BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1765
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1765 (Brownley)
As Amended May 25, 2012
Majority vote
EDUCATION 9-1 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Brownley, Norby, Ammiano, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, |
| |Buchanan, Butler, Carter, | |Blumenfield, Bradford, |
| |Eng, Halderman, Williams | |Charles Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, |
| | | |Ammiano, Hill, Lara, |
| | | |Mitchell, Nielsen, Norby, |
| | | |Solorio, Wagner |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Grove | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CTC) to convene an advisory panel on teacher
leaders and make recommendations by January 1, 2014.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Directs the CTC to 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.
2)Requires the advisory panel to consider issues related to
teacher leadership including, but not limited to the:
a) 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;
b) Use of teachers as instructional leaders and peer
role models to foster innovation needed to effect change
in turnaround schools;
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c) Ways in which the recognition of teacher leaders may
promote teacher retention;
d) Formal preparation and recognition of the leadership
roles that teachers assume;
e) Application of adult learning theories to improve
the instruction of teacher peers;
f) Processes and procedures in other states for
recognition of teacher leaders;
g) Nexus of recognition of teacher leaders with the
National Board Certification process;
h) Recognition, including but not limited to, an
authorization, credential, recognition of study, special
recognition, emphasis or specialization that could be
developed, while maintaining local flexibility in hiring
and staffing needs;
i) Feasibility of teacher leader career ladders that
could be used by school districts to align with salary
schedules and/or an alternative salary structure; and,
j) Current research and practices in teacher leader and
mentor programs, including, but not limited to, Beginning
Teacher Support and Assessment Program standards for
support provider and assessor training, California
Subject Matter Projects, and Certificated Staff Mentoring
Program.
3)Requires the advisory panel to be inclusive of, but not
limited to representatives of:
a) Teachers who are performing school leadership
duties;
b) Teacher and administrator organizations;
c) The Superintendent of Public Instruction;
d) Commission-approved teacher preparation programs;
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e) School boards and school districts; and,
f) Other organizations deemed appropriate by the
commission.
4)Requires the CTC to consider the findings of the advisory
panel and report to the Governor and Legislature on
recommendations for the recognition of teacher leaders, within
one year of the implementation of this measure.
5)Requires the CTC to use private funds to support the advisory
panel on teacher leadership; prohibits General Fund moneys
from being used for this purpose; and, specifies that the
measure shall not be implemented unless the CTC certifies that
it has received private funding to complete the work of the
advisory panel on teacher leadership.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, one-time costs, likely between $100,000 and $150,000,
to the CTC to convene an advisory group and complete the report,
as specified. This bill prohibits General Fund moneys from
being used for the advisory panel and further specifies
implementation will not occur unless private funding is used, as
specified.
COMMENTS : Various forms of teacher leadership currently exists
in California, though the role and definition remains largely
ambiguous. This bill would advance the possibility of
establishing state-wide teacher leader standards and a means of
formally recognizing teacher leaders in the state through the
efforts of the CTC.
Studies conducted by UCLA's Center X have concluded that many
experienced and talented teachers choose to diversify their
educational careers as school administrators, removing them from
the classroom and their students. This bill will provide state
policy makers the framework to develop a state-wide plan to
encourage educators to remain in the classroom while pursuing
career advancement through taking on additional responsibility
as a teacher leader. In addition to providing opportunities for
experienced and qualified teachers, teacher leader positions may
assist school administrators in the environment of heightened
accountability that exists today.
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While a teacher leader's role is currently undefined and varies,
there are a plethora of opportunities available to those who
assume a teacher leader position within their school. As it is
practiced today in California and other states, a teacher leader
may take on the following duties:
1)Serving as a mentor to teachers with challenging students.
2)Assisting teachers with developing curriculum that conforms to
state standards.
3)Assisting in the professional development of teachers.
4)Serving as a coach or instructional leader in their school.
5)Sitting on advisory or policymaking groups.
6)Chairing departments or school teams.
7)Acting as a liaison between teachers and administration.
8)Acting as a liaison between the school and the community at
large.
9)Coordinating meetings between administrators, teachers, and
parents.
A number of educational networks, institutions, and non-profit
organizations have implemented programs designed to recruit and
develop teacher leaders in California. The Los Angeles Urban
Teacher Residency Program, for example, has worked to establish
a partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District that
allows educators to obtain a Master of Education degree, as well
as teacher leader training while completing their residency in
an urban school. UCLA's Center X also provides teacher leader
training in conjunction with obtaining a Masters in Education
through their IMPACT pathway. Accordingly, this bill would
require that the advisory panel examine current teacher leader
programs and activities in the state.
Many teachers in the field agree that the teacher leader
position is beneficial, though some have expressed concern with
effectively balancing leadership activities with teaching.
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Teacher leaders and other educational stakeholders in the field
have proposed bridging this gap between teaching and leading
through encouraging job sharing or release time, as well as
establishing a separate salary structure for teacher leaders.
This bill would provide for the advisory panel to discuss the
variations of the teacher leader position and how to best
integrate them into existing school structures.
The CTC's recommendations could provide policymakers the
direction needed to create a comprehensive plan to ensure that
teacher leaders are adequately prepared and recognized, as well
as provided support as they take on the additional
responsibility of teacher leadership.
Previous legislation: AB 2040 (Brownley) from 2010, which was
substantially similar to this bill, would have required the CTC
to convene an advisory panel on teacher leaders and make
recommendations by January 1, 2012. The Governor vetoed the
bill with the following message:
The objective sought by this bill can be accomplished
without statutory authority. Therefore, this bill is
unnecessary. Furthermore, I question whether this bill
would result in meaningful reform since it does not
embrace rigorous, measurable teacher performance
evaluations that include improved student achievement,
along with other factors to ensure that highly
effective teachers earn the elevated status as a
teacher leader. For these reasons, I am unable to sign
this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0003929