BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1223
Page 1
Date of Hearing: January 13, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 1223 (Block) - As Amended: January 4, 2010
SUBJECT : Linked learning
SUMMARY : Encourages, commencing October 1, 2011, the Commission
on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to issue an authorization for
linked learning competence for holders of an appropriate
credential, certificate, authorization, or permit who will be
teaching pupils enrolled in linked learning programs.
Specifically, this bill :
1)States the Legislature's intent that a successful candidate
for the authorization demonstrates very specific skills and
competencies, as prescribed.
2)Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
develop procedures to gather and post best practices from
local districts and schools on curriculum development and
professional development related to implementing and
sustaining schools and academies offering linked learning
programs.
3)Changes the term "multiple pathway" to "linked learning"
throughout the Education Code.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the minimum requirements for preliminary and clear
designated subjects career technical education (DSCTE)
teaching credentials.
2)Requires the CTC to establish a list of authorized subjects
for the DSCTE teaching credential that reflects the 15
industry sectors identified in the California career technical
education model curriculum standards adopted by the State
Board of Education (SBE).
3)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
develop, in conjunction with specified individuals, a report
that explores the feasibility of expanding and establishing
multiple pathway programs; and requires the report to include
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specified components, including, but not limited to, methods
for developing and sharing models of integrated curriculum and
instruction, strategies for increasing the course options and
instructional time for pupils in high school, and
recommendations for supporting regional coalitions in planning
and developing the programs.
4)Defines multiple pathway programs for purposes of the
feasibility report as multiyear comprehensive high school
programs of integrated academic and technical study organized
around a broad theme, interest area, or industry sector; and
specifies that multiple pathway programs are comprised, among
other things, of an integrated core curriculum that meets the
eligibility requirements for admission to the University of
California and the California State University and is
delivered through project-based learning and other engaging
instructional strategies that emphasize broad themes, interest
areas, and career technical education in the curriculum.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Multiple pathway programs are high school programs
that attempt to make core academic subjects more relevant and
engaging for pupils and they seek to provide access to technical
courses and work-based learning opportunities. The idea behind
multiple pathways is to integrate career based themes and
content across all academic subject areas in order to give
students the opportunity to access both core content and CTE
without having to choose one over the other. A recently enacted
measure, AB 2648 (Bass, Carter & Furutani), Chapter 681,
Statutes of 2008, requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) to develop, in conjunction with specified
individuals, a report that explores the feasibility of expanding
and establishing career multiple pathway programs and requires
the report be submitted to the Legislature by December 1, 2009.
At the time of writing this analysis, the final report has not
been submitted to the Legislature.
Proponents of multiple pathway programs have developed a new
term to refer to these programs. The new term is "linked
learning" and this bill proposes to change references in the
Education Code from "multiple pathway" to "linked learning."
The author has informed Committee staff that it is not his
intent to make the terminology changes at the present time, and
staff agrees that it is not timely to make these changes to the
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Education Code particularly considering that the multiple
pathways report mentioned above has not been submitted to the
Legislature and this could create some confusion as to whether a
new report that reflects the new name would have to be
developed. Accordingly, staff recommends the bill be amended to
strike out Section 3 and thus not make any amendments to Section
52372.5.
Multiple pathway programs are found in several districts across
the state and they are found in various forms; for example some
districts have implemented California Partnership Academies
(CPA), small learning communities, or other career-themed small
schools. Teachers that deliver instruction in these programs,
often work in teams with other educators and local business
leaders to organize lessons around an integrated curriculum
focused on project-based learning. These instructional
activities and strategies may require specialized skills and
competencies not typically included in traditional teacher
preparation or professional development programs.
The draft multiple pathways feasibility report suggests that
teachers in multiple pathway programs "need to have competencies
in four domains: knowledge, pedagogy, professional skills, and
foundational comprehension. Teachers need knowledge of the
academic concepts that underlie work in industries, intellectual
skills to solve problems in the real world, and how to work in a
community of practice. They also need pedagogical skills that
include how to engage students in project-based and cooperative
learning, building on students' prior knowledge and skills, and
using multiple assessment measures and ways for students to
demonstrate their competencies. Teachers must have appropriate
professional skills that equip them to work in pathway settings,
including how to collaborate with other teachers and industry
partners."
This bill encourages the CTC to issue an authorization for
linked learning competence for credential holders who will be
teaching pupils enrolled in linked learning programs. An
authorization is a notation listed on an existing credential
document of any additional certification a person has earned
since their initial certification. Certain authorizations are
required to work in specific teaching areas, thus they are a
barrier to entry into specific teaching fields.
The author has indicated that the intent of this bill is not to
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create a new barrier to entry into the linked learning teaching
field, but instead to provide an additional notation or
recognition on the teaching certificate of additional knowledge
in the field of linked learning. As such, staff recommends the
bill be amended to instead encourage the CTC to convene a
workgroup of experts to develop program standards for a new
"recognition of study" notation for a teaching credential in the
area of linked learning. This notation would still be displayed
on a teaching credential, like an authorization, but would not
be a barrier to entry into the specific teaching field. For
example, a single subject math teacher could complete additional
training or coursework in the area of linked learning and upon
completion of a commission-approved program, receive a
"recognition of study" notation on their credential in the area
of linked learning.
Should this Committee chose to approve this bill, staff
recommends the bill be further amended to include a
cross-reference to the section in the Education Code defining
multiple pathway programs for purposes of defining "linked
learning." Additionally, a linked learning recognition of study
may also be of interest to teachers in CPAs particularly since
the CPA model operates in the same manner as and has actually
informed the development of multiple pathway programs. As such,
the author may consider specifying that the definition of linked
learning may include, but is not limited to, California
partnership academies. Because there is no definition of
"recognition of study" in current law, the bill should define
"recognition of study" as a statement added to a credential
recognizing that the credential holder has completed a
commission-approved course of study in the area listed. This
bill also expresses the intent of the Legislature that a
successful candidate for this authorization demonstrates very
specific skills and competencies. Staff recommends that the
bill be amended to narrow the list of skills and competencies
specified in the bill since the workgroup will have the charge
of developing the program standards for the issuance of the
linked learning recognition of study. It may be more
appropriate to give the workgroup which will be comprised of
experts the latitude to come up with the standards they deem
important and necessary rather than to legislate those
standards. Additionally, the bill should specify that the
workgroup's membership shall include, but not be limited to,
experts and representatives from districts that have implemented
multiple pathways or similar programs, such as California
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Partnership Academies. Lastly the bill is not clear on the type
of credential-holder that would be eligible for this recognition
of study. Since multiple pathway programs are for the most part
found in high schools, staff recommends the bill be amended to
specify that this recognition of study is intended for
single-subject teaching credential holders.
Some teacher training programs have begun to include
cross-discipline teaching techniques into their teacher
preparation programs. According to information provided by the
author, San Diego State University and three other California
State University campuses, Fresno, Sacramento, and San
Bernardino, have embarked on a project to bring a multiple
pathways lens to a state-approved single-subject credential
program. In 2008-09 the School of Teacher Education at San
Diego State University developed and implemented a multiple
pathways teacher preparation model which included instruction in
curriculum modifications, inter- and intra-disciplinary
collaboration in curriculum design and delivery, problem-and
project-based learning, industry and postsecondary education
partnerships and integration of CTE standards and work-based
learning approaches with academic standards. It is important to
note however, that this is not a new multiple pathways
credential but rather a single-subject credential program that
has a multiple pathways lens.
The author states, "With the creation of the CTE standards, that
imbedded career skills and concepts with academic content, and
preliminary data demonstrating the benefit of curriculum
combining vocational and academic educational programs, public
and legislative demand for integrated instruction has increased
dramatically. However, given the relative newness of these
programs, teacher training in this area appears to be both
limited in availability and documentation."
Previous legislation : AB 2648 (Bass, Carter & Furutani),
Chapter 681, Statutes of 2008, requires the SPI to develop, in
conjunction with specified individuals, a report that explores
the feasibility of expanding and establishing career multiple
pathway programs.
SB 1677 (Scott) of 2008 requires the Legislative Analyst's
Office (LAO) to convene an advisory committee and make
recommendations on the preparation and professional development
needs of both academic and career technical teachers to deliver
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course content in ways that mutually reinforce one another. SB
1677 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi?a / ED. / (916) 319-2087