BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






                          SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                               Gloria Romero, Chair
                            2009-2010 Regular Session
                                         

          BILL NO:       AB 2685
          AUTHOR:        De La Torre
          AMENDED:       May 10, 2010
          FISCAL COMM:   Yes            HEARING DATE:  June 23, 2010
          URGENCY:       No             CONSULTANT:Beth Graybill

           SUBJECT  :  Teacher Credentialing:  Notification of credential  
          discipline.
          
           SUMMARY   

          This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to  
          make available to each private school, a listing of all  
          credential holders who have had final adverse action taken  
          against their credential.  

           BACKGROUND  

          Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing  
          (CTC) to send on a monthly basis to each private school a  
          list of all teachers who have had their state teaching  
          credential revoked or suspended.  The list shall be identical  
          to the list compiled for public schools in the state.   
          (Education Code  44237)

           ANALYSIS  

           This bill  requires the CTC to make a listing of credential  
          holders who have had final adverse action taken against their  
          credential available to private schools.  

           STAFF COMMENTS  

           1)   Need for the bill  :  The CTC issues an "All Points  
               Bulletin" (APB) to Chief State School Officers, County  
               and District Superintendents of Schools, Deans of  
               Education, and California private schools.  The APB  
               lists current adverse actions taken by the Commission  
               against applicants and credential holders following the  
               Commission's final action.  Due to costs associated with  
               printing and mailing a "hard copy" of this list via the  
               U.S. Mail, the CTC has since June 1, 2005, distributed  



                                                                 AB 2685
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               the APB on a monthly basis via encrypted electronic  
               mail.  This bill amends current law to conform to the  
               Commission's 
           

                current practice of making the list available in  
               electronic form and expands the language to include all  
               credential holders (not just teachers), also consistent  
               with current Commission practice.  

           2)   Improved efficiency  .  The Commission is currently  
               planning to develop a secure database and website that  
               would enable the CTC to update the APB in real time so  
               that APB information can be accessed at anytime by  
               prospective employers including private schools.  The  
               CTC anticipates this project will be functional by  
               August 2011.  By directing the CTC to "make available"  
               the APB, this bill will allow the Commission to  
               transition to the new database format and remain in  
               compliance with state law.

           SUPPORT
           
          California Association of Private School Organizations
          Commission on Teacher Credentialing
          Crime Victims United of California
          Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
          The Child Abuse Prevention Center

           OPPOSITION
           
          None received.