that use hands-on
experiential learning to exemplify how academic knowledge is used to
solve real world and industry-based problems.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that both of the following
occur:
   (1) High school courses provide pupils with rigorous learning
experiences that will prepare them for postsecondary success.
   (2) Both academic and career technical education teachers employ
pedagogical strategies that will ensure pupil success.
  SEC. 2.  (a) The Legislative Analyst's Office shall convene an
advisory committee to accomplish all of the following:
   (1) Determine the preparation and professional development needs
of both academic and career technical teachers, consistent with the
intent of the Legislature, as spciefied in Section 1.
   (2) Provide recommendations for improving the ability of the state'
s existing teacher training and professional development programs to
prepare academic teachers to incorporate real world relevance and
applied learning into the curriculum.
   (3) Determine the best means of supporting the ongoing efforts of
career and technical education teachers to incorporate the foundation
standards established under career technical education model
curriculum standards and frameworks pursuant to Sections 51226 and
51226.1 of the Education Code.
   (b) In developing its recommendations, the advisory committee may
consider best practices from other states or countries and relevant
education research on improving instruction. The advisory committee
also may consider the impact of increasing the use of applied
teaching and learning strategies on pupil performance.
   (c) The Legislative Analyst's Office also may consult with
legislative staff.
   (d) By January 10, 2010, the Legislative Analyst's Office shall
present the findings of the advisory committee to the Legislature.