BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 837
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Date of Hearing: June 25, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Joan Buchanan, Chair
SB 837 (Steinberg) - As Amended: June 18, 2014
SENATE VOTE : Vote not relevant
SUBJECT : Early childhood education: professional development
SUMMARY : Specifies uses of funds appropriated in the Budget
Act of 2014 for professional development of transitional
kindergarten (TK) and preschool teachers. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Species that of the moneys appropriated in Item 6110-196-0001
of the Budget Act of 2014, the sum of $15 million shall be
allocated to the California Department of Education (CDE) to
be used to fund professional development for teachers.
Requires the funds to be allocated as follows:
a) First priority for professional development for TK
teachers. Professional development shall include, but
shall not be limited to, all of the following:
i) Stipends for teachers to complete at least 24 units
in early childhood education (ECE) or childhood
development, or a combination of both.
ii) Strengthening teacher knowledge of the California
Preschool Learning Foundations, developed by the CDE.
b) Second priority shall be for professional development
for teachers in the California State Preschool Program
(CSPP).
2)Specifies that for the moneys appropriated in Item
6110-196-0001 of the Budget Act of 2014, the sum of $10
million shall be allocated to the CDE to be used for other
professional development projects, excluding those specified
above, for TK and CSPP program teachers, as determined by the
CDE.
3)Requires the CDE to consult with the California Community
Colleges (CCC), the California Children and Families
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Commission, school administrators, and teachers in
administering the provisions of this bill.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes eligibility for child care services and child
development programs administered by the CDE and requires the
Superintendent of Public Instruction to adopt rules and
regulations on eligibility, enrollment and priority of
services needed for implementation (Education Code (EC)
Section 8263).
2)Establishes the CSPP and provides that the programs shall
include, but not be limited to, part-day age and
developmentally appropriate programs designed to facilitate
the transition to kindergarten for three- and four-year-old
children in educational development, health services, social
services, nutritional services, parent education and parent
participation, evaluation, and staff development. (EC Section
8235)
3)Specifies that a child shall be admitted to a kindergarten
maintained by a school district at the beginning of a school
year, or at a later time in the same year if the child will
have his or her fifth birthday on or before September 1 of the
2014-15 school year and each school year thereafter. (EC
Section 48000(a))
4)Specifies that in the 2014-15 school year and each year
thereafter, a child who will have his or her fifth birthday
between September 2 and December 2 shall be admitted to a
transitional kindergarten program maintained by the school
district. (EC Section 48000(c)(3))
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Child care and development programs . The CDE
administers a child care and development system, maintaining
1,401 service contracts with approximately 758 public and
private agencies supporting and providing services to children
from birth through 12 years of age. Contractors include school
districts, county offices of education, cities, colleges, other
public entities, community-based organizations, and private
agencies. The CSPP offers part-day and full-day preschool
programs through contracts with local educational agencies,
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private contractors, and colleges. These programs are required
to comply with not just health and safety standards under Title
22 regulations, but also higher developmental and teacher
qualification standards under Title 5 regulations adopted by the
CDE. The CDE developed Preschool Learning Foundations to
provide guidance on the knowledge and skills that preschool
children typically attain in a high quality preschool program.
The Foundations are divided into three volumes and cover the
following domains:
1)Volume 1: social-emotional development, language and
literacy, English-language development, and mathematics.
2)Volume 2: visual and performing arts, physical development
and health.
3)Volume 3: history/social science and science.
TK . SB 1381 (Simitian), Chapter 705, Statutes of 2010, changed
the date by which a child must turn five to enroll in
kindergarten. The bill moved the birthdate date one month over
three years, from December 2 to September 1 by the 2014-15
school year and every year thereafter. Kids who turn five years
old between September 2 and December 2 - kids who, prior to SB
1381, would have been eligible to attend kindergarten - are
offered TK programs, defined as the first year of a two-year
kindergarten program using a modified kindergarten curriculum
that is age and developmentally appropriate.
2014 Budget Act . As part of the fiscal year (FY) 2014-15
Budget, $25 million was appropriated for professional
development and stipends for teacher education for TK and state
preschool teachers. The 2014 Budget Act's Item 6110-196-0001
Provision 7 specifies that the priority for teacher education
stipends shall be for TK teachers. Additionally, SB 858
(Committee on Budget), the education trailer bill pending on the
Governor's desk, further requires, as a condition for funding
for the TK program, teachers assigned to TK classrooms after
July 1, 2015 to have at least one credential issued by the
Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), and by August 1,
2020, one of the following:
1)At least 24 units in ECE, or childhood development, or both.
2)Professional experience in a classroom setting with preschool
age children that is comparable to the 24 units of ECE, as
determined by the local educational agency.
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3)A child development permit issued by the CTC.
This bill directs the uses for the $25 million appropriation.
Specifically, $15 million is required for professional
development for TK and preschool teachers, with priority going
to stipends for TK teachers to complete the 24 units in ECE, or
childhood development, or both; and to strengthen teacher
knowledge of the California Preschool Learning Foundations.
Second priority for the $15 million shall be for professional
development for teachers in the CSPP. The remaining $10 million
shall be allocated to the CDE to be used for other professional
development activities for TK and CSPP teachers, as determined
by the CDE, but excluding the professional development
activities prescribed for the first $15 million. The author may
wish to consider specifying uses of funds for professional
development for CSPP teachers under the $15 million allocation
or eliminating that as a second priority.
The bill also requires the CDE to consult with CCC, the
California Children and Families Commission (First 5
California), school administrators, and teachers in
administering the provisions of this bill. Staff recommends
adding the California State University (CSU) to this list. The
CSU maintains teacher credentialing and preparation programs and
produces teachers for California's K-12 schools.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
San Diego Unified School District
Opposition
None on the current version of this bill
Analysis Prepared by : Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087