Existing law prescribes the minimum requirements for a clear multiple or single subject teaching credential, including the completion of either a beginning teacher induction program approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the Superintendent of Public Instruction pursuant to the Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System, an alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is provided by one or more local educational agencies and has been approved by the commission and the Superintendent on the basis of initial review and periodic evaluations of the program in relation to appropriate standards of credential program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the commission, the Superintendent, and the State Board of Education, as provided, or an alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is sponsored by a regionally accredited college or university, in cooperation with one or more local school districts, that addresses the individual professional needs of beginning teachers and meets the commissions standards of induction, except as provided. Existing law also requires credentials for teaching specialties, including, but not limited to, bilingual education, early childhood education, and special education, to be based upon a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, completion of a program of professional preparation, and any other standards which the commission may establish.

This bill would, commencing with hiring for the 201718 school year, and each school year thereafter, prohibit a school district, county office of education, or charter school from charging a fee to a beginning teacher to participate in a beginning teacher induction program that is approved by the commission and the Superintendent, and would define a beginning teacher for purposes of that provision to include a teacher with a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, or a preliminary education specialist credential. The bill also would prohibit a local educational agency from charging a fee to a beginning teacher to participate in an alternative program of beginning teacher induction program that it provides.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular Session

AB 410 (Cervantes) - Teacher credentialing: beginning teacher induction programs: fees

This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.

Bill Summary:

This bill prohibits local educational agencies (LEAs) from charging teachers a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program.

Fiscal Impact:

This bill’s costs will depend upon the number of beginning teachers and the cost of the program which range and fluctuate from year to year. Assuming a program cost of roughly $5,000 and total teacher preparation program enrollment of between 15,000 and 20,000 per year, this bill could drive reimbursable state mandated costs of between $75 million and $100 million Proposition 98 General Fund annually for LEAs to provide new teacher induction programs.

Background:

Existing law requires a teacher to complete one of the following beginning teacher induction programs in order to obtain a clear multiple or single subject teaching credential:

1. A program of beginning teacher support and assessment approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (Commission) and the Superintendent, a provision of the Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.
2. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is provided by one or more LEAs and has been approved by the Commission and the Superintendent on the basis of initial review and periodic evaluations of the program in relation to appropriate standards of credential program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the commission, the Superintendent, and the State Board.
3. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is sponsored by a regionally accredited college or university, in cooperation with one or more local school districts that addresses the individual professional needs of beginning teachers and meets the commission's standards of induction.

If a candidate satisfies the requirements, including completion of an accredited internship program of professional preparation, and if that internship program fulfills induction standards and is approved, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) shall determine that the candidate has fulfilled the induction requirements. Further, if an approved induction program is verified as unavailable to a beginning teacher, or if the beginning teacher is required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act to complete subject matter coursework to be qualified for a teaching assignment, the CTC shall accept completion of an approved clear credential program after completion of a baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited institution as fulfilling the induction requirements.

Proposed Law:

This bill specifies that a beginning teacher includes a teacher with a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, or a preliminary education specialist credential. This bill also prohibits a school district, county office of education, or charter school from charging a fee to a beginning teacher to participate in an alternative program of beginning teacher induction.

Related Legislation:

AB 141 (Bonilla, 2015), similar to this bill, would have prohibited LEAs from charging a fee to participate in the program as well as alternative beginning teacher induction programs. This bill was vetoed by the Governor with the following message:

I am returning Assembly Bill 141 without my signature.
 
This bill prohibits a local educational agency from charging a teacher to complete a beginning teacher induction program. This prohibition will create a reimbursable mandate estimated to cost over $100 million annually.
 
The vast majority of local educational agencies provide induction and support to beginning teachers free of charge. I commend these entities for recognizing the importance of supporting and retaining new teachers.

In addition to funding allocated through the Local Control Funding Formula, the state has provided $490 million in this year's budget to promote educator quality over the next three years. Part of this funding should be used to support new teachers. Creating a new mandate, however, is not the answer.

Staff Comments:

Costs for this bill will vary due to several factors, including the growth and decline in enrollment induction programs. Completion of a Preliminary Credential in a teacher preparation program is required prior to participating in an induction program. To provide context for fluctuation in the enrollment of teachers in preparation programs, enrollment has decreased by 24 percent from the 2011-12 fiscal year (and even more since 2008-09). In prior years, the state dedicated funding for induction that ranged from $87 million to $128 million.

To the extent the Commission on State Mandates determines this bill to impose a mandate on LEAs, this would create pressure to increase the mandate block grant to reflect the inclusion of the new mandate. Since this bill also applies to charter schools, if the mandate block grant was increased, charter schools would also receive an increase in their per-student allocation. However, charter schools would not reimbursed under the traditional claiming process as they have not been considered to be an entity eligible for reimbursement by the Commission.

The 2015-16 Budget Act addressed induction in several ways. It includes $490 million in Proposition 98 General Fund for a variety of activities that promote educator quality and effectiveness. These funds may be used for several purposes, including beginning teacher and administrator support and professional development for struggling teachers. The 2015-16 Budget Act also provides over $3 billion in one-time mandate funding to be used between California Community Colleges and school districts. The intent is that school districts will prioritize funds for professional development, induction for beginning teachers with a focus on relevant mentoring, instructional materials, technology infrastructure, and any other investments necessary to support implementation of the common core standards in English language arts and mathematics, the implementation of English language development standards, and the implementation of the Next Generation Science standards.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Benjamin Allen, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: AB 410 Hearing Date: June 28, 2017

Subject: Teacher credentialing: beginning teacher induction programs: fees

SUMMARY

This bill prohibits local educational agencies (LEAs) from charging teachers a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Requires a teacher to complete one of the following beginning teacher induction programs in order to obtain a clear multiple or single subject teaching credential:
   1. A program of beginning teacher support and assessment approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and the Superintendent, a provision of the Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.
   2. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is provided by one or more LEAs and has been approved by the CTC and the Superintendent on the basis of initial review and periodic evaluations of the program in relation to appropriate standards of credential program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the CTC, the Superintendent, and the state board.
   3. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is sponsored by a regionally accredited college or university, in cooperation with one or more local school districts, that addresses the individual professional needs of beginning teachers and meets the commission's standards of induction.
2. Specifies that if a candidate satisfies the requirements, including completion of an accredited internship program of professional preparation, and if that internship program fulfills induction standards and is approved, the commission shall determine that the candidate has fulfilled the induction requirements.
3. Specifies that if an approved induction program is verified as unavailable to a beginning teacher, or if the beginning teacher is required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act to complete subject matter coursework to be qualified for a teaching assignment, the commission shall accept completion of an approved clear credential program after completion of a baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited institution as fulfilling the induction requirements.

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1. Specifies that a beginning teacher includes a teacher with a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, or a preliminary education specialist credential.
2. Prohibits a school district, county office of education, or charter school from charging a fee to a beginning teacher to participate in an alternative program of beginning teacher induction.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, the financial burden on new teachers who are required to obtain a four-year degree in a specific subject area, enroll in a teacher credentialing program and participate in, and in many instances pay for, the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program is significant. This requirement not only creates a disincentive for prospective teachers to enter the profession, but it also contributes to the high number of new teachers leaving the profession. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the State of California and its pupils to prohibit BTSA providers from charging new teachers to participate in this state-mandated program.
2. Teacher induction. According to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), induction for new teachers in California has evolved in significant ways over its 25-year history. The BTSA program was established as a result of a pilot study conducted during 1988 to 1992 by the CTC and the California Department of Education. This pilot study, known as the California New Teacher Project, demonstrated that the state could increase beginning teacher retention, success, and effectiveness by providing all new teachers with structured mentoring and support. The Governor and the Legislature established the BTSA Program as part of the Budget Act of 1992. At that time, the program was a grant program designed to support new teachers and was not a credential requirement for teachers.

From 1995 until 2009, BTSA Induction programs operated with dedicated Proposition 98 funding based on a per-participating teacher allocation (with a matching requirement by the local educational agency (LEA)). However, in February 2009, the State Budget provided LEAs with categorical spending flexibility in exchange for program funding reductions. LEAs were able to use funds from about 40 categorical programs, including the Teacher Credentialing Block Grant for which the BTSA program was a part of, for any educational purpose. The program’s matching requirement was also removed but funding continued to be provided to LEAs that sponsored an approved induction program.

Since the onset of the categorical funding flexibility provisions, a number of approved induction programs have become inactive or withdrawn. In terms of statewide program equity, access has been an issue regarding the charging of beginning teachers to participate in an induction program. The induction programs sponsored by colleges or universities have always charged tuition. A few local educational agencies (LEAs)-based induction programs were approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) after 2009 and never received state funding. These programs, sponsored by charter schools, have always charged candidates. Another issue that appears to be surfacing is that some programs are "capping" the number of new teachers they will serve, resulting in inequities within a district as some new teachers receive induction services and others are faced with having to search and pay for induction services outside of their district or teach, largely unsupported, in a classroom for a year or more until they reach the top of the program’s waiting list.

1. Induction fees. The CTC conducted a survey of CTC-approved induction programs and received 126 responses out of 165 programs. Of the survey respondents, 11.5 percent of LEA-sponsored induction programs reported that they charged fees to induction participants in 2014-15. This equates to 2,063 participants who paid fees out of 17,907 total participants at respondent LEAs. Respondents reported the per year fees range from $390 to $3,350.
2. Evaluation of existing induction requirements. The Budget Act of 2015 included $490 million Proposition 98 General Fund for CTC activities that promote educator quality and effectiveness, including beginning teacher and administrator support and mentoring and professional development for struggling teachers. The budget also required the CTC, by September 1, 2015, to evaluate any burdens of existing induction requirements and provide recommendations.

The CTC’s September report identified the following issues with the existing induction requirements:

• 1. Induction is in some cases a repeat of the preliminary preparation program.

• 1. Induction is a sequential process that does not apply to the new teacher’s assignment.
  2. Induction has too much required documentation that detracts from supporting the new teacher in his or her teaching assignment.

• 1. Some districts have difficulty prioritizing their induction responsibilities.
  2. The quality of induction programs statewide varies.

The September report also included the following recommendations:

• 1. Focus Induction Standards on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.
  2. Focus induction primarily on high quality mentoring, with an emphasis on meeting the new teacher’s immediate needs and supporting long-term teacher growth through ongoing reflection on and analysis of teaching practice.
  3. Determine the nature and scope of each new teacher’s induction program through an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) that is guided by the candidate's current assignment, career aspirations, and local and state initiatives.
  4. Streamline the Commission’s accreditation system to eliminate unnecessary and time-consuming documentation activities and increase reliance on outcome data to determine the quality and effectiveness of programs.
  5. Ensure that the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) prioritizes the induction of new teachers.
  6. Conduct surveys of employers, new teachers and induction program sponsors on the mentoring services made available to new teachers they have hired.
  7. Ensure that new teachers receive appropriate support and mentoring in their first years of teaching regardless of the type of contract—temporary or probationary—on which the individual is employed and that this mentoring be without cost to the new teacher.

1. Induction options to obtain a Clear Teaching Credential. Completion of an approved induction program is the primary route to attaining a clear teaching credential. If a teacher employed (employer is defined as a California public school, any school that is sponsored by a private California K‐12 school, nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency, charter school, or a school operated under the direction of a California state agency) does not have an induction program available to them, then the teacher may enroll in a Clear Credential Program. Currently, there are 22 Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)-approved Clear Credential programs operating in California (3 from California State University system, 3 from the University of California, and 16 private independent institutions).
2. Fiscal impact. According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, this bill could create potential Proposition 98 General Fund pressure of over $128 million to provide a new dedicated funding source for induction programs, based on prior state funding for the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program.

SUPPORT

California Federation of Teachers (Sponsor)

California Catholic Conference

California Labor Federation

California Language Teachers Association

California Teachers Association

Public Advocates

San Francisco Unified School District

OPPOSITION

California Association of School Business Officials

California School Boards Association

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 410

Author:(Cervantes)

As Introduced Ver:

Majority vote

SUMMARY: Prohibits, commencing with hiring for the 2017-18 school year, a school district, county office of education (COE), or charter school from charging a beginning teacher a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program. Specifically, this bill:

1. Specifies that a beginning teacher includes a teacher with a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, or a preliminary education specialist credential.
2. Prohibits a local educational agency from charging a fee to a beginning teacher to participate in an alternative program of beginning teacher induction.
3. Makes Legislative findings and declarations about the burden that teacher induction fees have on beginning teachers and how those burdens will affect the state's teacher shortage.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires a teacher to complete one of the following beginning teacher induction programs in order to obtain a clear multiple or single subject teaching credential:
   1. A program of beginning teacher support and assessment approved by the commission and the Superintendent, a provision of the Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.
   2. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is provided by one or more local educational agencies and has been approved by the commission and the Superintendent on the basis of initial review and periodic evaluations of the program in relation to appropriate standards of credential program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the commission, the Superintendent, and the state board.
   3. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is sponsored by a regionally accredited college or university, in cooperation with one or more local school districts, that addresses the individual professional needs of beginning teachers and meets the commission's standards of induction.
2. Specifies that if an approved induction program is verified as unavailable to a beginning teacher the commission shall accept completion of an approved clear credential program after completion of a baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited institution as fulfilling the induction requirements.

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, potential future Proposition 98/General Fund pressure of over $128 million to provide a new dedicated funding source for induction programs.

COMMENTS: Commencing with hiring for the 2017–18 school year, this bill prohibits a school district, county office of education (COE), or charter school from charging a beginning teacher a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program.

According to the author, the financial burden on new teachers who are required to obtain a four-year degree in a specific subject area, enroll in a teacher credentialing program and participate in, and in many instances pay for, the BTSA program is significant. This requirement not only creates a disincentive for prospective teachers to enter the profession, but it also contributes to the high number of new teachers leaving the profession. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the State of California and is pupils to prohibit BTSA providers from charging new teachers to participate in this state-mandated program.

Induction Fees: The CTC conducted a survey of CTC-approved induction programs and received 126 responses out of 165 programs. Of the survey respondents, 11.5% of LEA sponsored induction programs reported that they charged fees to induction participants in 2014-15. This equates to 2,063 participants who paid fees out of 17,907 total participants at respondent LEAs. Respondents reported the per year fees range from $390 to $3,350.

Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Background: In February 2009 the State Budget provided local education agencies (LEAs) with spending flexibility. Since the 2009 onset of flexible funding provisions, a number of Commission-approved programs have become inactive or withdrawn since the per-participant funding ended. Of specific interest in terms of statewide program equity, access and parity is the issue of induction programs charging beginning teachers to participate. The induction programs sponsored by colleges or universities have always charged tuition. A few LEA-based induction programs were approved by the Commission after 2009 and never received any per participant state funding. These programs, sponsored by charter schools, have always charged candidates. An additional reality that appears to be surfacing is the fact that some programs are "capping" the number of new teachers they will serve, resulting in inequities within a district as some new teachers receive induction services and others are faced with having to search and pay for induction services outside of their district or teach, largely unsupported, in a classroom for a year or more until they reach the top of the program’s waiting list.

Induction Options to Obtain a Clear Teaching Credential: If an employed teacher does not have an Induction Program available to them then the teacher may enroll in a Clear Credential Program. Currently there are 22 Commission-approved Clear Credential programs operating in California (three California State Universities, three Universities of California, and 16 private and independent institutions).

Analysis Prepared by: Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0000714

Date of Hearing: April 5, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 410

Author:(Cervantes) – As Introduced Ver:February 9, 2017

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

SUMMARY:

This bill prohibits, commencing with hiring for the 2017-18 school year, a school district, county office of education (COE), or charter school from charging a beginning teacher a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program. Specifically, this bill:

1. Prohibits a local educational agency (LEA) from charging a fee to a beginning teacher to participate in an alternative program of beginning teacher induction.
2. Specifies that a beginning teacher includes a teacher with a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, or a preliminary education specialist credential.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Potential future Prop98/GF pressure of over $128 million to provide a new dedicated funding source for induction programs, based on prior state funding for the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program. At the height of funding (2007), the state provided $128.6 million for BTSA (see staff comments).

COMMENTS:

1. Background. Current law requires a teacher to complete one of the following beginning teacher induction programs in order to obtain a clear multiple or single subject teaching credential from: (a) an employee operated program of beginning teacher support and assessment approved by the commission and the Superintendent; (b) an alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is provided by one or more local educational agencies and has been approved by the commission and the Superintendent; or (c) an alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is sponsored by a regionally accredited college or university, in cooperation with one or more local school districts, that addresses the individual professional needs of beginning teachers and meets the commission's standards of induction.
2. Induction Fees. In 2014-15 the CTC found that there are 165 induction programs that serve approximately 18,000 teachers. Of the 126 programs surveyed (out of 165 statewide), only 11.5% of program participants were charging fees ranging from $390 to $3,350. This equates to 2,063 participants who paid fees out of 17,907 total participants at respondent LEAs.
3. Staff Comments. Not every district received funding for BTSA prior to LCFF. BTSA allowed for a per-participating teacher allocation of approximately $4,000 and required local contribution of $2,000 per-participating teacher. In 2009, in response to the state budget crisis, the Legislature reduced funding for this program and approximately 40 other categorical programs. Along with the funding reduction, the state made program requirements flexible, allowing LEAs to spend funding for any educational purpose. This flexibility was continued under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) enacted in 2013. For districts that did receive BTSA funding, the funds were rolled into the base of their LCFF based upon 2012-13 funding allocations.

The majority of districts currently pay teacher induction fees as a part of labor contract negotiations and use Prop98/LCFF dollars to pay for these costs. Prohibiting districts from charging induction fees tells districts what to prioritize for their local community as a part of their Local Control Accountability Plans. The availability of induction programs has also been impacted by new Teacher Induction Preconditions and Program Standards adopted by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) October 2016. This new set of standards has already resulted in some districts and regionally accredited college or university operated programs to file as inactive. If districts select not to offer district programs and alternative accredited programs are unavailable, teachers in small and rural districts may find themselves with a limited ability to complete their credential. This is particularly concerning given the eminent teacher shortage.

Analysis Prepared by: Daisy Gonzales / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: March 15, 2017

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Patrick O'Donnell, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 410 (

Author:Cervantes) – As Introduced Ver:February 9, 2017

SUBJECT: Teacher credentialing: beginning teacher induction programs: fees

SUMMARY: Prohibits, commencing with hiring for the 2017-18 school year, a school district, county office of education (COE), or charter school from charging a beginning teacher a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program. Specifically, this bill:

1. Specifies that a beginning teacher includes a teacher with a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, or a preliminary education specialist credential.
2. Prohibits a local educational agency from charging a fee to a beginning teacher to participate in an alternative program of beginning teacher induction.
3. Makes Legislative findings and declarations about the burden that teacher induction fees have on beginning teachers and how those burdens will affect the state's teacher shortage.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires a teacher to complete one of the following beginning teacher induction programs in order to obtain a clear multiple or single subject teaching credential:
   1. A program of beginning teacher support and assessment approved by the commission and the Superintendent, a provision of the Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.
   2. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is provided by one or more local educational agencies and has been approved by the commission and the Superintendent on the basis of initial review and periodic evaluations of the program in relation to appropriate standards of credential program quality and effectiveness that have been adopted by the commission, the Superintendent, and the state board.
   3. An alternative program of beginning teacher induction that is sponsored by a regionally accredited college or university, in cooperation with one or more local school districts, that addresses the individual professional needs of beginning teachers and meets the commission's standards of induction.
2. Specifies that if a candidate satisfies the requirements, including completion of an accredited internship program of professional preparation, and if that internship program fulfills induction standards and is approved, the commission shall determine that the candidate has fulfilled the induction requirements.
3. Specifies that if an approved induction program is verified as unavailable to a beginning teacher, or if the beginning teacher is required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act to complete subject matter coursework to be qualified for a teaching assignment, the commission shall accept completion of an approved clear credential program after completion of a baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited institution as fulfilling the induction requirements.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: Commencing with hiring for the 2017–18 school year, this bill prohibits a school district, county office of education (COE), or charter school from charging a beginning teacher a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program.

Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Background: According to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), induction for new teachers in California has evolved in significant ways over its 25-year history. The BTSA program was established as a result of a pilot study conducted during 1988-1992 by the CTC and the CDE. This pilot study, known as the California New Teacher Project demonstrated that the state could increase beginning teacher retention, success and effectiveness, by providing all new teachers with structured mentoring and support. After considerable legislative discussion of the pilot project report, the Governor and the Legislature established the BTSA Program in the 1992-93 State Budget. At that time, the program was a grant program designed to support new teachers and was not a credential requirement for teachers.

The successes of the California New Teacher Project grant programs influenced the CTC appointed Advisory Panel which conducted a review of the requirements for earning and renewing teaching credentials. Their recommendations were embodied in the passage of SB 2042 (Alpert), Chapter 548, Statutes of 1998, which created a two-tiered teaching credential system, significantly changed the BTSA program by establishing induction as the second tier in California's teacher preparation and credentialing system and instituting the completion of a standards based induction program as a path toward the Clear Credential for Multiple and Single Subject credentials.

In 2004, the Legislature mandated a CTC-approved Induction program, if available, as the required route for Multiple and Single Subject teachers to obtain a clear teaching credential. Legislation clarified that, if an induction program is verified as unavailable by a beginning teacher's employer or the teacher needed to complete content area coursework for No Child Left Behind (NCLB), then the teacher may complete a Commission-approved Clear Credential program sponsored by a college or university.

From 1995 until 2009 BTSA Induction programs operated with dedicated annual funding based on a per-participating teacher allocation (with a required LEA in-kind match). In February 2009 the State Budget provided LEAs with spending flexibility. LEAs were able to use funds from about 40 categorical programs, including the Teacher Credentialing Block Grant of which the BTSA Induction program was a part, for any educational purpose for a five year period. This statute created greater program funding flexibility and removed the in-kind requirement but continued the funding to local education agencies that sponsor CTC approved BTSA Induction programs.

Since the 2009 onset of flexible funding provisions, a number of Commission-approved programs have become inactive or withdrawn since the per-participant funding ended. Of specific interest in terms of statewide program equity, access and parity is the issue of induction programs charging beginning teachers to participate. The induction programs sponsored by colleges or universities have always charged tuition. A few LEA-based induction programs were approved by the Commission after 2009 and never received any per participant state funding. These programs, sponsored by charter schools, have always charged candidates. An additional reality that appears to be surfacing is the fact that some programs are "capping" the number of new teachers they will serve, resulting in inequities within a district as some new teachers receive induction services and others are faced with having to search and pay for induction services outside of their district or teach, largely unsupported, in a classroom for a year or more until they reach the top of the program’s waiting list.

According to the author, the financial burden on new teachers who are required to obtain a four-year degree in a specific subject area, enroll in a teacher credentialing program and participate in, and in many instances pay for, the BTSA program is significant. This requirement not only creates a disincentive for prospective teachers to enter the profession, but it also contributes to the high number of new teachers leaving the profession. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the State of California and is pupils to prohibit BTSA providers from charging new teachers to participate in this state-mandated program.

Induction Options to Obtain a Clear Teaching Credential: Completion of an approved Induction Program is the primary route to attaining a clear teaching credential. If an employed teacher (employer is defined as a California public school, any school that is sponsored by a private California K‐12 school, non‐public, nonsectarian school or agency, charter school, or a school operated under the direction of a California state agency) does not have an Induction Program available to them then the teacher may enroll in a Clear Credential Program. Currently there are 22 Commission-approved Clear Credential programs operating in California (three California State Universities, three Universities of California, and 16 private and independent institutions).

Induction Fees: The CTC conducted a survey of CTC-approved induction programs and received 126 responses out of 165 programs. Of the survey respondents, 11.5% of LEA sponsored induction programs reported that they charged fees to induction participants in 2014-15. This equates to 2,063 participants who paid fees out of 17,907 total participants at respondent LEAs. Respondents reported the per year fees range from $390 to $3,350.

Previous Legislation: AB 141 (Bonilla) from 2016 would have prohibited, commencing with hiring for the 2016-17 school year, a school district, county office of education (COE), or charter school from charging a beginning teacher a fee to participate in a beginning teacher induction program. This bill was vetoed by the Governor with the following message:

This bill prohibits a local educational agency from charging a teacher to complete a beginning teacher induction program. This prohibition will create a reimbursable mandate estimated to cost over $100 million annually. The vast majority of local educational agencies provide induction and support to beginning teachers free of charge. I commend these entities for recognizing the importance of supporting and retaining new teachers. In addition to funding allocated through the Local Control Funding Formula, the state has provided $490 million in this year's budget to promote educator quality over the next three years. Part of this funding should be used to support new teachers. Creating a new mandate, however, is not the answer.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Federation of Teachers (Sponsor)

California Catholic Conference

California Language Teachers Association

Opposition

California School Boards Association

Analysis Prepared by: Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087