BILL NUMBER: AB 2040 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 23, 2010
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Brownley
FEBRUARY 17, 2010
An act to amend Section 44252.1 of add
Section 44259.4 to the Education Code, relating to
teacher credentialing teachers .
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2040, as amended, Brownley. Teacher credential
preparation programs. leaders.
Existing law establishes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing
to, among other things, establish professional standards,
assessments, and examinations for entry and advancement in the
education profession.
This bill would require the commission to convene an advisory
panel to explore the recognition of leadership roles within the
teaching career pathway. The commission would be required to consider
the findings of the advisory panel and report to the Governor and
the Legislature by January 1, 2012, on recommendations for the
recognition of teacher leaders.
The Commission on Teacher Credentialing is required to adopt a
framework and general standards for the accreditation of preparation
programs for teachers and other certificated educators, including
integrated programs of professional preparation, which enable
candidates for teaching credentials to engage in professional
preparation concurrently with subject matter preparation while
completing baccalaureate degrees at regionally accredited
postsecondary institutions.
Existing law requires the commission, by June 30, 2004, to have
reported to the education policy committees in each house of the
Legislature on the success of the integrated program of professional
development toward preparing teacher candidates, as specified.
This bill would change that date to November 1, 2011.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
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) Given the profound educational changes that have taken place
over the past decade, there has been a statewide increase in the use
of experienced teachers as mentors, support providers, master
teachers, teacher leaders, and providers of professional development
services.
(2) The increased use of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of
experienced teachers as peer developers and supporters is largely the
result of programs such as teacher induction and internship
programs, as well as local efforts to improve teacher quality in
order to improve pupil achievement.
(3) Questions have been raised as to whether teachers are
appropriately prepared and recognized for these types of roles within
the existing teaching certification and professional development
mechanisms.
(4) Teachers continue to develop in their professions throughout
their careers. However, the current structure provides limited
choices for veteran teachers looking for new opportunities to apply
their experience and expertise without leaving the classroom.
(5) Highly qualified teachers are seeking increased opportunities
for career advancement that keep them involved in pupil instruction,
and not necessarily on the administrator ladder.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to examine differentiated
career opportunities for teachers to promote teacher quality and
increase pupil achievement and school improvement.
SEC. 2. Section 44259.4 is added to the
Education Code , to read:
44259.4. (a) The commission shall convene an advisory panel of
stakeholders with expertise in the field of teacher leadership to
explore the recognition of leadership roles within the teaching
career pathway. The advisory panel will consider issues related to
teacher leadership including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) The various roles of teacher leaders in today's public schools
such as master teachers, mentors, induction support providers and
fieldwork supervisors, instructional leaders, department chairs,
curriculum coordinators, peer coaches, literacy or mathematics
coordinators, assessment coordinators, and accreditation
coordinators.
(2) The use of teachers as instructional leaders and peer role
models to foster innovation needed to effect change in turn-around
schools.
(3) How recognition of teacher leaders may promote teacher
retention.
(4) Formal preparation and recognition of the leadership roles
that teachers assume.
(5) Application of adult learning theories to improve the
instruction of teacher peers.
(6) Processes and procedures in other states for recognition of
teacher leaders.
(7) The nexus of recognition of teacher leaders with the national
board certification process.
(8) How the recognition, including, but not limited to, an
authorization, credential, recognition of study, special recognition,
emphasis or specialization, could be developed and realized while
maintaining local flexibility in hiring and staffing needs.
(9) The feasibility of teacher leader career ladders that could be
used by school districts to align salary schedules or alternative
salary structures.
(10) Current research and practices in teacher leader and mentor
programs, including, but not limited to, the Beginning Teacher
Support and Assessment System standards for support provider and
assessor training, statewide subject matter projects, and the
Certificated Staff Mentoring Program.
(b) The advisory panel shall include, but is not limited to,
representatives of the following:
(1) Teachers who are performing school leadership duties.
(2) Teacher and administrator organizations.
(3) The Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(4) Commission-approved teacher preparation programs.
(5) School boards and school districts.
(6) Other organizations deemed appropriate by the commission.
(c) The commission shall consider the findings of the advisory
panel and report to the Governor and Legislature by January 1, 2012
on recommendations for the recognition of teacher leaders.
(d) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under
subdivision (d) is inoperative on January 1, 2015, pursuant to
Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(2) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
SECTION 1. Section 44252.1 of the Education
Code is amended to read:
44252.1. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that a
credential candidate enrolled in a credential preparation program
receive reasonable time to complete the program without meeting new
requirements, including, but not limited to, requirements added by
statutes, regulations, or commission standards, after the candidate's
enrollment in the program. Further, to ensure that all candidates
for a credential receive reasonable information and advice as they
proceed through their program, the Legislature finds and declares
that it is incumbent upon credential preparation programs to inform
candidates of new requirements and extension provisions available to
eligible candidates.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(1) "Enrolled" refers to an individual who, on or after January 1,
2002, continuously participates in and is working toward completing
the requirements for a program that meets the minimum requirements
for a California preliminary multiple or single subject teaching
credential as specified in Section 44259. Whether an individual is
enrolled shall be subject to verification by the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing.
(2) "Continuously enrolled" refers to an individual who has begun
a teacher preparation program and does not have a break in that
participation that exceeds a period of 18 months.
(c) The commission shall adopt regulations to provide a credential
candidate enrolled in a commission-accredited preparation program,
including, but not limited to, an internship program as defined in
Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 44325) and Article 3 (commencing
with Section 44450), a professional preparation program as defined
in Article 7 (commencing with Section 44320), or an integrated
program of professional preparation as defined in Section 44259.1
with a grace period to complete the program without meeting new
requirements, including, but not limited to, requirements added by
statutes, regulations, or commission standards, after the candidate's
enrollment in the program. The commission shall also ensure through
standards and accreditation procedures that credential preparation
programs provide credential candidates with information about new
requirements and extension provisions as outlined in this subdivision
and subdivisions (d) and (e).
(1) The commission shall adopt regulations that provide a
credential candidate enrolled in a commission-accredited preparation
program time of not less than 24 months after enrollment in the
program, during which time new or amended statutes, regulations, and
commission standards that become effective and are imposed on
credential candidates after the candidate's enrollment date shall not
apply to that candidate.
(2) The commission shall allow a credential candidate an extension
of time in addition to the time specified pursuant to paragraph (1)
to complete a credential program under the statutes, regulations, and
commission standards in place at the time of the candidate's
enrollment if the candidate can demonstrate extenuating
circumstances, including, but not limited to, personal or family
illness, bereavement, or financial hardship and develops a plan, in
consultation with the credential preparation program, for continued
progress toward completion of the preparation program.
(d) The commission shall maintain a list of candidates who are
allowed an extended time period to complete the program under the
statutes, regulations, and commission standards in place at the time
of the candidates' enrollment prior to the effective date of a new or
amended statute, regulation, or standard. This list shall include
the projected date of program completion for each candidate.
(e) (1) A credential candidate enrolled in an integrated program
of professional preparation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section
44259.1 is not subject to any new requirements added by statute,
regulation, or commission standards if that candidate is continuously
enrolled in the program, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision
(b), and does not change the type of credential or program he or she
is pursuing once enrolled.
(2) A credential candidate continuously enrolled in an integrated
program of professional preparation pursuant to subdivision (a) of
Section 44259.1 who has completed all requirements necessary to begin
the student teaching component of his or her program shall be
eligible to receive an extension of 12 months, if necessary, to
complete the outstanding requirements that were in place when that
credential candidate began the preparation program, and shall not be
subject to any new requirements added by statute, regulation, or
commission standards, once that candidate begins the student teaching
portion of his or her program.
(3) This subdivision does not limit the ability of a candidate to
seek additional time to complete a credential pursuant to paragraph
(2) of subdivision (c).
(4) By November 1, 2011, the commission shall report to the
education policy committees in each house of the Legislature on the
success of the integrated program of professional development
pursuant to Section 44259.1 toward preparing teacher candidates,
including, but not limited to, the number of students admitted to the
teacher education component in each program, the number of students
who have completed all course requirements, including student
teaching, and who have applied for a credential, the number of
students applying for and receiving an extension pursuant to
subdivision (e), and the information collected pursuant to
subdivision (d).
(f) This section does not supersede subdivision (h) of Section
44259.
(g) A modification of a credentialing examination by the
commission that is made as the result of a validity study or a
passing standard study shall not be considered a new requirement for
purposes of this section.
(h) If credential preparation coursework that a credential
candidate has not yet taken is modified, the candidate shall take the
modified coursework instead of the previously required coursework
unless the modified coursework is not readily available, the modified
coursework would result in an increased cost to the candidate, or
completion of the modified coursework would delay the candidate's
completion of the credential preparation program.
(i) Once a candidate has received a preliminary California
teaching credential pursuant to Section 44259 and is employed as the
teacher of record in a California public school, the candidate shall
not be subject to any new requirements for completing the induction
phase required to obtain the professional clear teaching credential
pursuant to Section 44279.4, for a period not to exceed the length of
time provided for the preliminary teaching credential pursuant to
Section 44251.