BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1060|
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CONSENT
Bill No: SB 1060
Author: Liu (D)
Amended: 4/23/14
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 9-0, 4/30/14
AYES: Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Galgiani, Hancock, Hueso,
Huff, Monning
SUBJECT : School employees: professional growth
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires a local education agency (LEA),
when offering professional development for teachers and other
employees involved in the direct instruction of pupils, to
consider high quality professional development that meets
specified criteria.
ANALYSIS : Existing law authorizes the Professional
Development Block Grant, which supports professional development
activities allowed by the Staff Development Instructional
Support, Teaching as a Priority, and Intersegmental programs.
These activities include teacher recruitment and retention
incentives, staff development projects designed to improve
elementary teacher skills, and programs that promote development
of highly qualified teachers. While the Budget Act of 2012
included $218.4 million for this block grant, the funds are
subject to categorical flexibility whereby school districts may
utilize the funds for any educational purpose. With
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implementation of the new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF),
professional development activities are not specifically funded
nor are they required under existing law.
The LCFF, enacted as part of the 2013-14 Budget Act, is a
significant reform to the state's system of financing K-12
public schools. The LCFF replaces the prior system of revenue
limits and restricted funding for a multitude of categorical
programs with a funding formula that provides base funding for
the core educational needs of all students and supplemental
funding for the additional educational needs of low-income
students, English learners, and foster youth. Under the LCFF,
there are limited spending restrictions and LEAs have
considerable flexibility to direct resources to best meet their
students' needs. Although LEAs have considerably more
flexibility in how they spend their resources under LCFF
compared to the previous funding system, the law requires a LEA:
"...to increase or improve services for unduplicated pupils
[low-income students, English learners, and foster youth]
in proportion to the increase in funds apportioned on the
basis of the number and concentration of unduplicated
pupils in the school district, county office of education,
or charter school."
Under the previous system, revenue limits provided LEAs with
discretionary (unrestricted) funding for general educational
purposes, and categorical program (restricted) funding was
provided for specialized purposes, with each program having
unique allocation and spending requirements. Revenue limits
made up about two-thirds of state funding for schools, while
categorical program funding made up the remaining one-third
portion.
This bill:
1.Provides that if a LEA offers a program of professional growth
for teachers, administrators, paraprofessional educators, or
other classified employees involved in the direct instruction
of pupils, the LEA shall consider high quality professional
development that meet all of the following criteria:
A. Helps attract, grow, and retain effective educators.
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B. Is a part of every educator's experience in order to
accelerate instructional improvement and support pupil
achievement.
C. Has clearly defined outcomes, and is directly tied to
pupil needs.
D. Emphasizes the importance of meeting the needs of all
pupils.
E. Is research-based and evaluated for how effectively the
professional development addresses pupil learning
opportunities.
F. Is grounded in a clearly articulated description of
effective teaching, and is aligned to specific standards.
G. Is part of and supports a meaningful evaluation and
accountability system.
H. Affords educators opportunities to engage with others to
develop their craft.
I. Ensures educators have adequate time to learn about,
practice, reflect, adjust, critique, and share what
educators need to ensure that all pupils, especially
high-needs pupils, develop dispositions, knowledge, and
skills that will help the pupils to be successful.
J. Recognizes and leverages expert teacher or leader
skills.
AA. Attends to collective growth needs as well as educators'
individual growth needs.
BB. Contributes to a positive, collaborative, and supportive
adult learning environment that holds professionals
accountable for quality standards of practice, and a
collaborative effort to productively solve problems.
CC. Contributes to cycles of improvement focused on mastery.
DD. Is supported by or directly contributes to high-quality
resources, such as instructional materials, frameworks,
units, lessons, activities, assessments, learning
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manipulatives, and models of intended outcomes.
EE. Is not limited to a single instance, but supports
educators through multiple iterations or engagements.
FF. Contributes to developing a coherent set of efforts
rather than unproductive competing efforts that may
overwhelm and frustrate educators.
1.Provides that professional development activities may also
include collaboration time for teachers to develop new
instructional lessons or analyze pupil data, mentoring
projects for new teachers, or extra support for teachers to
improve practice.
2.Provides that appropriate professional development may be part
of a coherent plan that combines school activities within the
school, including, but not limited to, lesson study or
co-teaching, and external learning opportunities that meet
certain criteria, as specified.
3.Defines LEA as a school district, county office of education,
or charter school for purposes of this bill.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local:
No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/1/14)
Education Trust-West
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office, with
the implementation of common core standards and the upcoming
roll out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
assessments in 2014-15, it is imperative more now than ever,
that teachers, administrators, and paraprofessionals have the
necessary, up-to-date training to adequately prepare students.
This bill encourages the use of proven professional training and
best practices for school districts when offering programs of
professional growth for their teachers.
PQ:e 5/6/14 Senate Floor Analyses
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SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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