BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 368
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SENATE THIRD READING
SB 368 (Pavley)
As Amended August 15, 2013
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :36-0
EDUCATION 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Buchanan, Olsen, Ch�vez, |Ayes:|Gatto, Harkey, Bigelow, |
| |Gonzalez, Nazarian, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Weber, Williams | |Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| | | |Hall, Holden, Linder, |
| | | |Pan, Quirk, Wagner, Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Authorizes a Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
approved special education teacher preparation program to offer
comparability and equivalency for coursework, subject to
guidelines issued by the CTC. Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes a program sponsor to offer comparability and
equivalency for a special education credential holder seeking
to add a special education authorization to his or her
credential using the following guidelines, subject to criteria
and guidelines issued by the CTC:
a) Decisions regarding comparability are at the discretion
of the program sponsor.
b) A program sponsor has a broad range of possible data
that may be considered as evidence for comparability.
c) For a candidate simultaneously pursuing a degree in
addition to earning a credential, a program sponsor may use
its own institutional process and procedure for course
credit evaluations.
2)Authorizes evidence used to verify competency to include the
following, subject to criteria and guidelines issued by the
CTC:
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a) Examination results.
b) Portfolio.
c) Performance narrative.
d) Field experience.
e) Video.
f) Transcripts.
g) Prior learning assessment.
h) A review board process.
3)Authorizes a program sponsor to use the following to evaluate
evidence for comparability presented by a candidate, subject
to criteria and guidelines issued by the CTC:
a) Whether the information is based on current, adopted
California credential standards, as appropriate to the
authorization sought.
b) Whether a written agreement between the candidate and
program sponsor is evidence based, as appropriate to the
authorization sought.
c) Whether the information is aligned with the California
Standards for the Teaching Profession.
4)Authorizes flexible enrollment to be considered for a
candidate who needs minimal work to complete a credential
program; and, authorizes a program sponsor to explore
alternatives for candidate enrollment in the program,
including, but not limited to, visitor status, concurrent
enrollment, open university, county or district programs,
university extension programs, and professional development
activities.
5)Authorizes a program sponsor to take advantage of frequent
collaborations to formalize a written agreement concerning
comparability of coursework or fieldwork; and specifies the
agreement may be created to meet the needs of the individual
program or the individual candidate.
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6)Authorizes a candidate to be granted recognition and credit
for his or her life and learning experience through a prior
learning assessment in which the candidate has the opportunity
to demonstrate how his or her experience and learning are
comparable to the CTC program standard.
7)Defines "Equivalency" to mean the determination, through an
evaluation process, that a set of knowledge, skills, and
abilities required by a CTC program standard has been met
through coursework, fieldwork, or prior learning experience.
8)Defines "Comparability" to mean the determination that a
candidate has demonstrated the essence of a set of knowledge,
skills, and abilities required by a CTC program standard
through another route.
9)Defines "Prior learning assessment" to mean a process through
which a person develops a portfolio of life experiences,
training, or preparation experience that establishes the basis
for meeting the CTC program standard.
10)Defines "Program sponsor" to mean any university-based or
local educational agency-based program approved by the CTC.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, no direct fiscal impact to the CTC to implement this
measure.
COMMENTS : This bill allows credentialing programs to issue
credit for comparable coursework when a special educator seeks
additional specialist authorizations in special education. For
those institutions of higher education that wish to provide
credit for previous work, this bill will provide encouragement
and guidance as to how to provide such credit. The bill
implements the findings of a CTC report. According to the
author, currently, there is no standard way to credit coursework
and experience for added authorizations to the education
specialist credential that is earned across multiple
CTC-approved programs. This has resulted in well-qualified
candidates being required to take redundant and unnecessary
classes, both costing money and making it more difficult to
become a special education teacher. This bill would authorize
special education credentialing programs to use a defined
process to determine comparability of coursework taken and
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experience earned across multiple CTC-approved institutions.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0001668