BILL NUMBER: SB 1060INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Liu FEBRUARY 18, 2014 An act to amend Section 44277 of the Education Code, relating to school employees. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1060, as introduced, Liu. School employees: professional growth. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards and procedures for the issuance and renewal of teaching credentials. Existing law expresses the Legislature's intent to encourage teachers to engage in an individual program of professional growth that extends a teacher's content knowledge and teaching skills. Existing law provides that an individualized program of professional growth may consist of specified activities and courses. This bill, contingent upon the appropriation of funds for these purposes, would require school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools to provide programs of professional growth for teachers, administrators, and paraprofessional educators or other classified employees involved in the direct instruction of pupils that are aligned with academic content standards, as specified. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 44277 of the Education Code is amended to read: 44277. (a) The Legislature recognizes that effective professional growth must continue to occur throughout the careers of all teachers, in order that teachers remain informed of changes in pedagogy, subject matter, and pupil needs. In enacting this section, it is the intent of the Legislature to encourage teachers to engage in an individual program of professional growth that extends their content knowledge and teaching skills and for school districts to establish professional growth programs that give individual teachers a wide range of options to pursue as well as significant roles in determining the course of their professional growth.(a)(b) An individual program of professional growth may consist of activities that are aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession that contribute to competence, performance, or effectiveness in the profession of education and the classroom assignments of the teacher. Acceptable activities may include, among other acceptable activities, the completion of courses offered by regionally accredited colleges and universities, including instructor-led interactive courses delivered through online technologies; participation in professional conferences, workshops, teacher center programs, staff development programs, or a California Reading Professional Development Program operated pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 99220) of Chapter 5 of Part 65; service as a mentor teacher; participation in school curriculum development projects; participation in systematic programs of observation and analysis of teaching; service in a leadership role in a professional organization; and participation in educational research or innovation efforts. Employing agencies and the bargaining agents of employees may negotiate to agree on the terms of programs of professional growth within their jurisdictions, provided that the agreements shall be consistent with this section.(b)(c) An individual program of professional growth may include a basic course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which includes training in the subdiaphragmatic abdominal thrust (also known as the "Heimlich maneuver") and meets or exceeds the standards established by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross for courses in that subject or minimum standards for training programs established by the Emergency Medical Services Authority. An individual program of professional growth may also include a course in first aid that meets or exceeds the standards established by the American Red Cross for courses in that subject or minimum standards for training programs established by the Emergency Medical Services Authority. (d) Contingent upon the appropriation of funds for this purpose in the annual Budget Act or another statute, school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools shall provide programs of professional growth for teachers, administrators, paraprofessional educators, or other classified employees involved in the direct instruction of pupils that are aligned with the academic content standards adopted pursuant to Sections 60605.8, 60605.11, 60605.85, as that section read on June 30 2014, and 60811.3, as that section read on June 30, 2013. Completion of an individual program of professional growth, as prescribed in this subdivision, shall be determined by the commission and aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession. SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.