Existing law, the Early Education Act, among other things, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer all California state preschool programs. Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing, among other things, service in the care, development, and instruction of children in childcare and development programs, as specified. Existing law additionally requires the commission to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the periods of duration of the above-mentioned permit.

This bill would, on or before April 30, 2025, require the commission to, by rule or regulation, authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permitholder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as provided.

Existing law, the Early Education Act, among other things, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer all California state preschool programs. Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing, among other things, service in the care, development, and instruction of children in childcare and development programs, as specified. Existing law additionally requires the commission to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the periods of duration of the above-mentioned permit.

This bill would, on or before April 30, 2025, require the commission to, by rule or regulation, authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permitholder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as provided.

Existing law, the Early Education Act, among other things, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer all California state preschool programs. Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing, among other things, service in the care, development, and instruction of children in childcare and development programs, as specified. Existing law additionally requires the commission to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the periods of duration of the above-mentioned permit.

This bill would, on or before April 30, 2025, require the commission to, by rule or regulation, authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permitholder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as provided.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing, among other things, service in the care, development, and instruction of children in childcare and development programs, as specified. Existing law additionally requires the commission to, by rule or regulation, establish requirements for the periods of duration of the above-mentioned permit.

This bill would, on or before April 30, 2025, require the commission to, by rule or regulation, authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permitholder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as provided.

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 1930

Author:(Reyes)

As Amended Ver:May 16, 2024

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit authorized to serve in a California State Preschool Program (CSPP) to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities.

Senate Amendments

1. Mirror this requirement in the Welfare and Institutions Code so that it would also apply to childcare and development programs administered by the Department of Social Services (DSS).

COMMENTS

Status of existing ECE workforce. In California, women of color make up about two-thirds of the early childhood education (ECE) workforce, largely mirroring the racial and ethnic backgrounds of the children and families they serve. Despite the crucial role early educators play in young children's development, the field has always struggled with poor compensation and inadequate support (McLean, 2021). Educators from the various racial and ethnic backgrounds are not represented equitably across job roles relative to their population within the workforce. Black educators are overrepresented among family childcare providers, and in center director positions, Latina educators are underrepresented and White educators overrepresented. (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, 2024)

Providing support for further education of CSPP teachers. It has been suggested by some that denying the Associate Teacher permit renewal after 10 years would lead those teachers to increase their qualifications through additional education in order to qualify as a Lead Teacher. However, it is recognized that financial support for ECE workers is essential in order to increase the qualifications of the workforce. The 2018 National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) report on building a qualified workforce notes:

"ECE workers pursuing additional education face significant barriers, perhaps the greatest being the cost of higher education. Because ECE workers typically earn poverty-level wages, they likely must work while attending classes. This may pose scheduling challenges and impede their ability to take out student loans. Also, some current ECE workers are "nontraditional students" and require remedial education and other supports, including English language support and academic and career counseling from a counselor familiar with the ECE field. In addition, variations in standards and training requirements among providers, programs and states pose challenges for ECE workers moving or changing employers."

According to the Author

"AB 1930 addresses staffing shortages in early learning and care programs, by removing restrictions on Child Development Associate Teacher permit renewals. Associate Teachers provide important support in classrooms and critical care for our children. For many, they are not seeking a higher position. However, the Associate Teacher Permit can only be renewed once after five years, and permit holders must progress to a Child Development Teacher Permit within ten years or lose their permit. It is the only permit that restricts individuals to one renewal, and this means that these individuals can work for a maximum of ten years as Associate Teachers and then must either meet the requirements for a Teacher Permit, leave their position, or leave the field altogether. For some experienced Associate Teacher Permit holders, this forces a change they are not seeking. Some may choose not to pursue another permit level. For providers, it results in the loss of experienced valuable staff. AB 1930 requires that the CTC authorize Child Development Associate Permit holders to renew their permits without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes professional development and early childhood education unit requirements."

Arguments in Support

Head Start California writes, "AB 1930 will direct the CTC to remove the restriction on renewal of the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit so that individuals who choose to do so can renew the permit and remain in their Associate Teacher positions. This measure will improve access to early childhood programs and support individuals in their positions providing instructional support to our youngest learners.

The Child Development Associate Teacher permit is issued for five years and is only renewable once by completing at least 15 semester units towards the Child Development Teacher Permit. Associate Teacher Permit holders must meet the requirements for the Child Development Teacher Permit during that time period. If these requirements are not met, the Associate Teacher permit expires, and therefore, qualified Associate Teacher permit holders in programs who could be providing instructional support at an Associate Teacher level, are not able to maintain their associate teacher permit positions.

This bill would, on or before April 30, 2025, require the CTC to, by rule or regulation, authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as provided. This bill would support providers ability to retain experienced and valuable staff to serve children."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs. 

VOTES:

ASM EDUCATION: 7-0-0

YES: Muratsuchi, Addis, Alvarez, Bonta, Flora, Hoover, McCarty

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 14-0-1

YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Dixon, Mike Fong, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Jim Patterson, Pellerin, Ta, Villapudua

ABS, ABST OR NV: Wendy Carrillo

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 72-0-8

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas

ABS, ABST OR NV: Arambula, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Cervantes, Megan Dahle, Essayli, Mathis

SENATE FLOOR: 40-0-0

YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Caballero, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

UPDATED

VERSION: May 16, 2024

CONSULTANT: Debbie Look / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0004919

 THIRD READING 

Bill No: AB 1930

Author: Reyes (D), et al.

Amended: 5/16/24 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/29/24

AYES: Newman, Ochoa Bogh, Cortese, Glazer, Gonzalez, Smallwood-Cuevas, Wilk

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 7/1/24

AYES: Alvarado-Gil, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Limón, Menjivar

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 72-0, 4/18/24 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Teaching credentials: Child Development Associate Teacher Permit: renewal

SOURCE: California County Superintendents

Child Care Resource Center

EveryChild California

Head Start California

Kidango

Los Angeles County Office of Education

Santa Clara County Office of Education

DIGEST:

This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires the CTC to, by rule or regulation, establish the requirements for the following:
   
   1. The issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing service in the care, development, and instruction of children in child care and development programs, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
      
   2. The issuance and renewal of permits authorizing supervision of a child care and development program, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
      
   3. The periods of duration of the permits. (Education Code § 8301)
      
2. Requires each applicant for a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to meet one of the following:
   
   1. Completion of the Child Development Associate Credential.
      
   2. Completion of equivalent training approved by the CTC (may include traditional coursework taken through a regionally accredited institution of higher education and CTC-approved alternative education programs).
      
   3. All of the following:
      1. Completion of a minimum of 12 semester units of coursework in early childhood education/child development, including at least one course in each of the following core areas: child/human growth and development; child, family and community, or child and family relations; programs/curriculum; and,
         
      2. Fifty days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least three hours per day within the last two years. (California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 5, § 80111)
         
3. Authorizes a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to be renewed only once, and to be held for a total of ten years. Existing law provides that upon expiration of the renewed Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, the applicant must qualify for the Child Development Teacher Permit (which requires additional coursework). (5 CCR § 80111)
   
4. Requires an applicant, in order to renew the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, to have completed at least 15 semester units toward the Child Development Teacher Permit. (5 CCR § 80111)
   
5. Authorizes the holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to provide service in the care, development, and instruction of children in a child care and development program, and supervise a Child Development Assistant Permit holder and an aide. (5 CCR § 80111)

This bill requires the CTC, on or before April 30, 2025, to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as determined by the CTC.

Comments

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “AB 1930 addresses staffing shortages in early learning and care programs, by removing restrictions on Child Development Associate Teacher permit renewals. Associate Teachers provide important support in classrooms and critical care for our children. For many, they are not seeking a higher position. However, the Associate Teacher Permit can only be renewed once after five years, and permit holders must progress to a Child Development Teacher Permit within ten years or lose their permit. It is the only permit that restricts individuals to one renewal, and this means that these individuals can work for a maximum of ten years as Associate Teachers and then must either meet the requirements for a Teacher Permit, leave their position, or leave the field altogether. For some experienced Associate Teacher Permit holders, this forces a change they are not seeking. Some may choose not to pursue another permit level. For providers, it results in the loss of experienced valuable staff. AB 1930 requires that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing authorize Child Development Associate Permit holders to renew their permits without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes professional development and early childhood education unit requirements.”
   
2. Child development permit matrix. (See below):

Source: CTC, September, 2021

As noted in the Assembly Education Committee analysis of this bill, according to the CTC, “The Child Development Permit Matrix dates from the early 1990’s and has not been updated since that time. Although recommendations were made in 2017 by an advisory panel of ECE content experts to update the Permit Matrix, these recommendations were temporarily tabled by the Commission for a variety of reasons, including the potential effect on ECE teacher supply and on the ability of employers to staff ECE programs; the potential effect on compensation for these positions; the desire of some in the field to strengthen requirements who felt these recommendations may not go far enough; and the pending direction from the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, which at that time was being conceptualized although work on the plan itself had not yet begun. Given the complexity of these factors, the Commission temporarily tabled the recommendations in 2017 while moving forward with building out and reviewing with stakeholders new ECE Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) and the new ECE Program Guidelines. The Commission adopted the ECE TPEs and the ECE Program Guidelines in 2019 as development of the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care was launched, and subsequently published in December 2020.”

1. Master Plan and advisory recommendations. The Master Plan for Early Learning and Care recommends, among other things, that the Child Development Permit Matrix be updated to link to “the reimbursement rate model that provides incentives for competency advancement and supports a career lattice that allows for multiple entry points and pathways to encourage diverse candidates to enter and advance in the profession.” The Master Plan does not include recommendations specifically related to the Associate Teacher permit. https://californiaforallkids.chhs.ca.gov/assets/pdfs/Master%20Plan%20for%20Early%20Learning%20and%20Care%20-%20Making%20California%20For%20All%20Kids%20(English).pdf

The Child Development Permit Advisory Panel’s 2017 recommendations included revising the Child Development Permit Matrix to remove the limit on the number of times the Associate Teacher Permit can be renewed.

In August 2023, the CTC approved a plan for a workgroup of Early Childhood Education experts to build on recommendations provided to the CTC by the Child Development Permit Advisory Panel in 2017 and make further recommendations to the CTC on the structure and requirements of the Child Development Permit in alignment with the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and current needs in the field. The workgroup began meeting in August 2023 and held its last meeting in June 2024. The workgroup’s recommendations will be presented to the CTC during the CTC’s August 2024 meeting. The most recent information about the workgroup’s recommendations was presented to the CTC in April 2024 and can be found at this link: https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/commission/agendas/2024-04/2024-04-3a.pdf?sfvrsn=606e3db1_3

1. Why limit the Associate Teacher Permit? Existing law authorizes a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to be renewed only once, and to be held for a total of ten years. Existing law provides that upon expiration of the renewed Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, the applicant must qualify for the Child Development Teacher Permit (which requires additional coursework).
   
   The limitation on the duration and renewal of the Associate Teacher Permit was put into place presumably to encourage employees working under the Associate Teacher Permit to advance to the Teacher Permit, and presumably under the guise of increasing program quality. Holders of the Associate Teacher Permit would need an additional 12 units in early education/child development as well as 16 units in general education.
   
   As noted in the Assembly Education Committee analysis of this bill, the 2018 National Council of State Legislatures report on building a qualified workforce notes: “ECE workers pursuing additional education face significant barriers, perhaps the greatest being the cost of higher education. Because ECE workers typically earn poverty-level wages, they likely must work while attending classes. This may pose scheduling challenges and impede their ability to take out student loans. Also, some current ECE workers are “nontraditional students” and require remedial education and other supports, including English language support and academic and career counseling from a counselor familiar with the ECE field. In addition, variations in standards and training requirements among providers, programs and states pose challenges for ECE workers moving or changing employers.”
   
   As noted in the Senate Human Services Committee analysis of this bill, according to data from the California Early Care and Education Workforce Registry, between 2019 and 2023, nearly 1,019 Associate Teacher permits were not able to be renewed and permanently expired. In 2024, nearly 340 Associate Teacher permits will permanently expire.

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

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/5/24)

California County Superintendents (co-source)
Child Care Resource Center (co-source)
EveryChild California (co-source)
Head Start California (co-source)
Kidango (co-source)
Los Angeles County Office of Education (co-source)
Santa Clara County Office of Education (co-source)
Office of Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis
Alameda County Office of Education
All for Kids
American Red Cross California Chapter
Association of California School Administrators
California Association for The Education of Young Children
California Charter Schools Association
California Head Start Association
California Teachers Association
CFT- a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO
Child Action, Inc.
Children's Bureau of Southern California
City and County of San Francisco
Community Action Marin
County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
Early Care and Education Consortium
Early Edge California
Every Child California
First 5 San Bernardino
Inland Empire Chapter of the California Association for the Education of Young

Children
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Los Angeles Unified School District
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools
San Francisco Department of Early Childhood
San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council
School Employers Association of California
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Small School Districts Association
Thriving Families California
Unite-LA
YMCA of San Diego County

1 individual

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/5/24)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 72-0, 4/18/24

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Cervantes, Megan Dahle, Essayli, Mathis

Prepared by: Lynn Lorber / ED. / (916) 651-4105

8/9/24 16:43:23

**** END ****

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AB 1930

Author: Reyes (D), et al.

Amended: 5/16/24 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/29/24

AYES: Newman, Ochoa Bogh, Cortese, Glazer, Gonzalez, Smallwood-Cuevas, Wilk

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 7/1/24

AYES: Alvarado-Gil, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Limón, Menjivar

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 72-0, 4/18/24 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Teaching credentials: Child Development Associate Teacher Permit: renewal

SOURCE: California County Superintendents

Child Care Resource Center

EveryChild California

Head Start California

Kidango

Los Angeles County Office of Education

Santa Clara County Office of Education

DIGEST:

This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires the CTC to, by rule or regulation, establish the requirements for the following:
   
   1. The issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing service in the care, development, and instruction of children in child care and development programs, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
      
   2. The issuance and renewal of permits authorizing supervision of a child care and development program, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
      
   3. The periods of duration of the permits. (Education Code § 8301)
      
2. Requires each applicant for a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to meet one of the following:
   
   1. Completion of the Child Development Associate Credential.
      
   2. Completion of equivalent training approved by the CTC (may include traditional coursework taken through a regionally accredited institution of higher education and CTC-approved alternative education programs).
      
   3. All of the following:
      1. Completion of a minimum of 12 semester units of coursework in early childhood education/child development, including at least one course in each of the following core areas: child/human growth and development; child, family and community, or child and family relations; programs/curriculum; and,
         
      2. Fifty days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least three hours per day within the last two years. (California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 5, § 80111)
         
3. Authorizes a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to be renewed only once, and to be held for a total of ten years. Existing law provides that upon expiration of the renewed Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, the applicant must qualify for the Child Development Teacher Permit (which requires additional coursework). (5 CCR § 80111)
   
4. Requires an applicant, in order to renew the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, to have completed at least 15 semester units toward the Child Development Teacher Permit. (5 CCR § 80111)
   
5. Authorizes the holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to provide service in the care, development, and instruction of children in a child care and development program, and supervise a Child Development Assistant Permit holder and an aide. (5 CCR § 80111)

This bill requires the CTC, on or before April 30, 2025, to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as determined by the CTC.

Comments

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “AB 1930 addresses staffing shortages in early learning and care programs, by removing restrictions on Child Development Associate Teacher permit renewals. Associate Teachers provide important support in classrooms and critical care for our children. For many, they are not seeking a higher position. However, the Associate Teacher Permit can only be renewed once after five years, and permit holders must progress to a Child Development Teacher Permit within ten years or lose their permit. It is the only permit that restricts individuals to one renewal, and this means that these individuals can work for a maximum of ten years as Associate Teachers and then must either meet the requirements for a Teacher Permit, leave their position, or leave the field altogether. For some experienced Associate Teacher Permit holders, this forces a change they are not seeking. Some may choose not to pursue another permit level. For providers, it results in the loss of experienced valuable staff. AB 1930 requires that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing authorize Child Development Associate Permit holders to renew their permits without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes professional development and early childhood education unit requirements.”
   
2. Child development permit matrix. (See below):

Source: CTC, September, 2021

As noted in the Assembly Education Committee analysis of this bill, according to the CTC, “The Child Development Permit Matrix dates from the early 1990’s and has not been updated since that time. Although recommendations were made in 2017 by an advisory panel of ECE content experts to update the Permit Matrix, these recommendations were temporarily tabled by the Commission for a variety of reasons, including the potential effect on ECE teacher supply and on the ability of employers to staff ECE programs; the potential effect on compensation for these positions; the desire of some in the field to strengthen requirements who felt these recommendations may not go far enough; and the pending direction from the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, which at that time was being conceptualized although work on the plan itself had not yet begun. Given the complexity of these factors, the Commission temporarily tabled the recommendations in 2017 while moving forward with building out and reviewing with stakeholders new ECE Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) and the new ECE Program Guidelines. The Commission adopted the ECE TPEs and the ECE Program Guidelines in 2019 as development of the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care was launched, and subsequently published in December 2020.”

1. Master Plan and advisory recommendations. The Master Plan for Early Learning and Care recommends, among other things, that the Child Development Permit Matrix be updated to link to “the reimbursement rate model that provides incentives for competency advancement and supports a career lattice that allows for multiple entry points and pathways to encourage diverse candidates to enter and advance in the profession.” The Master Plan does not include recommendations specifically related to the Associate Teacher permit. https://californiaforallkids.chhs.ca.gov/assets/pdfs/Master%20Plan%20for%20Early%20Learning%20and%20Care%20-%20Making%20California%20For%20All%20Kids%20(English).pdf

The Child Development Permit Advisory Panel’s 2017 recommendations included revising the Child Development Permit Matrix to remove the limit on the number of times the Associate Teacher Permit can be renewed.

In August 2023, the CTC approved a plan for a workgroup of Early Childhood Education experts to build on recommendations provided to the CTC by the Child Development Permit Advisory Panel in 2017 and make further recommendations to the CTC on the structure and requirements of the Child Development Permit in alignment with the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and current needs in the field. The workgroup began meeting in August 2023 and held its last meeting in June 2024. The workgroup’s recommendations will be presented to the CTC during the CTC’s August 2024 meeting. The most recent information about the workgroup’s recommendations was presented to the CTC in April 2024 and can be found at this link: https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/commission/agendas/2024-04/2024-04-3a.pdf?sfvrsn=606e3db1_3

1. Why limit the Associate Teacher Permit? Existing law authorizes a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to be renewed only once, and to be held for a total of ten years. Existing law provides that upon expiration of the renewed Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, the applicant must qualify for the Child Development Teacher Permit (which requires additional coursework).
   
   The limitation on the duration and renewal of the Associate Teacher Permit was put into place presumably to encourage employees working under the Associate Teacher Permit to advance to the Teacher Permit, and presumably under the guise of increasing program quality. Holders of the Associate Teacher Permit would need an additional 12 units in early education/child development as well as 16 units in general education.
   
   As noted in the Assembly Education Committee analysis of this bill, the 2018 National Council of State Legislatures report on building a qualified workforce notes: “ECE workers pursuing additional education face significant barriers, perhaps the greatest being the cost of higher education. Because ECE workers typically earn poverty-level wages, they likely must work while attending classes. This may pose scheduling challenges and impede their ability to take out student loans. Also, some current ECE workers are “nontraditional students” and require remedial education and other supports, including English language support and academic and career counseling from a counselor familiar with the ECE field. In addition, variations in standards and training requirements among providers, programs and states pose challenges for ECE workers moving or changing employers.”
   
   As noted in the Senate Human Services Committee analysis of this bill, according to data from the California Early Care and Education Workforce Registry, between 2019 and 2023, nearly 1,019 Associate Teacher permits were not able to be renewed and permanently expired. In 2024, nearly 340 Associate Teacher permits will permanently expire.

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

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/5/24)

California County Superintendents (co-source)
Child Care Resource Center (co-source)
EveryChild California (co-source)
Head Start California (co-source)
Kidango (co-source)
Los Angeles County Office of Education (co-source)
Santa Clara County Office of Education (co-source)
Office of Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis
Alameda County Office of Education
All for Kids
American Red Cross California Chapter
Association of California School Administrators
California Association for The Education of Young Children
California Charter Schools Association
California Head Start Association
California Teachers Association
CFT- a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO
Child Action, Inc.
Children's Bureau of Southern California
City and County of San Francisco
Community Action Marin
County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
Early Care and Education Consortium
Early Edge California
Every Child California
First 5 San Bernardino
Inland Empire Chapter of the California Association for the Education of Young

Children
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Los Angeles Unified School District
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools
San Francisco Department of Early Childhood
San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council
School Employers Association of California
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Small School Districts Association
Thriving Families California
Unite-LA
YMCA of San Diego County

1 individual

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/5/24)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 72-0, 4/18/24

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Cervantes, Megan Dahle, Essayli, Mathis

Prepared by: Lynn Lorber / ED. / (916) 651-4105

8/6/24 16:10:40

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Alvarado-Gil, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Subject: Teaching credentials: Child Development Associate Teacher Permit: renewal

SUMMARY

This bill would require the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), on or before April 30, 2025, to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as determined by the CTC.

ABSTRACT

Existing Law:

1. Establishes the CTC. (Education Code [EDC] 44210 et seq.)
2. Requires the CTC to, by rule or regulation, establish the requirements for the following:
   1. The issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing service in the care, development, and instruction of children in child care and development programs, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
   2. The issuance and renewal of permits authorizing supervision of a child care and development program, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
   3. The periods of duration of the permits. (EDC 8301; WIC 10383)
3. Requires each applicant for a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to meet one of the following:
   1. All of the following:
      1. Completion of a minimum of 12 semester units of coursework in early childhood education/child development including at least one course in each of the following core areas: child/human growth and development; child, family and community, or child and family relations; programs/curriculum; and
      2. Fifty days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least three hours per day within the last two years.
   2. Completion of the Child Development Associate Credential
   3. Completion of equivalent training approved by the CTC. Equivalent training may include traditional coursework taken through a regionally accredited institution of higher education and CTC approved alternative education programs. (5 CCR 80111(a))
4. Provides that a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit shall only be renewed once, and may only be held for a total of ten years. Requires a permit renewal applicant to have completed at least 15 semester units toward the Child Development Teacher Permit. Provides that, upon expiration of the renewed Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, the applicant must meet all requirements for the Child Development Teacher Permit. (5 CCR 80111(c))
5. Provides that a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit authorizes the holder to provide service in the care, development, and instruction of children in a child care and development program, and supervise a Child Development Assistant Permit holder and an aide. (5 CCR 80111(d))
6. To be a fully qualified teacher, requires an individual to have one of the following:
   1. Completed 12 postsecondary semester or equivalent quarter units in early childhood education or child development, as specified, with passing grades, at an accredited or approved college or university; and at least six months of work experience in a licensed child care center or comparable group child care program, as specified.
   2. A current and valid Child Development Associate credential with the appropriate age-level endorsement issued by the National Credentialing Program of the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition, as specified; and at least six months of on-the-job training and/or work experience in a licensed child care center or comparable group child care program, as specified.
   3. One of the following Child Development Permits issued by the CTC:
      1. Child Development Associate Teacher Permit; or
      2. Child Development Teacher Permit; or
      3. Child Development Master Teacher Permit. (5 CCR 101216.1)

This Bill:

1. Requires the CTC to, on or before April 30, 2025, by rule or regulation, authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as determined by the CTC.

FISCAL IMPACT

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee analysis, “Minor and absorbable costs to CTC to update rules or regulations to comply with this bill’s requirements.”

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

Purpose of the Bill:

According to the author, “AB 1930 addresses staffing shortages in early learning and care programs, by removing restrictions on Child Development Associate Teacher permit renewals. Associate Teachers provide important support in classrooms and critical care for our children. For many, they are not seeking a higher position. However, the Associate Teacher Permit can only be renewed once after five years, and permit holders must progress to a Child Development Teacher Permit within ten years or lose their permit. It is the only permit that restricts individuals to one renewal, and this means that these individuals can work for a maximum of ten years as Associate Teachers and then must either meet the requirements for a Teacher Permit, leave their position, or leave the field altogether. For some experienced Associate Teacher Permit holders, this forces a change they are not seeking. Some may choose not to pursue another permit level. For providers, it results in the loss of experienced valuable staff. AB 1930 requires that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing authorize Child Development Associate Permit holders to renew their permits without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes professional development and early childhood education unit requirements.”

Child Development Permit Matrix

The Child Development Permit Matrix serves as a foundational reference for early childhood education teacher licensing requirements. The permit matrix has six levels: 1) Assistant, 2) Associate Teacher, 3) Teacher, 4) Master Teacher, 5) Site Supervisor, and 6) Program Director. Each permit level includes requirements for education, experience, and alternative qualifications. Each level also specifies what authorization the permit holder has, and requirements for renewal of the permit at the five-year mark.

The permit matrix was established in 1993 and has only been updated once, in 2002, when the School Age Emphasis was added for holders serving children up to age 14 in before and after school programs. A Child Development Permit Advisory Panel of early childhood education content experts met from 2015 to 2017 to review and make recommendations to update the permit matrix. Eliminating the limit on the number of times the Associate Teacher permit can be renewed was among the advisory panel’s recommendations^[1]. However, the advisory panel recommendations were tabled by the CTC. In August 2023, the CTC established a Child Development Permit Workgroup to reexamine the permit matrix after the release of the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and the Department of Education’s Pre-Kindergarten initiatives. The workgroup held its final meeting on June 12, 2024, and workgroup recommendations are expected to be released this summer.

This bill would require the CTC to remove the limitation on the number of renewals for the Associate Teacher permit, consistent with the Child Development Permit Advisory Panel recommendations.

Associate Teacher and Teacher Permits

To earn an Associate Teacher level permit, an applicant must have 12 units of early childhood education or child development, including core courses; and 50 days of experience, with more than three hours per day, within a two-year period. Alternatively, an applicant is eligible if they hold a Child Development Associate Credential, which is a nationally transferrable credential. Associate Teacher permit holders are authorized to provide instruction and supervise Assistant level permit holders. Additionally, Associate Teachers are considered “fully qualified teachers” under Title 22 regulations for purposes of teacher-to-child ratios.

The Associate Teacher permit is the only permit among the child development permits that is limited to one renewal for a total of 10 years (two five-year periods). In addition, regulations require Associate Teacher permit holders to demonstrate advancement toward the Teacher level permit in order to renew, and require holders who have already renewed the Associate Teacher permit once to qualify for the Teacher level permit upon the end of the 10-year maximum holding period. This proof of advancement requirement is also unique to the Associate Teacher level.

To earn a Teacher level permit, an applicant must have 24 units of early childhood education or child development, including core courses and 16 general education units; and 175 days of experience, with more than three hours per day, within a four-year period. Alternatively, an applicant is eligible if they hold an Associate’s degree or higher in early childhood education, with three semester units of supervised field experience in an early childhood education setting. Teacher level permit holders are authorized to provide instruction and supervise Assistant and Associate level permit holders. After five years, a Teacher permit holder must complete 105 hours of professional growth to renew their permit.

According to stakeholders, some early childhood programs utilize Teacher permit holders as the classroom “lead” with Associate Teachers assisting them, while other programs utilize two Associate Teachers as “co-leads” in their classrooms. There are no requirements for a “lead” teacher in statute or regulations, and “lead” teacher is not defined in law.

According to the sponsors of this bill, there is little incentive to work one’s way up the Child Development Permit Matrix, and previous attempts to require higher education requirements for child care providers have failed. According to one advocate’s experience as a former early care and education administrator, pay differentials were no more than 50 cents between Associate Teacher and Teacher permit levels, despite the increased requirements of Teacher permit holders. This worked as a disincentive to advancement along the Child Development Permit Matrix.

This bill would require the CTC to authorize a holder of the Associate Teacher permit to renew their permit indefinitely if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities.

Related/Prior Legislation:

AB 1245 (McCarty, 2023) would have required a community college district to provide a fee waiver for students who are employed as a child care provider for courses related to early childhood education or courses offered in an approved educational program leading to an associate degree or an associate degree for transfer. This bill was held on the Assembly Appropriations suspense file.

COMMENTS

This bill would align the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit with other permits on the Child Development Permit Matrix by removing the limitation on the number of renewals and the requirement that an applicant must make progress toward the next permit level in order to renew. The limitation on the duration and renewal of the Associate Teacher permit was presumably established to encourage Associate Teachers to advance up the career ladder to become a Teacher. Associate Teachers may not have the support or resources, including time and money, to take an additional 28 units of coursework needed to become a Teacher permit holder. Others simply may not want to complete additional education requirements to maintain their employment in early childhood education programs. For early childhood programs, a limit on the number of Associate Teacher permit renewals results in the loss of experienced and valuable staff. Fewer staff results in lower program capacity, which contributes to the lack of availability for children and families.

According to the bill sponsors, Kidango has 27 Associate Teacher vacancies, with some positions open for over 200 days. Kidango has a waiting list of over 2,000 children in San Jose, and 1,200 in Hayward. The Santa Clara County Office of Education has been able to “earn” its contracts, meaning it has been unable to fill all available early childhood spaces, due to a lack of staff. Similarly, Child Care Resource Center has a waiting list of 18,000 children but is only at 66 percent of total enrollment due to lack of staff.

According to data from the California Early Care and Education Workforce Registry, between 2019 and 2023, nearly 1,019 Associate Teacher permits were not able to be renewed and permanently expired. In 2024, nearly 340 Associate Teacher permits will permanently expire.

PRIOR VOTES

POSITIONS

Support:

California County Superintendents (Co-Sponsor)

Child Care Resource Center (Co-Sponsor)

Every Child California (Co-Sponsor)

Head Start California (Co-Sponsor)
Kidango (Co-Sponsor)

Los Angeles County Office of Education (Co-Sponsor)
Alameda County Office of Education
Association of California School Administrators
California Charter Schools Association
California Head Start Association
Cft- a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, Aft, Afl-cio
Child Action, INC.
Children's Bureau of Southern California
Community Action Marin
County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
Early Care and Education Consortium
Early Edge California
Los Angeles Unified School District
Office of Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools (SANDABS)
Santa Clara County Office of Education
School Employers Association of California
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Small School Districts Association
YMCA of San Diego County

Oppose:

None

-- END --

1. https://cccece.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Child-Development-Permit-Revision-Spring-2016.pdf ↑

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Josh Newman, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: Hearing Date: May 29, 2024

Subject: .

NOTE: This bill has been referred to the Committees on Education and Rules. A "do pass" motion should include referral to the Committee on Rules.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Requires the CTC to, by rule or regulation, establish the requirements for the following:
   
   1. The issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing service in the care, development, and instruction of children in child care and development programs, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
      
   2. The issuance and renewal of permits authorizing supervision of a child care and development program, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose.
      
   3. The periods of duration of the permits. (Education Code § 8301)
      
2. Requires each applicant for a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to meet one of the following:
   
   1. Completion of the Child Development Associate Credential.
      
   2. Completion of equivalent training approved by the CTC (may include traditional coursework taken through a regionally accredited institution of higher education and CTC-approved alternative education programs).
      
   3. All of the following:
      
      1. Completion of a minimum of 12 semester units of coursework in early childhood education/child development, including at least one course in each of the following core areas: child/human growth and development; child, family and community, or child and family relations; programs/curriculum; and,
         
      2. Fifty days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least three hours per day within the last two years. (California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 5, § 80111)
         
3. Authorizes a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to be renewed only once, and to be held for a total of ten years. Existing law provides that upon expiration of the renewed Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, the applicant must qualify for the Child Development Teacher Permit (which requires additional coursework). (5 CCR § 80111)
   
4. Requires an applicant, in order to renew the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, to have completed at least 15 semester units toward the Child Development Teacher Permit. (5 CCR § 80111)
   
5. Authorizes the holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to provide service in the care, development, and instruction of children in a child care and development program, and supervise a Child Development Assistant Permit holder and an aide. (5 CCR § 80111)
   

ANALYSIS

This bill requires the CTC, on or before April 30, 2025, to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as determined by the CTC.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “AB 1930 addresses staffing shortages in early learning and care programs, by removing restrictions on Child Development Associate Teacher permit renewals. Associate Teachers provide important support in classrooms and critical care for our children. For many, they are not seeking a higher position. However, the Associate Teacher Permit can only be renewed once after five years, and permit holders must progress to a Child Development Teacher Permit within ten years or lose their permit. It is the only permit that restricts individuals to one renewal, and this means that these individuals can work for a maximum of ten years as Associate Teachers and then must either meet the requirements for a Teacher Permit, leave their position, or leave the field altogether. For some experienced Associate Teacher Permit holders, this forces a change they are not seeking. Some may choose not to pursue another permit level. For providers, it results in the loss of experienced valuable staff. AB 1930 requires that the Commission on Teacher Credentialing authorize Child Development Associate Permit holders to renew their permits without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes professional development and early childhood education unit requirements.”
   
   
2. Child development permit matrix.

Source: CTC, September, 2021

As noted in the Assembly Education Committee analysis of this bill, according to the CTC, “The Child Development Permit Matrix dates from the early 1990’s and has not been updated since that time. Although recommendations were made in 2017 by an advisory panel of ECE content experts to update the Permit Matrix, these recommendations were temporarily tabled by the Commission for a variety of reasons, including the potential effect on ECE teacher supply and on the ability of employers to staff ECE programs; the potential effect on compensation for these positions; the desire of some in the field to strengthen requirements who felt these recommendations may not go far enough; and the pending direction from the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, which at that time was being conceptualized although work on the plan itself had not yet begun. Given the complexity of these factors, the Commission temporarily tabled the recommendations in 2017 while moving forward with building out and reviewing with stakeholders new ECE Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) and the new ECE Program Guidelines. The Commission adopted the ECE TPEs and the ECE Program Guidelines in 2019 as development of the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care was launched, and subsequently published in December 2020.”

1. Master Plan and advisory recommendations. The Master Plan for Early Learning and Care recommends, among other things, that the Child Development Permit Matrix be updated to link to “the reimbursement rate model that provides incentives for competency advancement and supports a career lattice that allows for multiple entry points and pathways to encourage diverse candidates to enter and advance in the profession.” The Master Plan does not include recommendations specifically related to the Associate Teacher permit. https://californiaforallkids.chhs.ca.gov/assets/pdfs/Master%20Plan%20for%20Early%20Learning%20and%20Care%20-%20Making%20California%20For%20All%20Kids%20(English).pdf

The Child Development Permit Advisory Panel’s 2017 recommendations included revising the Child Development Permit Matrix to remove the limit on the number of times the Associate Teacher Permit can be renewed.

In August 2023, the CTC approved a plan for a workgroup of Early Childhood Education experts to build on recommendations provided to the CTC by the Child Development Permit Advisory Panel in 2017 and make further recommendations to the CTC on the structure and requirements of the Child Development Permit in alignment with the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and current needs in the field. The workgroup began meeting in August 2023 and is expected to conclude in June 2024. https://www.ctc.ca.gov/docs/default-source/commission/agendas/2024-04/2024-04-3a.pdf?sfvrsn=606e3db1_3

1. Why limit the Associate Teacher Permit? Existing law authorizes a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to be renewed only once, and to be held for a total of ten years. Existing law provides that upon expiration of the renewed Child Development Associate Teacher Permit, the applicant must qualify for the Child Development Teacher Permit (which requires additional coursework).
   
   The limitation on the duration and renewal of the Associate Teacher Permit was put into place presumably to encourage employees working under the Associate Teacher Permit to advance to the Teacher Permit, and presumably under the guise of increasing program quality. Holders of the Associate Teacher Permit would need an additional 12 units in early education/child development as well as 16 units in general education.
   
   Is it realistic to expect early learning employees to desire to take additional courses and desire to “move up” the career ladder, and is it realistic to expect employees to have access to the necessary coursework? Should the state expect early learning employees to take additional coursework or to give up their existing positions? Are early learning programs sufficiently staffed without experienced Associate Teachers? Should early learning programs be forced to demote or fire experienced Associate Teachers and then hire newer Associate Teachers who have less than 10 years of experience?
   
   As noted in the Assembly Education Committee analysis of this bill, the 2018 National Council of State Legislatures report on building a qualified workforce notes: “ECE workers pursuing additional education face significant barriers, perhaps the greatest being the cost of higher education. Because ECE workers typically earn poverty-level wages, they likely must work while attending classes. This may pose scheduling challenges and impede their ability to take out student loans. Also, some current ECE workers are “nontraditional students” and require remedial education and other supports, including English language support and academic and career counseling from a counselor familiar with the ECE field. In addition, variations in standards and training requirements among providers, programs and states pose challenges for ECE workers moving or changing employers.”
   
   The Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission’s (BRC) 2019 Final Report included recommendations regarding compensation and support of the ECE workforce, including the following:

• Achieve salary parity with TK-3 for those with comparable education and experience, with competitive benefit packages including health, paid time off, retirement, and other compensation; and
• Increases in compensation are required at all levels of qualification among the incumbent workforce. Standards for the ECE workforce cannot be increased until compensation levels are significantly raised.

The Assembly BRC report includes the following recommendations in this regard:

• As new qualifications are enacted, ensure that resources to support any education, training, and certification that may be required is available and accessible.
• Invest in strategies that compensate providers as they increase their professional development, such as student loan forgiveness, paid professional development time, and graduated wage increases above the base.
  

1. Fiscal impact. According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, this bill would impose minor and absorbable costs to CTC to update rules or regulations to comply with this bill’s requirements.

SUPPORT

California County Superintendents (Co-Sponsor)
Child Care Resource Center (Co-Sponsor)
EveryChild California (Co-Sponsor)
Head Start California (Co-Sponsor)
Kidango (Co-Sponsor)
Los Angeles County Office of Education (Co-Sponsor)
Santa Clara County Office of Education (Co-Sponsor)
American Red Cross California Chapter
Association of California School Administrators
California Charter Schools Association
California Federation of Teachers
Child Action, Inc.
Children's Bureau of Southern California
Early Care and Education Consortium
Early Edge California
Every Child California
Los Angeles Unified School District
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools
San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council
School Employers Association of California
Small School Districts Association
Thriving Families California
Unite-LA

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

Date of Hearing: April 10, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1930

Author:(Reyes) – As Introduced Ver:January 25, 2024

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

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), by April 30, 2025, to authorize a holder of a child development Associate Teacher permit to renew their permit without a limit on the number of renewals. The bill specifies the authorization shall be through rule or regulation and that the holder must complete the required hours of professional growth activities, as determined by CTC.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Minor and absorbable costs to CTC to update rules or regulations to comply with this bill’s requirements.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According Head Start California, a co-sponsor of the bill:

This measure will improve access to early childhood programs and support individuals in their positions providing instructional support to our youngest learners…This bill would support providers ability to retain experienced and valuable staff to serve children

1. Background. A “child development permit” authorizes an individual to provide services in the care, development, and instruction of children ages five and below at any state licensed center-based child care and development program. State law provides for six categories of child development permit. Each builds upon the other to authorize an individual to perform certain duties at child care centers—from assisting other teachers to directing multiple programs. To gain a permit, an individual must submit an application to CTC or to their local county office of education, pass a fingerprint clearance, pay applicable fees, provide transcripts, and provide verification of completion of certain training requirements.

One such permit is the Associate Teacher permit, which allows an individual to provide instruction and supervise the holder of an Assistant permit. To acquire an Associate Teacher permit, an individual must complete 12 units of training in early childhood development or child development and fulfill certain experience requirements. Unlike other permits, an Associate Teacher permit may only be renewed once after five years, then a person holding the permit must apply for a higher permit within ten years or lose their permit altogether.

According to the proponents of this bill, requiring holders of Associate Teacher permits to apply for a higher permit after one renewal is leading to Associate Teacher permit holders leaving their positions, or the field altogether, when their permits expire.

This bill directs CTC to remove limits on the number of times a holder of an Associate Teacher permit may renew their permit, but only if the permit holder completes professional growth activities.

CTC could remove these limits without the legislative direction provided by this bill. CTC has not taken a position on this bill.

Analysis Prepared by: Natasha Collins / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: March 20, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Al Muratsuchi, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1930 (

Author:Reyes) – As Introduced Ver:January 25, 2024

SUBJECT: Teaching credentials: Child Development Associate Teacher Permit: renewal

SUMMARY: Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher permit to renew their permit without a limit on the number of renewals, provided they complete the required hours of professional growth activities, as specified. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the CTC to authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher permit to renew their permit without a limit on the number of renewals, provided they complete the required hours of professional growth activities.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires the CTC to establish the requirements for the following:
2. The issuance and the renewal of permits authorizing service and supervision in the care, development, and instruction of children in childcare and development programs, as well as the issuance of emergency permits for this purpose; and
3. The periods of duration of the permits. (Education Code (EC) 8301)
4. Requires applicants for a Child Development Permit of any type, or any renewal, to submit an application to the CTC, or to the county office of education (COE) in which they are employed, and requires the application to be accompanied by a fingerprint clearance, the applicable fees, transcripts, verification of training completed through CTC-approved non-college based training, if appropriate. (California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 5, Section 80107)
5. Requires applicants for a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to comply with the application requirements specified in (2) above, and in addition, requires the applicant to meet one of the following:
   1. Completion of a minimum of 12 units in early childhood education/child development and 50 days of experience in an instructional capacity in a childcare and development program, working at least three hours per day within the last two years;
   2. Completion of the Child Development Associate Credential; or
   3. Completion of equivalent training approved by the CTC, which may include traditional college coursework and CTC-approved alternative education programs. (5 CCR 80111)
6. Requires that a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit only be renewed once and be held for no more than 10 years. (5 CCR 80111)
7. Authorizes the holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to provide service in the care, development, and instruction of children in a childcare and development program, and to supervise a Child Development Assistant Permit Holder and an aide. (5 CCR 80111)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Need for the bill. According to the author, “AB 1930 addresses staffing shortages in early learning and care programs, by removing restrictions on Child Development Associate Teacher permit renewals. Associate Teachers provide important support in classrooms and critical care for our children. For many, they are not seeking a higher position. However, the Associate Teacher Permit can only be renewed once after five years, and permit holders must progress to a Child Development Teacher Permit within ten years or lose their permit. It is the only permit that restricts individuals to one renewal, and this means that these individuals can work for a maximum of ten years as Associate Teachers and then must either meet the requirements for a Teacher Permit, leave their position, or leave the field altogether. For some experienced Associate Teacher Permit holders, this forces a change they are not seeking. Some may choose not to pursue another permit level. For providers, it results in the loss of experienced valuable staff. AB 1930 requires that the CTC authorize Child Development Associate Permit holders to renew their permits without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes professional development and early childhood education unit requirements.”

Child development permit matrix:

Source: CTC, September, 2021

According to the CTC, “The Child Development Permit Matrix dates from the early 1990’s and has not been updated since that time. Although recommendations were made in 2017 by an advisory panel of ECE content experts to update the Permit Matrix, these recommendations were temporarily tabled by the Commission for a variety of reasons, including the potential effect on ECE teacher supply and on the ability of employers to staff ECE programs; the potential effect on compensation for these positions; the desire of some in the field to strengthen requirements who felt these recommendations may not go far enough; and the pending direction from the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, which at that time was being conceptualized although work on the plan itself had not yet begun. Given the complexity of these factors, the Commission temporarily tabled the recommendations in 2017 while moving forward with building out and reviewing with stakeholders new ECE Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) and the new ECE Program Guidelines. The Commission adopted the ECE TPEs and the ECE Program Guidelines in 2019 as development of the Master Plan for Early Learning and Care was launched, and subsequently published in December 2020.”

The Child Development Permit Advisory Panel’s 2017 recommendations included revising the matrix to remove the limit on the number of times the Associate Teacher Permit can be renewed.

In August 2023, the CTC approved a plan for a workgroup of Early Childhood Education experts to build on recommendations provided to the CTC by the Child Development Permit Advisory Panel in 2017 and make further recommendations to the CTC on the structure and requirements of the Child Development Permit in alignment with the state’s Master Plan for Early Learning and Care and current needs in the field. The workgroup was to hold seven meetings from August 2023 to April 2024. These meetings are ongoing.

Status of existing ECE workforce. In California, women of color make up about two thirds (65%) of the ECE workforce, largely mirroring the racial and ethnic backgrounds of the children and families they serve. Despite the crucial role early educators play in young children’s development, the field has always struggled with poor compensation and inadequate support (McLean, 2021). Educators from the various racial and ethnic backgrounds are not represented equitably across job roles relative to their population within the workforce. Black educators are overrepresented among FCC providers, and in center director positions, Latina educators are underrepresented and White educators overrepresented. (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, 2024)

Providing support for further education of CSPP teachers. It has been suggested by some that denying the Associate Teacher permit renewal after 10 years would lead those teachers to increase their qualifications through additional education in order to qualify as a Lead Teacher. However, it is recognized that financial support for ECE workers is essential in order to increase the qualifications of the workforce. The 2018 National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) report on building a qualified workforce notes:

“ECE workers pursuing additional education face significant barriers, perhaps the greatest being the cost of higher education. Because ECE workers typically earn poverty-level wages, they likely must work while attending classes. This may pose scheduling challenges and impede their ability to take out student loans. Also, some current ECE workers are “nontraditional students” and require remedial education and other supports, including English language support and academic and career counseling from a counselor familiar with the ECE field. In addition, variations in standards and training requirements among providers, programs and states pose challenges for ECE workers moving or changing employers.”

The Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission’s (BRC) 2019 Final Report included recommendations regarding compensation and support of the ECE workforce, including the following:

• Achieve salary parity with TK-3 for those with comparable education and experience, with competitive benefit packages including health, paid time off, retirement, and other compensation; and
• Increases in compensation are required at all levels of qualification among the incumbent workforce. Standards for the ECE workforce cannot be increased until compensation levels are significantly raised.

The Assembly BRC report includes the following recommendations in this regard:

• As new qualifications are enacted, ensure that resources to support any education, training, and certification that may be required is available and accessible.
• Invest in strategies that compensate providers as they increase their professional development, such as student loan forgiveness, paid professional development time, and graduated wage increases above the base.

Arguments in support. Head Start California, a co-sponsor of the bill, writes:

“AB 1930 will direct the CTC to remove the restriction on renewal of the Child Development Associate Teacher Permit so that individuals who choose to do so can renew the permit and remain in their Associate Teacher positions. This measure will improve access to early childhood programs and support individuals in their positions providing instructional support to our youngest learners.

The Child Development Associate Teacher permit is issued for five years and is only

renewable once by completing at least 15 semester units towards the Child Development

Teacher Permit. Associate Teacher Permit holders must meet the requirements for the Child

Development Teacher Permit during that time period. If these requirements are not met, the

Associate Teacher permit expires, and therefore, qualified Associate Teacher permit holders in programs who could be providing instructional support at an Associate Teacher level, are not able to maintain their associate teacher permit positions.

This bill would, on or before April 30, 2025, require the CTC to, by rule or regulation, authorize a holder of a Child Development Associate Teacher Permit to renew their permit without a limitation on the number of renewals if the permit holder completes specified hours of professional growth activities, as provided. This bill would support providers ability to retain experienced and valuable staff to serve children.”

Related legislation. AB 1245 (McCarty) of the 2023-24 Session would have required a community college district to provide a fee waiver for students who are employed as a childcare provider for courses related to early childhood education or courses offered in an approved educational program leading to an associate degree or an associate degree for transfer. This bill was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Head Start California (Co-Sponsor)

Los Angeles County Office of Education (Co-sponsor)

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Debbie Look / ED. / (916) 319-2087