SB 1115: Professional learning: mathematics and literacy.

Existing law requires the State Department of Education to issue a request for proposals to contract for the development of standards for professional development for educators and instructional leaders. Existing law requires those standards to, among other things, present a vision of ongoing, high-quality professional development, give special attention to high-need schools and school districts, and build on existing work on quality professional development, including the Designs for Learning system. Existing law requires the entity contracted by the department for these purposes to submit the standards to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for approval, and requires the Superintendent to submit the standards to the State Board of Education for approval, as specified.

This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2026, to identify and recommend high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy and that meet specified requirements. The bill would, among other things, appropriate an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the Superintendent for allocation to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools for these purposes, and would authorize those local educational agencies to use those allocated funds for any high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy, including, but not limited to, those identified and recommended by the department, if they comply with the specified requirements. The bill would authorize the department to, among other things, establish, where appropriate, project partnerships with other public and private agencies, to support the use of high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy, as specified.

Certain funds appropriated by this bill would be applied toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.