California Assembly Bill AB2040 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2040AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 23, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Brownley FEBRUARY 17, 2010 An act to  amend Section 44252.1 of   add Section 44259.4 to  the Education Code, relating to  teacher credentialing   teachers  . LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2040, as amended, Brownley. Teacher  credential preparation programs.  leaders.   Existing law establishes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other things, establish professional standards, assessments, and examinations for entry and advancement in the education profession.   This bill would require the commission to convene an advisory panel to explore the recognition of leadership roles within the teaching career pathway. The commission would be required to consider the findings of the advisory panel and report to the Governor and the Legislature by January 1, 2012, on recommendations for the recognition of teacher leaders.   The Commission on Teacher Credentialing is required to adopt a framework and general standards for the accreditation of preparation programs for teachers and other certificated educators, including integrated programs of professional preparation, which enable candidates for teaching credentials to engage in professional preparation concurrently with subject matter preparation while completing baccalaureate degrees at regionally accredited postsecondary institutions.   Existing law requires the commission, by June 30, 2004, to have reported to the education policy committees in each house of the Legislature on the success of the integrated program of professional development toward preparing teacher candidates, as specified.   This bill would change that date to November 1, 2011.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:   (1) Given the profound educational changes that have taken place over the past decade, there has been a statewide increase in the use of experienced teachers as mentors, support providers, master teachers, teacher leaders, and providers of professional development services.   (2) The increased use of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of experienced teachers as peer developers and supporters is largely the result of programs such as teacher induction and internship programs, as well as local efforts to improve teacher quality in order to improve pupil achievement.   (3) Questions have been raised as to whether teachers are appropriately prepared and recognized for these types of roles within the existing teaching certification and professional development mechanisms.   (4) Teachers continue to develop in their professions throughout their careers. However, the current structure provides limited choices for veteran teachers looking for new opportunities to apply their experience and expertise without leaving the classroom.   (5) Highly qualified teachers are seeking increased opportunities for career advancement that keep them involved in pupil instruction, and not necessarily on the administrator ladder.   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to examine differentiated career opportunities for teachers to promote teacher quality and increase pupil achievement and school improvement.   SEC. 2.   Section 44259.4 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   44259.4. (a) The commission shall 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. The advisory panel will consider issues related to teacher leadership including, but not limited to, the following: (1) The 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. (2) The use of teachers as instructional leaders and peer role models to foster innovation needed to effect change in turn-around schools. (3) How recognition of teacher leaders may promote teacher retention. (4) Formal preparation and recognition of the leadership roles that teachers assume. (5) Application of adult learning theories to improve the instruction of teacher peers. (6) Processes and procedures in other states for recognition of teacher leaders. (7) The nexus of recognition of teacher leaders with the national board certification process. (8) How the recognition, including, but not limited to, an authorization, credential, recognition of study, special recognition, emphasis or specialization, could be developed and realized while maintaining local flexibility in hiring and staffing needs. (9) The feasibility of teacher leader career ladders that could be used by school districts to align salary schedules or alternative salary structures. (10) Current research and practices in teacher leader and mentor programs, including, but not limited to, the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System standards for support provider and assessor training, statewide subject matter projects, and the Certificated Staff Mentoring Program. (b) The advisory panel shall include, but is not limited to, representatives of the following: (1) Teachers who are performing school leadership duties. (2) Teacher and administrator organizations. (3) The Superintendent of Public Instruction. (4) Commission-approved teacher preparation programs. (5) School boards and school districts. (6) Other organizations deemed appropriate by the commission. (c) The commission shall consider the findings of the advisory panel and report to the Governor and Legislature by January 1, 2012 on recommendations for the recognition of teacher leaders. (d) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under subdivision (d) is inoperative on January 1, 2015, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code. (2) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.   SECTION 1.   Section 44252.1 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44252.1. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that a credential candidate enrolled in a credential preparation program receive reasonable time to complete the program without meeting new requirements, including, but not limited to, requirements added by statutes, regulations, or commission standards, after the candidate's enrollment in the program. Further, to ensure that all candidates for a credential receive reasonable information and advice as they proceed through their program, the Legislature finds and declares that it is incumbent upon credential preparation programs to inform candidates of new requirements and extension provisions available to eligible candidates. (b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) "Enrolled" refers to an individual who, on or after January 1, 2002, continuously participates in and is working toward completing the requirements for a program that meets the minimum requirements for a California preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential as specified in Section 44259. Whether an individual is enrolled shall be subject to verification by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. (2) "Continuously enrolled" refers to an individual who has begun a teacher preparation program and does not have a break in that participation that exceeds a period of 18 months. (c) The commission shall adopt regulations to provide a credential candidate enrolled in a commission-accredited preparation program, including, but not limited to, an internship program as defined in Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 44325) and Article 3 (commencing with Section 44450), a professional preparation program as defined in Article 7 (commencing with Section 44320), or an integrated program of professional preparation as defined in Section 44259.1 with a grace period to complete the program without meeting new requirements, including, but not limited to, requirements added by statutes, regulations, or commission standards, after the candidate's enrollment in the program. The commission shall also ensure through standards and accreditation procedures that credential preparation programs provide credential candidates with information about new requirements and extension provisions as outlined in this subdivision and subdivisions (d) and (e). (1) The commission shall adopt regulations that provide a credential candidate enrolled in a commission-accredited preparation program time of not less than 24 months after enrollment in the program, during which time new or amended statutes, regulations, and commission standards that become effective and are imposed on credential candidates after the candidate's enrollment date shall not apply to that candidate. (2) The commission shall allow a credential candidate an extension of time in addition to the time specified pursuant to paragraph (1) to complete a credential program under the statutes, regulations, and commission standards in place at the time of the candidate's enrollment if the candidate can demonstrate extenuating circumstances, including, but not limited to, personal or family illness, bereavement, or financial hardship and develops a plan, in consultation with the credential preparation program, for continued progress toward completion of the preparation program. (d) The commission shall maintain a list of candidates who are allowed an extended time period to complete the program under the statutes, regulations, and commission standards in place at the time of the candidates' enrollment prior to the effective date of a new or amended statute, regulation, or standard. This list shall include the projected date of program completion for each candidate. (e) (1) A credential candidate enrolled in an integrated program of professional preparation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 44259.1 is not subject to any new requirements added by statute, regulation, or commission standards if that candidate is continuously enrolled in the program, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), and does not change the type of credential or program he or she is pursuing once enrolled. (2) A credential candidate continuously enrolled in an integrated program of professional preparation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 44259.1 who has completed all requirements necessary to begin the student teaching component of his or her program shall be eligible to receive an extension of 12 months, if necessary, to complete the outstanding requirements that were in place when that credential candidate began the preparation program, and shall not be subject to any new requirements added by statute, regulation, or commission standards, once that candidate begins the student teaching portion of his or her program. (3) This subdivision does not limit the ability of a candidate to seek additional time to complete a credential pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c). (4) By November 1, 2011, the commission shall report to the education policy committees in each house of the Legislature on the success of the integrated program of professional development pursuant to Section 44259.1 toward preparing teacher candidates, including, but not limited to, the number of students admitted to the teacher education component in each program, the number of students who have completed all course requirements, including student teaching, and who have applied for a credential, the number of students applying for and receiving an extension pursuant to subdivision (e), and the information collected pursuant to subdivision (d). (f) This section does not supersede subdivision (h) of Section 44259. (g) A modification of a credentialing examination by the commission that is made as the result of a validity study or a passing standard study shall not be considered a new requirement for purposes of this section. (h) If credential preparation coursework that a credential candidate has not yet taken is modified, the candidate shall take the modified coursework instead of the previously required coursework unless the modified coursework is not readily available, the modified coursework would result in an increased cost to the candidate, or completion of the modified coursework would delay the candidate's completion of the credential preparation program. (i) Once a candidate has received a preliminary California teaching credential pursuant to Section 44259 and is employed as the teacher of record in a California public school, the candidate shall not be subject to any new requirements for completing the induction phase required to obtain the professional clear teaching credential pursuant to Section 44279.4, for a period not to exceed the length of time provided for the preliminary teaching credential pursuant to Section 44251.