Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue authorizations for a teacher to provide specific services to limited-English-proficient pupils, if certain minimum requirements are met.

This bill would provide that a teacher who possesses any of several specified California credentials or permits, and who is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes content instruction delivered in a pupils primary language, may qualify for that authorization by submitting an application and a fee to the commission.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue authorizations for a teacher to provide specific services to limited-English-proficient pupils, if certain minimum requirements are met.

This bill would provide that a teacher who possesses any of several specified California credentials or permits, and who is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes content instruction delivered in a pupils primary language, may qualify for that authorization by submitting an application and a fee to the commission.

Existing law requires the commission Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue authorizations for a teacher to provide specific services to limited-English-proficient pupils, if certain minimum requirements are met.

This bill would require the commission, within 30 days of receiving all required documentation, to issue these authorizations to a teacher who holds a valid teaching credential or is applying for a certain teaching credential as an out-of-state prepared teacher and is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes the equivalent level of instruction of English learners. provide that a teacher who possesses any of several specified California credentials or permits and who is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes content instruction delivered in a pupils primary language may qualify for that authorization by submitting an application and a fee to the commission.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue a 5-year preliminary teaching credential to an out-of-state prepared teacher who meets specified requirements. Existing law requires the commission to issue a clear teaching credential to an out-of-state prepared applicant who satisfies specified requirements, including verifying 2 or more years of teaching experience.

This bill would require the commission to issue these teaching credentials within 30 days of receiving all required documentation.

Existing law requires the commission to issue authorizations for a teacher to provide specific services to limited-English-proficient pupils, if certain minimum requirements are met.

This bill would require the commission, within 30 days of receiving all required documentation, to issue these authorizations to a teacher who holds a valid teaching credential or is applying for a certain teaching credential as an out-of-state prepared teacher and is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes the equivalent level of instruction of English learners.

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AB 2248

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 9-0, 6/8/16

AYES: Liu, Block, Hancock, Huff, Leyva, Mendoza, Monning, Pan, Vidak

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 5/5/16 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST: This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to issue bilingual learner authorizations to out-of-state teachers who hold equivalent credentials, as specified.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes authorizations for teachers to teach English learners in English and also establishes authorizations for teachers to teach English learners in their primary languages. (Education Code § 44253.3 and § 44253.4)
2. Authorizes a teacher who possesses a credential or permit and is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes the instruction of English language learners may qualify for the English learner teaching authorization by submitting an application and fee to the commission. (Education Code § 44253.3)

This bill requires the CTC to issue authorizations to teach English learners in a primary language to out-of-state teachers who are applying for a preliminary or clear teaching credential, and who hold valid out-of-state credentials or certificates that authorizes the equivalent instruction of English learners.

Comments

Need for the bill. According to the author’s office, “California is experiencing one of the worst teacher shortages with unprecedented unfilled teaching positions and teaching positions filled by underqualified teachers. The teacher shortage disproportionately impacts low-income students of color, English language learners and students with special needs, contributing to the growing achievement and opportunity gap. Currently if a teacher possesses an out of state bilingual teaching credential and moves to California to continue teaching in their focus area, an out-of-state teacher must take multiple professional tests and course work regardless of education level, prior teaching evaluations, and previous experience teaching in another state.” This bill seeks to address this issue by expediting the ability of qualified bilingual teachers to teach in California classrooms.

Bilingual authorizations for out-of-state teachers. Current law allows teachers who hold an out-of-state credential that authorizes instruction of English learners to earn an English learner authorization to teach in California. However, the enabling legislation for this provision (SB 1209, Scott, Chapter 517, Statutes of 2006) did not extend that authorization to out-of-state bilingual teachers. The CTC currently reviews each bilingual teacher’s authorization from out-of-state on an individual basis. This bill allows an out-of-state teacher who holds a bilingual teacher authorization in another state to earn an equivalent authorization in California. However, the CTC does not currently review or maintain a list of equivalent bilingual teacher authorizations as it does for equivalent English learner authorizations. Presumably, the CTC would need to do a similar review of other states’ bilingual authorizations to administer this bill’s provisions.

Teacher shortage. The Learning Policy Institute (LPI) recently released a report, “Addressing California’s Emerging Teacher Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and Solutions.” In this report, the LPI included the following summary: “After many years of teacher layoffs in California, school districts around the state are hiring again. With the influx of new K-12 funding, districts are looking to lower student-teacher ratios and reinstate classes and programs that were reduced or eliminated during the Great Recession. However, mounting evidence indicates that teacher supply has not kept pace with the increased demand.” The report included the following findings:

1. Enrollment in educator preparation programs has dropped by more than 70 percent over the last decade.
2. In 2014-15, provisional and short-term permits nearly tripled from the number issued two years earlier, growing from about 850 to more than 2,400.
3. The number teachers hired on substandard permits and credentials nearly doubled in the last two years, to more than 7,700 comprising a third of all the new credentials issued in 2014-15.
4. Estimated teacher hires for the 2015-16 school year increased by 25 percent from the previous year while enrollment in the University of California and the California State University teacher education programs increased by only about 3.8 percent.

Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) assessment. As part of its Proposition 98 Education Analysis for the 2016-17 Governor’s Budget released in February 2016, the LAO includes a section on teacher workforce trends in which it examines evidence for teacher shortages in specific areas, identifies and assesses past policy responses to these shortages, and raises issues for the Legislature to consider going forward in terms of new policy responses. In the report, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) indicates that the statewide teacher market will help alleviate existing shortages over time and that the shortages may decrease without direct state action. However, the LAO notes there are perennial staffing difficulties in specific areas, such as special education, math, and science, for which they encourage the Legislature to address with narrowly tailored policies rather than with broad statewide policies.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT: (Verified 6/20/16)

Arc and United Cerebral Palsy California Collaboration

Association of California School Administrators

California Alliance for Arts Education

California Art Education Association

California Association for Bilingual Education

California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

California Association of Private School Organizations

California Catholic Conference, Inc.

California Charter Schools Association

California Federation of Teachers

California Language Teachers Association

California Music Educators Association

Californians Together Coalition

EdVoice

OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/20/16)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 5/5/16

AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Beth Gaines

Prepared by:

6/22/16 15:15:04

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Carol Liu, Chair

2015 - 2016 Regular

Bill No:

Subject:

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to issue bilingual learner authorizations to out-of-state teachers who hold equivalent credentials, as specified.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Establishes authorizations for teachers to teach English learners in English and also establishes authorizations for teachers to teach English learners in their primary languages. (Education Code § 44253.3 and § 44253.4)
2. Authorizes a teacher who possesses a credential or permit and is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes the instruction of English language learners may qualify for the English learner teaching authorization by submitting an application and fee to the commission.

(Education Code § 44253.3)

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the CTC to issue authorizations to teach English learners in a primary language to out-of-state teachers who are applying for a preliminary or clear teaching credential, and who hold valid out-of-state credentials or certificates that authorizes the equivalent instruction of English learners.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author’s office, “California is experiencing one of the worst teacher shortages with unprecedented unfilled teaching positions and teaching positions filled by underqualified teachers. The teacher shortage disproportionately impacts low-income students of color, English language learners and students with special needs, contributing to the growing achievement and opportunity gap. Currently if a teacher possesses an out of state bilingual teaching credential and moves to California to continue teaching in their focus area, an out-of-state teacher must take multiple professional tests and course work regardless of education level, prior teaching evaluations, and previous experience teaching in another state.” This bill seeks to address this issue by expediting the ability of qualified bilingual teachers to teach in California classrooms.
2. Bilingual authorizations for out-of-state teachers. Current law allows teachers who hold an out-of-state credential that authorizes instruction of English learners to earn an English learner authorization to teach in California. However, the enabling legislation for this provision (SB 1209, Scott, Chapter 517, Statutes of 2006) did not extend that authorization to out-of-state bilingual teachers. The Commission on Teaching Credentialing currently reviews each bilingual teacher’s authorization from out-of-state on an individual basis. This measure would allow an out-of-state teacher who holds a bilingual teacher authorization in another state to earn an equivalent authorization in California. However, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) does not currently review or maintain a list of equivalent bilingual teacher authorizations as it does for equivalent English learner authorizations. Presumably, the CTC would need to do a similar review of other states’ bilingual authorizations to administer the bill’s provisions.
3. Teacher shortage. The Learning Policy Institute (LPI) recently released a report, “Addressing California’s Emerging Teacher Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and Solutions.” In this report, the LPI included the following summary: “After many years of teacher layoffs in California, school districts around the state are hiring again. With the influx of new K-12 funding, districts are looking to lower student-teacher ratios and reinstate classes and programs that were reduced or eliminated during the Great Recession. However, mounting evidence indicates that teacher supply has not kept pace with the increased demand.” The report included the following findings:
   1. Enrollment in educator preparation programs has dropped by more than 70 percent over the last decade.
   2. In 2014-15, provisional and short-term permits nearly tripled from the number issued two years earlier, growing from about 850 to more than 2,400.
   3. The number teachers hired on substandard permits and credentials nearly doubled in the last two years, to more than 7,700 comprising a third of all the new credentials issued in 2014-15.
   4. Estimated teacher hires for the 2015-16 school year increased by 25 percent from the previous year while enrollment in the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) teacher education programs increased by only about 3.8 percent.
4. Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) assessment. As part of its Proposition 98 Education Analysis for the 2016-17 Governor’s Budget released in February 2016, the LAO includes a section on teacher workforce trends in which it examines evidence for teacher shortages in specific areas, identifies and assesses past policy responses to these shortages, and raises issues for the Legislature to consider going forward in terms of new policy responses. In the report, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) indicates that the statewide teacher market will help alleviate existing shortages over time and that the shortages may decrease without direct state action. However, the LAO notes there are perennial staffing difficulties in specific areas, such as special education, math, and science, for which they encourage the Legislature to address with narrowly tailored policies rather than with broad statewide policies.

1. Related budget activity. The Senate’s version of the proposed 2016-17 budget includes $7 million in one-time Proposition 98 funding to re-establish the California Center on Teaching Careers and $60 million in one-time Proposition 98 funding to establish or expand teacher residency programs. Both programs would be required to target chronic teacher shortage areas, including special education and bilingual teachers.
2. Fiscal impact. The Assembly Appropriations Committee indicates minor or absorbable costs for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to review out-of-state bilingual teacher credentials.

SUPPORT

Arc and United Cerebral Palsy California Collaboration

Association of California School Administrators

California Alliance for Arts Education

California Art Education Association

California Association for Bilingual Education

California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

California Association of Private School Organizations

California Catholic Conference, Inc.

California Charter Schools Association

California Federation of Teachers

California Language Teachers Association

California Music Educators Association

Californians Together Coalition

EdVoice

OPPOSITION

None received.

-- END --

Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2248

Author:(Holden) – As Amended Ver:April 21, 2016

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill authorizes the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) to issue bilingual teaching authorizations to out-of-state teachers, if the teacher has met preliminary credential requirements and holds a valid out-of-state credential authorizing instruction in a student's primary language.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Minor/absorbable costs to the CCTC to review out-of-state bilingual teacher credentials.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. Under current law, if an out-of-state teacher is applying for a California teaching credential, and evidence of a full English learner authorization from a state other than California is submitted with their application, there is no need to apply separately for the English learner teaching authorization. This process is not available to bilingual out-of-state teachers. This bill is intended to create a streamlined teaching authorization process for out-of-state bilingual teachers, similar to the process available to teachers seeking an authorization to teach English learners. According to the author, this will allow teachers new to California, but not new to teaching, to begin working sooner.
2. Background. In addition to the overall shortage of credentialed teachers in the state, there are chronic and severe shortages in certain areas, such as math, science, and special education. There is growing evidence that the state is facing a shortage of bilingual teachers as well. The number of bilingual authorizations issued by the CCTC has declined from 2,195 in 2003-04 to 733 in 2013-14. At the same time, language immersion and dual language immersion programs have gained in popularity, increasing the demand for certified bilingual teachers.

Demand for bilingual teachers may increase significantly if an initiative on the November 2016 ballot is approved by the voters. SB 1174 (Lara), Chapter 753, Statutes of 2014 authorized the ballot initiative that would amend and repeal various provisions of Proposition 227 of 1998. This includes repealing the requirement that all children be taught English by being taught in English and instead allows LEAs to determine the best language instruction methods and language acquisition programs to implement.

Analysis Prepared by: Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 13, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Patrick O'Donnell, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2248 (

Author:Holden) – As Introduced Ver:February 18, 2016

SUBJECT: Teacher credentialing: out-of-state trained teachers

SUMMARY: Requires the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) to issue bilingual and English learner teaching authorizations to out-of-state teachers who hold equivalent credentials within 30 days of receipt of required documentation. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the CCTC to issue authorizations to teach English learners to out-of-state teachers who are applying for a preliminary or clear teaching credential, and who hold valid out-of-state credentials or certificates that authorizes the equivalent instruction of English learners, within 30 days of receiving the required documentation.
2. Requires the CCTC to issue authorizations to teach English learners in a primary language to out-of-state teachers who are applying for a preliminary or clear teaching credential, and who hold valid out-of-state credentials or certificates that authorizes the equivalent instruction of English learners, within 30 days of receiving the required documentation.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes authorizations for teachers to teach English learners in English. Establishes authorizations for teachers to teach English learners in their primary languages.
2. Authorizes a teacher who possesses a credential or permit and is able to present a valid out-of-state credential or certificate that authorizes the instruction of English language learners may qualify for the authorization issued under this section by submitting an application and fee to the commission.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Need for the bill. The author’s office states: “Assembly Bill 2248 will streamline the credentialing process and provide greater reciprocity with other states so that highly qualified and experienced teachers can easily become certified to teach in California in their specialty area. Receiving California certification to teach many specialized areas can be tedious and unnecessarily time consuming- even when a teacher holds an current out of state license in that specialty and/or has a Masters degree in that area of study. Several reports have noted that one way to address the teacher shortage is to increase reciprocity with other states and make it easier for people who have left the field to become certified to teach again. Teachers should not have to retake classes or similar tests in order to teach an identical class in California as they did out of state. This is both a financial and time burden and often is keeping good teachers out of the classroom when they are moving states.

While the CTC can honor out-of-state credentials, there is no process in place at this time to honor bilingual certifications earned out of state. If an individual has evidence of a full bilingual authorization from a state other than California and submits this information with his or her application packet, an English learner authorization will be listed on the corresponding teaching credential. The same process is not available for teachers holding bilingual teaching certificates.”

Teacher shortage. According to the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), the supply of new teachers in California is at a 12-year low. Enrollment in educator preparation programs has dropped by more than 70 percent over the last decade, and has fallen below the number of estimated hires by school districts around the state. The LPI notes:

• In mid-October, two months after the school year started, EdJoin, the statewide educator job portal, still listed more than 3,900 open teaching positions. This is double the number listed at the same time in 2013.
• Estimated teacher hires for the 2015–16 school year increased by 25 percent from 2014-15, while the number of preliminary credentials issued increased by less than 1 percent from the previous year. Enrollment in UC and CSU teacher preparation programs increased by only about 3.8 percent.
• In 2014–15, provisional and short-term permits nearly tripled from the number issued two years earlier, growing from about 850 to more than 2,400.
• The number of teachers hired on substandard permits and credentials nearly doubled in the last two years, to more than 7,700, comprising a third of all the new credentials issued in 2014–15.

Significant portion of new California credentials are granted to out-of-state trained teachers. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, between 1990-91 and 2014-15, 18 percent of California’s new teaching credentials were issued to those prepared in out-of-state programs, and that this share has fluctuated from a low of 11 percent in 2003-04 to a high of 33 percent in 1990-91. In 2014-15 out-of-state trained teachers represented nearly 25 percent of new credentials issued in California.

Bilingual teacher shortage. In addition to the overall shortage of credentialed teachers in the state, there are chronic and severe shortages in certain areas, such as math, science, and special education. California annually reports shortage areas to the U.S. Department of Education for the purpose of federal loan and grant deferral or forgiveness for teachers. According to the U.S. Department of Education, California reported a shortage of bilingual teachers from 1990-1991 to 1999-2000, but has not done so since.

However, there is growing evidence that the state is facing a shortage of bilingual teachers. According to testimony provided at an information hearing of this Committee in December, 2015, the number of bilingual authorizations issued by the CCTC declined from 2,195 in 2003-04 to 733 in 2013-14. At the same time, language immersion and dual language immersion programs have gained in popularity, increasing the demand for certified bilingual teachers.

Demand for bilingual teachers may increase significantly if an initiative on the November ballot is approved by the voters at the November, 2016 election. A measure was placed on the ballot by the Legislature through its approval of SB 1174 (Lara, Chapter 753, Statutes of 2014) would amend and repeal various provisions of Proposition 227 of 1998, including repealing the requirement that all children be taught English by being taught in English, and instead would allow LEAs, in consultation with language experts in the field and parents, to determine the best language instruction methods and language acquisition programs to implement.

Out of state teachers and English learner and bilingual authorizations. Current law (SB 1209, Chapter 517, Statutes of 2006) allows teachers who hold an out-of-state credential that authorizes instruction of English learners to earn a California English learner authorization. SB 1209 did not extend this authorization to bilingual out-of-state teachers. The CCTC reviews each bilingual teacher’s authorization from out of state individually. This bill would extend the authorization in SB 1209 to bilingual teachers from out of state.

For English learner authorizations, if an out-of-state teacher is applying for a California teaching credential, and evidence of a full English learner authorization from a state other than California is submitted with their application, there is no need to apply separately for the English learner authorization. The CTC maintains a list of equivalent English learner authorizations in other states which are recognized, in order to ensure that it grants English learner authorizations only to teachers who have met standards equivalent to those of this state. If this bill were to be enacted, the CCTC would need to do a similar review of other states’ bilingual authorizations to ensure equivalency.

30 day processing requirement puts out-of-state teachers ahead of California teachers; problem can be addressed through existing expediting process. Current law requires that the CCTC process credentials within 50 days of receipt an application. According to the CCTC, online recommendations submitted through credential program sponsors are usually completed within 10 working days. This bill would require that out-of-state credential applications be processed within 30 days. This requirement would appear to place out-of-state applications ahead of applications from in-state credential applicants.

Credential processing time for out-of-state applicants may be longer than for in-state applicants, due to issues like manual fingerprinting and the need for a case-by-case review of candidates’ out-of-state credentials. But in the case of an immediate need to hire an out-of-state teacher, processing time can be significantly reduced through existing CCTC policy. CCTC has a process for the expediting of credentials, when it is necessary for employment purposes. This policy, as communicated in a February, 2014 credential information alert, states that the CCTC will expedite a credential application if 1) the employing agency wants to make an offer of employment, 2) the educator is in jeopardy of being removed from the classroom, or 3) the educator is at risk of having his or her pay withheld. Staff recommends that this bill be amended to remove the 30 day processing requirement. Staff also recommends a technical amendment to correct a reference to bilingual authorizations.

Support if amended positions. Californians Together and the California Association for Bilingual Education support this bill if amended to 1) remove the 30-day processing requirement (addressed by the staff recommended amendments to this bill), 2) ensure that the CCTC’s review of out-of-state bilingual authorizations are equivalent to California’s requirements, and 3) require the CCTC to report on the number of English learner and bilingual authorizations it issues. The California Music Educators Association encourages the author to consider including language in the bill that would include out-of-state arts education teachers.

Related legislation. AB 1918 (O’Donnell) of this session authorizes county offices of education to issue temporary certificates to teachers employed at nonpublic schools, including out-of-state teachers, while their credential applications are being processed at the CCTC, and increases background check requirements for all applicants for temporary certificates.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Association of California School Administrators

California Alliance for Arts Education (support if amended)

California Association for Bilingual Education (support if amended)

California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

California Association of Private School Organizations

California Catholic Conference, Inc.

California Federation of Teachers

California Language Teachers Association

California Language Teachers Association

California Music Educators Association

Californians Together (support if amended)

EdVoice

Opposition

None received

Analysis Prepared by: Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087