BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1853
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 17, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
AB 1853 (Bonilla) - As Amended: March 29, 2012
AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED
RN 1209999
SUBJECT : Teacher credentialing.
SUMMARY : Requests the California Teachers Commission (CTC)
convene a workgroup to develop program standards for the
issuance of a recognition of study for transitional kindergarten
(TK) competence for holders of a multiple subject teaching
credential who will be teaching pupils enrolled in TK programs.
1)Requests CTC convene a workgroup to develop program standards
for the issuance of a recognition of study for transitional
kindergarten (TK) competence for holders of a multiple subject
teaching credential who will be teaching pupils enrolled in TK
programs, which shall include, but is not limited to, the
following representatives:
a) The State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI).
b) Approved teacher preparation programs, including at
least one representative from the California State
University (CSU), the University of California, California
Community Colleges, and independent institutions of higher
education. To the extent practicable, representatives
should have an academic interest or prior experience in
preparing teachers to teach in TK programs.
c) A researcher from a higher education institution who has
expertise in early learning.
d) School districts, county offices of education, and
charter schools that have implemented TK programs.
e) A TK teacher who has kindergarten teaching experience.
f) Practicing TK teachers.
g) Other organizations deemed appropriate by CTC.
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2)States legislative intent that a successful candidate for a
recognition of study developed in TK pursuant to this bill
demonstrate appropriate knowledge, as determined by CTC based
upon the recommendations of the workgroup.
3)Encourages CSU and other teacher preparation institutions to
establish goals for increasing the number of teachers prepared
through TK programs with respect to any recognition of study
in TK issued pursuant to this bill.
4)Encourages beginning Teacher Support and Assessment programs
to provide appropriate support, mentoring, and assistance to
beginning teachers who are teaching in TK programs.
5)Authorizes CTC to work with the SPI to gather and post, on an
appropriate Internet Web site, best practices from school
districts and schools on curriculum development and
professional development relating to implementing and
sustaining TK programs.
6)Prohibits the holder of a multiple subject teaching credential
receiving a recognition of study in TK pursuant to this bill
to teach English learners unless he or she holds an
appropriate authorization or is employed on the basis of a
local assignment option.
7)Prohibits any recognition of study in TK issued pursuant to
this bill from being considered a type of authorization, from
being used as a condition of employment, from replacing a
subject matter competence requirement, and from being used to
make employment decisions pursuant to existing law, as
defined.
8)Defines the following terms:
9)"Recognition of study in transitional kindergarten" is a
statement added to a multiple subject teaching credential that
the credential holder has completed a commission-approved
program in TK teaching methods that can be applied to the
academic instruction authorized by his or her credential. A
recognition of study in a TK teacher preparation program may
be offered as part of an initial teacher preparation program
or as a separate program for previously credentialed teachers.
10)"Transitional kindergarten programs" are programs described
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in Section 48000(d).
EXISTING LAW :
1)Authorizes the CTC to issue a multiple subject credential and
defines multiple subject instruction to mean the practice of
assignment of teachers and students for multiple subject
matter instruction, as is commonly practiced in California
elementary schools. Authorizes a school district governing
board to authorize the holder of a multiple subject teaching
credential or a standard elementary credential to teach any
subject in departmentalized classes to a given class or group
of students below grade 9, provided that the teacher has
completed specified coursework. (Education Code � 44256)
2)Defines TK as the first year of a two-year kindergarten
program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is
age and developmentally appropriate. �Education Code �
48000(d)]
3)Specifies, as a condition of receipt of apportionment for
pupils in a TK program, a school district or charter school
shall ensure the following:
a) In the 2012-13 school year, a child who will have his or
her fifth birthday between November 2 and December 2 shall
be admitted to a TK program maintained by the school
district.
b) In the 2013-14 school year, a child who will have his or
her fifth birthday between October 2 and December 2 shall
be admitted to a TK program maintained by the school
district.
c) In the 2014-15 school year and each school year
thereafter, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday
between September 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to a
TK program maintained by the school district. �Education
Code � 48000(c)]
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill was approved by the Assembly Education
Committee on April 11, 2012, by a vote of 6-4, on the condition
that amendments were adopted in the Assembly Higher Education
AB 1853
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Committee to remove the contents of the bill and substitute
language to 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 TK. These
amendments are attached and reflected in this analysis.
Background . SB 1381, Simitian, Chapter 705, Statutes of 2010,
established the Kindergarten Readiness Act, which created TK and
moved up the date by which a child must turn five for
Kindergarten entry one month per year beginning with the 2012-13
school year for three years, from December 2 to September 2, in
order to give these pupils the time to prepare and mature in
order to academically succeed in Kindergarten. When SB 1381 was
considered, there were anecdotal reports of an increasing number
of districts experimenting with TK for children with fall
birthdays. TK is the first year of a two-year kindergarten
program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age
and developmentally appropriate.
Need for this bill . According to the author, the Kindergarten
Readiness Act was passed to offer a different and appropriate
curriculum for eligible four-year olds. However, no new formal
opportunities were created or are currently available for
teachers to prepare themselves to offer an "age and
developmentally appropriate" curriculum. As educators across
the state have begun transitional kindergarten implementation,
teachers, administrators and teacher instructors have recognized
the need for CTC to establish standards for a TK certification
and specialization. With a number of school districts already
offering TK and more than 120 districts moving forward with
implementation, AB 1853 begins the process to offer the
professional development many teachers will seek to teach TK
effectively. The specialized teacher training will ensure
teachers are prepared to deliver the age- and developmentally
appropriate curriculum that will prepare TK students for success
in kindergarten and beyond.
Who teaches TK now ? According to the CTC, TK classrooms are
appropriately staffed by the holder of a teaching credential or
permit that authorizes general education instruction in a
self-contained classroom for the grade level of Kindergarten.
TK classrooms as defined in statute are not preschool classrooms
or child development programs; therefore, holders of Children's
Center Instructional or Child Development Permits including
those with the school-age emphasis are not authorized to teach
AB 1853
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TK. Employing agencies should distinguish between those
transitional preschool programs intended to support Kindergarten
readiness from the TK classrooms mandated and delineated in
statute. Credentials that authorize instruction in TK
classrooms are as follows:
1)General:
a) Kindergarten-Primary (grades K-3)
b) Elementary (grades K-8)
2)Standard:
a) Early Childhood (grades preschool-3)
b) Elementary (grades K-9)
3)Ryan/SB 2042:
a) Multiple Subject (grades preschool, K-12 and adults)
b) Multiple Subject University Intern (grades preschool,
K-12 and adults)
c) Multiple Subject District Intern (grades K-8)
d) Specialist Instruction Credential in Early Childhood
Education
(A Multiple Subject General Education Limited Assignment Permit,
Multiple Subject Short-Term Staff Permit or Multiple Subject
Provisional Internship Permit authorizes the same service as a
Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.)
Students identified as English learners in a TK classroom must
have the same level of services as those in Kindergarten.
Therefore, students identified as English learners that require
instruction in English Language Development or Specially
Designed Academic Instruction in English services must have a
teacher authorized to provide the appropriate English learner
instructional services indicated.
Current TK programs . According to the California Early Learning
Advisory Council in their August 2011 report entitled, "Findings
from the Field," implementation of TK programs varies widely
across the state. For example, Los Angeles Unified School
District (LAUSD) had 36 TK classes in the Fall of 2010 and
expects to have 135 classes in the Fall of 2012. LAUSD
currently provides 3 days of professional development for TK
teachers. Fresno Unified School District had one TK class in
the Fall of 2010 and provided a 5-day Early Childhood Education
training with California State University Fresno.
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Existing professional development for TK . Loyola Marymount
University currently offers a TK Teaching Certificate that is
designed to provide TK teachers with expertise to create and
design effective learning environments, curriculum, and
instruction that are developmentally, culturally, and
linguistically appropriate for young learners. The TK Teaching
Certificate consists of a three-course program of study with a
combination of real-time webinars and online sessions. This
program expands the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of
credentialed multiple subject educators.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sandra Fried / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960