Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other things, establish professional standards, assessments, and examinations for entry and advancement in the education profession and to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law establishes the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purpose of recruiting qualified and capable individuals into the teaching profession, as provided.

This bill would establish the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway Pathway, to be administered by the California Center on Teaching Careers, for the purpose of recruiting, training, supporting, and retaining qualified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics and science teachers in California. The bill would authorize various activities as part of the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway, including developing and distributing statewide recruitment materials encouraging interested STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in mathematics and science and providing information to STEM professionals regarding the requirements for obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics and science and regarding how to complete those steps, applying to teacher preparation programs, and accessing financial aid.

The bill would appropriate an unspecified sum annually from the General Fund, beginning in the 201718 fiscal year, to the commission for allocation to the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purposes of the bill, subject to a new competitive grant process. The bill would also require the commission to document the impacts of the bill and include that information in a specified report. The bill would require its provisions to be implemented only upon the enactment of an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for its purposes.

(1)Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other things, establish professional standards, assessments, and examinations for entry and advancement in the education profession and to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law establishes the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purpose of recruiting qualified and capable individuals into the teaching profession, as provided.

This bill would establish the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway for the purpose of recruiting, training, supporting, and retaining qualified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics and science teachers in California. The bill would authorize various activities as part of the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway, including developing and distributing statewide recruitment materials encouraging interested STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in mathematics and science and providing information to STEM professionals regarding the requirements for obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics and science and how to complete those steps, applying to teacher preparation programs, and accessing financial aid.

The bill would appropriate an unspecified sum annually from the General Fund, beginning in the 201718 fiscal year, to the State Department of Education for allocation by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purposes of the bill. The bill would also require the department to submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor by May 1 of each year, beginning May 1, 2019, documenting the impacts of the bill, as provided. commission for allocation to the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purposes of the bill, subject to a new competitive grant process. The bill would also require the commission to document the impacts of the bill and include that information in a specified report.

(2)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.

(1)Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other things, establish professional standards, assessments, and examinations for entry and advancement in the education profession and to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law establishes the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purpose of recruiting qualified and capable individuals into the teaching profession, as provided.

This bill would establish the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway for the purpose of recruiting, training, supporting, and retaining qualified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics and science teachers in California. The bill would authorize various activities as part of the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway, including developing and distributing statewide recruitment materials encouraging interested STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in mathematics and science and providing information to STEM professionals regarding the requirements for obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics and science and how to complete those steps, applying to teacher preparation programs, and accessing financial aid.

The bill would appropriate an unspecified sum annually from the General Fund, beginning in the 201718 fiscal year, to the State Department of Education for allocation by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the California Center on Teaching Careers for the purposes of the bill. The bill would also require the department to submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor by May 1 of each year, beginning May 1, 2019, documenting the impacts of the bill, as provided.

(2)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.

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: SB 436

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 3/29/17

AYES: Allen, Wilk, Galgiani, Leyva, Mendoza, Pan, Vidak

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-1, 5/25/17

AYES: Lara, Beall, Bradford, Hill, Wiener

NOES: Nielsen

NO VOTE RECORDED: Bates

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: Encorps

DIGEST: This bill establishes the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway to recruit, train, support, and retain qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics and science teachers in California, upon an appropriation being included in the annual Budget Act.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Appropriates $5 million Proposition 98 General Fund in 2016-17 for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to contract with a local educational agency to establish Cal-Teach. Cal-Teach prioritizes its efforts to recruit (1) teachers possessing, or candidates interested in possessing, education specialist credentials, single subject teaching credentials in science or mathematics, or teaching in the area of bilingual education, and (2) candidates into schools in which over 85 percent of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
2. Continues implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula, which permanently consolidated the vast majority of categorical programs, including the Professional Development Block Grant which supported professional development activities such as teacher recruitment and retention incentives, along with revenue limit apportionments, into a single source of funding. The statutory and programmatic requirements for almost all of these categorical programs were eliminated, leaving any previously required services at the discretion of local educational agencies.
3. Authorizes the CTC to issue intern credentials as an alternate route to earning a teaching credential. This credential is valid for two years and authorizes the holder to teach in a self-contained classroom while completing their teacher preparation course work. Approved intern programs are sponsored by colleges, universities, school districts, or county offices of education. To qualify, an individual must possess a bachelor’s degree, satisfy the basic skills requirements, meet subject matter competence, and obtain character and identification clearance. University intern programs are cooperative teaching, counseling, school psychology, and administrative programs between a university and an employing school district that are administered by the university. District intern programs are for teachers only and are administered by employing school districts whose programs may or may not involve university course work. Completion of an intern program results in the issuance of a preliminary or clear credential.

This bill establishes the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway to recruit, train, support, and retain qualified STEM professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics and science teachers in California. Specifically, this bill:

1. Makes various findings and declarations regarding the shortage of qualified STEM teachers in California.
2. Provides that the activities associated with the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway may include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   1. Developing and distributing statewide recruitment materials encouraging interested STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in mathematics and science.
   2. Conducting outreach to interested STEM professionals, including military veterans, to recruit them to second careers as teachers in mathematics and science.
   3. Developing partnerships with the STEM business and industry community to support the recruitment of retiring STEM professionals as tutors, supporting educators, and credentialed teachers, and establishing a public-private partnership that builds a STEM teacher pipeline.
   4. Providing information to STEM professionals regarding the requirements for obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics and science and how to complete those steps, applying to teacher preparation programs, and accessing financial aid.
   5. Creating California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway fellowships to assist program participants in the transition into the teaching profession and the completion of the requirements to obtain a teaching credential.
   6. Placing STEM professionals interested in teaching in instructional roles in school and out of school in order for them to support STEM learning and motivation among pupils in grades K-12, inclusive.
   7. Establishing agreements with teacher credentialing programs to facilitate rapid achievement of teaching credentials by STEM professionals and placement of participants in high-need schools for professional preparation and subsequent employment.
   8. Supporting STEM professionals in experiences leading to STEM teacher leadership, including, but not limited to, obtaining additional teaching authorizations in a STEM discipline and participating in research internships at STEM laboratories.
   9. Providing ongoing support and professional development for California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway participants as classroom teachers to foster high rates of retention and teacher leadership.
   10. Conducting the annual evaluation of the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway, as specified.
3. Specifies that the bill’s provisions shall be implemented only upon the enactment of an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for its purposes.
4. Requires the California Department of Education to submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor by May 1 of each year, beginning May 1, 2019, documenting the impacts of this measure, including participation in the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway and annual job placement data for new mathematics and science teachers.

Comments

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “the shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers in California has reached a critical level that threatens the future workforce and economic well-being of the state. The projected shortage of 33,000 teachers in mathematics and science over the next decade cannot be met with current approaches to recruitment and preparation. Education experts agree that STEM professionals bring unique expertise to the classroom with their capacity to address the engineering focus within the state’s new science standards, advance computer sciences instruction, and connects academics and careers. STEM professionals in structured teaching pathways are retained in teaching positions at high rates, resulting in a cost-effective solution for addressing STEM teacher shortages.”

This measure is intended to recruit, select, develop and support STEM professionals who wish to become mathematics and science teachers in California.

1. Learning Policy Institute (LPI) report. The LPI’s 2016 report, “Addressing California’s Emerging Teacher Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and Solutions” 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 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.
   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.

The LPI report offered several policy recommendations for consideration. These recommendations include the reinstatement of the California Center on Teaching Careers and the establishment of incentives to attract diverse, talented individuals to teach in high-need locations and fields. This can be accomplished through programs that provide funding for candidates who prepare and teach in such schools and subject areas, e.g. the Assumption Program of Loans for Education. The report also recommends the creation of more innovative pipelines into teaching, such as high school career pathways or teacher preparation models that encourage and support young people and others to go into teaching in their own communities.

1. Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) assessment. As part of the Proposition 98 Education Analysis for the 2016-17 Governor’s Budget released in February 2016, the LAO included a section on teacher workforce trends in which it examined evidence for teacher shortages in specific areas, identified and assessed past policy responses to these shortages, and raised issues for the Legislature to consider going forward in terms of new policy responses. In the report, the LAO indicated 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 noted there are perennial staffing difficulties in specific areas, such as special education, math, and science, for which they encouraged the Legislature to address with narrowly tailored policies rather than with broad statewide policies. Specifically, they recommended the Legislature “consider outreach to re-engage former teachers or recruit out-of-state teachers. Both of these strategies are among the most cost-effective for increasing the supply of teachers within California in the short-term. If the state were to spend one-time funds on outreach, we encourage it to focus specifically on recruiting individuals who are trained to teach in perennial shortage areas. Outreach can attract viable teachers much faster and at a lower cost than many other shortage policies.”

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Local:

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, “One-time Proposition 98 General Fund cost pressure of up to $5 million for the establishment of the STEM Professional Teaching Pathway.”

SUPPORT: (Verified 5/25/17)

Encorps (source)

American Association of University Women—California

Caliber Schools

California Catholic Conference

California Chamber of Commerce

Computing Technology Industry Association

EdVoice

Hoover School, Redwood City School District

Leadership Public Schools—Hayward

Sacramento Municipal Utility District

San Joaquin County Office of Education

Santa Clara Unified School District

STEM Academy of Hollywood

Teachers College of San Joaquin

TechNet

USC Schwarzenegger Institute

OPPOSITION: (Verified 5/25/17)

None received

Prepared by:

5/30/17 10:18:52

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular Session

SB 436 (Allen) - Teachers: California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway Act of 2017

*********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM – SUSPENSE FILE ***********

The following information is revised to reflect amendments

adopted by the committee on May 25, 2017

Bill Summary:

This bill establishes the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway to recruit, train, support, and retain qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals as mathematics and science teachers in California, contingent upon an appropriation for this purpose.

Fiscal Impact:

One-time Proposition 98 General Fund cost pressure of up to $5 million for the establishment of the STEM Professional Teaching Pathway.

Committee Amendments:

Remove the unspecified appropriation and provide that the provisions in the bill are contingent upon an appropriation in the budget or other legislation for these purposes.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular Session

SB 436 (Allen) - Teachers: California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway Act of 2017

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

Bill Summary:

This bill establishes the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway to recruit, train, support, and retain qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals as mathematics and science teachers in California.

Fiscal Impact:

The bill includes an unspecified Proposition 98 General Fund appropriation, beginning in the 2017-18 fiscal year, for purposes of this bill. It is likely the bill would result in one-time costs of $5 million and ongoing costs of between $500,000 to $1 million (Proposition 98 General Fund).

Background:

SB 828 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 29, Statutes of 2016)—the education trailer bill, appropriated $5 million in one-time Proposition 98 General Fund to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to contract with a local educational agency (LEA) to recruit additional teachers into the profession and establish the California Center on Teacher Careers (Cal-Teach). Cal-Teach prioritizes its efforts to recruit (1) teachers possessing, or candidates interested in possessing, education specialist credentials, single subject teaching credentials in science or mathematics, or teaching in the area of bilingual education, and (2) candidates into schools in which over 85 percent of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

Existing law continues implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula, which permanently consolidated the vast majority of categorical programs, including the Professional Development Block Grant which supported professional development activities such as teacher recruitment and retention incentives, along with revenue limit apportionments, into a single source of funding. The statutory and programmatic requirements for almost all of these categorical programs were eliminated, leaving any previously required services at the discretion of local educational agencies.

Existing law also authorizes the CTC to issue intern credentials as an alternate route to earning a teaching credential. This credential is valid for two years and authorizes the holder to teach in a self-contained classroom while completing their teacher preparation course work. Approved intern programs are sponsored by colleges, universities, school districts, or county offices of education. To qualify, an individual must possess a bachelor’s degree, satisfy the basic skills requirements, meet subject matter competence, and obtain character and identification clearance. University intern programs are cooperative teaching, counseling, school psychology, and administrative programs between a university and an employing school district that are administered by the university. District intern programs are for teachers only and are administered by employing school districts whose programs may or may not involve university course work. Completion of an intern program results in the issuance of a preliminary or clear credential.

Proposed Law:

This bill establishes the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway to recruit, train, support, and retain qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals as mathematics and science teachers in California. Specifically, this bill provides that the activities may include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

1. Developing and distributing statewide recruitment materials encouraging interested STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in mathematics and science.
2. Conducting outreach to interested STEM professionals, including military veterans, to recruit them to second careers as teachers in mathematics and science.
3. Developing partnerships with the STEM business and industry community to support the recruitment of retiring STEM professionals as tutors, supporting educators, and credentialed teachers, and establishing a public-private partnership that builds a STEM teacher pipeline.
4. Providing information to STEM professionals regarding the requirements for obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics and science and how to complete those steps, applying to teacher preparation programs, and accessing financial aid.
5. Creating California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway fellowships to assist program participants in the transition into the teaching profession and the completion of the requirements to obtain a teaching credential.
6. Placing STEM professionals interested in teaching in instructional roles in school and out of school in order for them to support STEM learning and motivation among pupils in grades K-12, inclusive.
7. Establishing agreements with teacher credentialing programs to facilitate rapid achievement of teaching credentials by STEM professionals and placement of participants in high-need schools for professional preparation and subsequent employment.
8. Supporting STEM professionals in experiences leading to STEM teacher leadership, including, but not limited to, obtaining additional teaching authorizations in a STEM discipline and participating in research internships at STEM laboratories.
9. Providing ongoing support and professional development for California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway participants as classroom teachers to foster high rates of retention and teacher leadership.
   1. Conducting the annual evaluation of the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway, as specified.

This bill appropriates an unspecified and ongoing amount of Proposition 98 General Fund, beginning in 2017-18, to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for allocation to Cal-Teach for the purposes of the bill, subject to a new competitive grant process.

Further, the bill requires the CTC to document the impacts of this measure, as specified, and include that information as part of its existing report on the outcomes of Cal-Teach.

Related Legislation:

SB 828 (Committee on Budget, Chapter 29, Statutes of 2016)—the education trailer bill, appropriated $5 million in one-time Proposition 98 General Fund to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to contract with a local educational agency (LEA) to recruit additional teachers into the profession. The recruitment efforts will particularly focus on recruiting individuals in the shortage areas of math, science, special education, and bilingual education.

SB 933 (Allen, 2016) proposed to create a California Teacher Corps program that would provide matching grants to local school districts to create or expand teacher residency programs while funding the teacher credentialing process for recruited candidates. This measure was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Staff Comments:

The bill includes an unspecified Proposition 98 General Fund appropriation, beginning in the 2017-18 fiscal year, to the CTC for allocation to the California Center on Teaching Careers (Cal-Teach) for purposes of the bill. Assuming the amount of $5 million provided for the establishment of Cal-Teach in the 2016 budget which had similar requirements, it is likely that the bill would require a comparable amount. However, there would be additional ongoing costs of between $500,000 to $1 million for the creation of the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway fellowships. This estimate assumes a cost of approximately $10,000 per fellowship for a cohort of between 50 to 100 participants.

The reporting requirement for CTC should be minor and absorbable since the bill requires the CTC to include it as part of an existing reporting requirement.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Benjamin Allen, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: SB 436 Hearing Date: March 29, 2017

Subject: Teachers: California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway Act of 2017

SUMMARY

This bill establishes the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway to recruit, train, support, and retain qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics and science teachers in California. The bill also includes an unspecified and ongoing appropriation, beginning in 2017-18, for allocation to the California Center on Teaching Careers (Cal-Teach) to support the purposes of the bill.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Appropriates $5 million Proposition 98 General Fund in 2016-17 for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to contract with a local educational agency (LEA) to establish Cal-Teach. Cal-Teach prioritizes its efforts to recruit (1) teachers possessing, or candidates interested in possessing, education specialist credentials, single subject teaching credentials in science or mathematics, or teaching in the area of bilingual education, and (2) candidates into schools in which over 85 percent of the student body is eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
2. Continues implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula, which permanently consolidated the vast majority of categorical programs, including the Professional Development Block Grant which supported professional development activities such as teacher recruitment and retention incentives, along with revenue limit apportionments, into a single source of funding. The statutory and programmatic requirements for almost all of these categorical programs were eliminated, leaving any previously required services at the discretion of local educational agencies.
3. Authorizes the CTC to issue intern credentials as an alternate route to earning a teaching credential. This credential is valid for two years and authorizes the holder to teach in a self-contained classroom while completing their teacher preparation course work. Approved intern programs are sponsored by colleges, universities, school districts, or county offices of education. To qualify, an individual must possess a bachelor’s degree, satisfy the basic skills requirements, meet subject matter competence, and obtain character and identification clearance. University intern programs are cooperative teaching, counseling, school psychology, and administrative programs between a university and an employing school district that are administered by the university. District intern programs are for teachers only and are administered by employing school districts whose programs may or may not involve university course work. Completion of an intern program results in the issuance of a preliminary or clear credential.

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway to recruit, train, support, and retain qualified STEM professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics and science teachers in California. Specifically, this bill:

1. Makes various findings and declarations regarding the shortage of qualified STEM teachers in California.
2. Provides that the activities associated with the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway may include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   1. Developing and distributing statewide recruitment materials encouraging interested STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in mathematics and science.
   2. Conducting outreach to interested STEM professionals, including military veterans, to recruit them to second careers as teachers in mathematics and science.
   3. Developing partnerships with the STEM business and industry community to support the recruitment of retiring STEM professionals as tutors, supporting educators, and credentialed teachers, and establishing a public-private partnership that builds a STEM teacher pipeline.
   4. Providing information to STEM professionals regarding the requirements for obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics and science and how to complete those steps, applying to teacher preparation programs, and accessing financial aid.
   5. Creating California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway fellowships to assist program participants in the transition into the teaching profession and the completion of the requirements to obtain a teaching credential.
   6. Placing STEM professionals interested in teaching in instructional roles in school and out of school in order for them to support STEM learning and motivation among pupils in grades K-12, inclusive.
   7. Establishing agreements with teacher credentialing programs to facilitate rapid achievement of teaching credentials by STEM professionals and placement of participants in high-need schools for professional preparation and subsequent employment.
   8. Supporting STEM professionals in experiences leading to STEM teacher leadership, including, but not limited to, obtaining additional teaching authorizations in a STEM discipline and participating in research internships at STEM laboratories.
   9. Providing ongoing support and professional development for California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway participants as classroom teachers to foster high rates of retention and teacher leadership.
   10. Conducting the annual evaluation of the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway, as specified.
3. Appropriates an unspecified and ongoing amount of Proposition 98 General Fund, beginning in 2017-18, to the California Department of Education (CDE) for allocation to Cal-Teach, as specified, for the purposes of the bill.
4. Requires the CDE to submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor by May 1 of each year, beginning May 1, 2019, documenting the impacts of this measure, including participation in the California STEM Professional Teaching Pathway and annual job placement data for new mathematics and science teachers.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “the shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers in California has reached a critical level that threatens the future workforce and economic well-being of the state. The projected shortage of 33,000 teachers in mathematics and science over the next decade cannot be met with current approaches to recruitment and preparation. Education experts agree that STEM professionals bring unique expertise to the classroom with their capacity to address the engineering focus within the state’s new science standards, advance computer sciences instruction, and connects academics and careers. STEM professionals in structured teaching pathways are retained in teaching positions at high rates, resulting in a cost-effective solution for addressing STEM teacher shortages.”

This measure is intended to recruit, select, develop and support STEM professionals who wish to become mathematics and science teachers in California.

1. Learning Policy Institute (LPI) report. The LPI’s 2016 report, “Addressing California’s Emerging Teacher Shortage: An Analysis of Sources and Solutions” 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 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.
   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.

The Learning Policy Institute (LPI) report offered several policy recommendations for consideration. These recommendations include the reinstatement of the California Center on Teaching Careers and the establishment of incentives to attract diverse, talented individuals to teach in high-need locations and fields. This can be accomplished through programs that provide funding for candidates who prepare and teach in such schools and subject areas, e.g. the Assumption Program of Loans for Education. The report also recommends the creation of more innovative pipelines into teaching, such as high school career pathways or teacher preparation models that encourage and support young people and others to go into teaching in their own communities.

1. Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) assessment. As part of the Proposition 98 Education Analysis for the 2016-17 Governor’s Budget released in February 2016, the LAO included a section on teacher workforce trends in which it examined evidence for teacher shortages in specific areas, identified and assessed past policy responses to these shortages, and raised issues for the Legislature to consider going forward in terms of new policy responses. In the report, the LAO indicated 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 noted there are perennial staffing difficulties in specific areas, such as special education, math, and science, for which they encouraged the Legislature to address with narrowly tailored policies rather than with broad statewide policies. Specifically, they recommended the Legislature “consider outreach to re-engage former teachers or recruit out-of-state teachers. Both of these strategies are among the most cost-effective for increasing the supply of teachers within California in the short-term. If the state were to spend one-time funds on outreach, we encourage it to focus specifically on recruiting individuals who are trained to teach in perennial shortage areas. Outreach can attract viable teachers much faster and at a lower cost than many other shortage policies.”
2. Programs funded in the 2016-17 Budget. To help address the state’s current teacher shortage, the Governor and Legislature funded the following proposals in the 2016 budget:
   1. Classified School Employees Credentialing Program: $20 million in one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for grants to local educational agencies to provide opportunities for classified school employees to pursue a teaching credential.

• 1. Integrated Teacher Preparation Grant Program: $10 million in one-time non-Proposition 98 General Fund for grants to post-secondary institutions for the creation or expansion of four-year integrated teacher preparation programs. The funding is designed to increase the number of students who receive their bachelor’s degree and teaching credential concurrently within a four-year program.
  2. Cal-Teach: $5 million in one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for the CTC to contract with an local educational agency (LEA) to recruit additional teachers into the profession, including new teachers, former teachers, and teachers from out of state. The recruitment efforts will particularly focus on recruiting individuals in shortage areas of math, science, special education, and bilingual education.

1. Similar to Broader Cal-Teach Initiative. As mentioned above, the 2016 budget included $5 million for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to contract with an LEA to establish Cal-Teach. This grant was awarded to the Tulare County Office of Education and will be used to recruit individuals into the teaching profession. In addition to having a strong online presence, Tulare County will also establish six collaborating regional centers at county offices of education across the state. As this bill is intended to recruit and support STEM professionals who wish to become classroom teachers, the Committee may wish to consider whether Cal-Teach may already be able to do this as part of its current responsibilities, which in part include recruiting science and mathematics teachers.
2. Technical amendments. If it is the desire of the Committee to pass this measure, staff recommends that (1) the bill’s appropriation be amended to provide that the unspecified amount be appropriated to the CTC for allocation to an LEA, subject to a new competitive grant process, and (2) the bill’s reporting requirement documenting the impacts of the measure be amended to be incorporated within the CTC’s evaluation of Cal-Teach, due to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, and the Department of Finance by January 1, 2020.
3. Related legislation.

SB 533 (Portantino) is a spot measure specifying the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to teacher credentialing. SB 533 is pending referral in the Senate Rules Committee.

SB 577 (Dodd) authorizes a community college district to offer a teacher credentialing program of professional preparation. This measure is scheduled to be heard by this Committee on April 5, 2017.

SB 807 (Stern and Galgiani) authorizes a state personal income tax credit for costs paid or incurred to earn a teaching credential and for specified educational work by eligible teachers for the taxable years beginning January 1, 2017, through January 1, 2027. This measure is currently pending before the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.

1. Prior Legislation.

SB 62 (Pavley, 2016) proposed to make various programmatic changes and issues additional warrants for the existing Assumption Program of Loans for Education. This measure passed this Committee on April 6, 2015, and was subsequently gutted and amended to deal with the Public Utilities Commission.

SB 933 (Allen, 2016) proposed to create a California Teacher Corps program that would provide matching grants to local school districts to create or expand teacher residency programs while funding the teacher credentialing process for recruited candidates. This measure passed this Committee on March 28, 2016, and was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SUPPORT

American Association of University Women—California

Caliber Schools

California Catholic Conference

California Chamber of Commerce

Computing Technology Industry Association

EdVoice

Encorps (sponsor)

Hoover School, Redwood City School District

Leadership Public Schools—Hayward

Sacramento Municipal Utility District

San Joaquin County Office of Education

Santa Clara Unified School District

STEM Academy of Hollywood

Teachers College of San Joaquin

TechNet

USC Schwarzenegger Institute

OPPOSITION

None received.

-- END --