California Senate Bill SB915 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: SB 915AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 31, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 14, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Senator Liu (Coauthor: Senator Allen) JANUARY 26, 2016 An act to add Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 44760) to Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to teacher recruitment. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 915, as amended, Liu. Teacher recruitment: California Center on Teaching Careers. Existing law establishes various programs for the recruitment of teachers. This bill would establish the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purposes of recruiting qualified and capable individuals into the teaching profession. From funds appropriated for that purpose, the  Superintendent of Public Instruction   Commission on Teacher Credentialing  would be required to  contract with   provide a multiyear grant to  a local educational agency  through a competitive grant process  to establish and administer the center with the concurrence, as defined, of representatives of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the University of California, the California State University, the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges, and independent institutions of higher education, as defined.  The bill would require that the activities of the California Center on Teaching Careers be implemented with the active involvement of local educational agencies  that elect to participate, whenever appropriate.  The California Center on Teaching Careers would be required to perform specified duties, including, among others, creating or expanding a referral database for qualified teachers seeking employment in the public schools. The bill would  authorize   require  the California Center on Teaching Careers, in conducting those duties,  to focus on chronic teacher shortage areas, including special education and bilingual teachers, and  to coordinate and work collaboratively with the Education Job Opportunities Information Network, existing teacher recruitment centers, school districts, county offices of education, and other teachers clubs and organizations. This bill would require the Commission on Teacher Credentialing,  in consultation with the Legislative Analyst,   on or before January 1, 2020,  to conduct an evaluation  of the program on or before January 1, 2020.   and report to the Department of Finance, relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, and the Legislative Analyst's Office on the outcomes of the California Center on Teaching Careers.  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. It is the intent of the Legislature that ongoing support for the California Center on Teaching Careers established pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 44760) of Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Education Code be appropriated in the annual Budget Act. SEC. 2. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 44760) is added to Part 25 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read: CHAPTER 3.5. TEACHER RECRUITMENT PROGRAM 44760. (a) The California Center on Teaching Careers is hereby established for the purpose of recruiting qualified and capable individuals into the teaching profession. From funds appropriated for that purpose, the  Superintendent   Commission on Teaching Credentialing  shall  contract with   provide a multiyear grant to  a local educational agency  through a competitive grant process  to establish and administer the center with the concurrence of representatives of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the University of California, the California State University, the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges, and independent institutions of higher education, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010. For purposes of this subdivision, "concurrence" means agreement on both of the following: (1) The priorities, goals, and general objectives of the duties set forth in Section 44761. (2) The order in which the duties specified in this chapter are undertaken. (b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that   The    activities of the California Center on Teaching Careers  shall  be implemented with the active involvement of local educational  agencies   agencies that elect to participate,  whenever appropriate. 44761. The duties of the California Center on Teaching Careers include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (a) Developing and distributing statewide public service announcements relating to teacher recruitment. (b) Developing, modifying, and distributing effective recruitment publications. (c) Providing information to prospective teachers regarding requirements for obtaining a teaching credential. (d) Providing specific information to prospective teachers regarding admission to and enrollment into conventional and alternative teacher preparation  programs.   programs, including identification of public and private postsecondary educational institutions that provide an integrated four-year preparation program.  (e) Providing specific information to prospective teachers regarding financial aid and loan assistance programs. (f) Creating or expanding a referral database for qualified teachers seeking employment in the public schools. (g) Developing and conducting outreach activities to high school  pupils as well as to   pupils,  college  students.   students, and paraprofessionals employed by local educational agencies.  (h) Developing and conducting outreach activities to teachers to fill existing teacher shortage areas. 44762. (a) The California Center on Teaching Careers, in conducting its duties,  may   shall focus on chronic teacher shortage areas, including special education and bilingual teachers.   (b)     The California Center on Teaching Careers, in conducting its duties, shall  coordinate and work collaboratively with the Education Job Opportunities Information Network, existing teacher recruitment centers, school districts, county offices of education, and other teachers clubs and organizations.  (b)   (c)  The California Center on Teaching Careers shall periodically reassess its recruitment activities aimed at individuals from different populations or target audiences for effectiveness and efficiencies in light of the state's teacher workforce, changing market conditions, changes to state and federal law, and any other evolving circumstances.  (c)   (d)  The California Center on Teaching Careers shall periodically review all products and communication tools for accuracy, quality, ease of use, and  effectiveness.   effectiveness, and consider developing and distributing statewide public service announcements and recruitment publications in other languages and that are culturally and linguistically representative of California's diverse population and communities.  44763.  The   On or before January 1, 2020, the  Commission on Teacher  Credentialing, in consultation with the Legislative Analyst,   Credentialing  shall conduct an evaluation  of the program established by this chapter on or before January 1, 2020.   and report to the   Department of Finance, relevant policy and fiscal committees o   f the Legislature, and the Legislative Analyst's Office on the outcomes of the California Center on Teaching Careers, including, but not limited to, both of the following:   (a) A focus on information that identifies the impact of the California Center on Teaching Careers on meeting the objective of recruiting teachers for California schools.   (b) Survey data from a representative sample of teacher preparation candidates, new teachers, and school districts to assess which methods of public outreach and engagement were most impactful on recruitment.