44277.
The Legislature recognizes that effective professional growth must continue to occur throughout the careers of all teachers, in order that teachers remain informed of changes in pedagogy, subject matter, and pupil needs. In enacting this section, it is the intent of the Legislature to establish professional growth requirements that give individual teachers a wide range of options to pursue as well as significant roles in determining the course of their professional growth.(a) The minimum requirements for maintaining the validity of the clear multiple or single subject teaching credential pursuant to Section 44251 shall be both of the following:
(1) Successful service as a classroom teacher or successful service authorized by a services credential. The minimum length of service shall be equivalent to one-half of a school year.
(2) Completion of an individual program of professional growth as prescribed in this section and by the commission.
(b) An individual program of professional growth shall consist of a minimum of 150 clock hours of participation in activities that are aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession that contribute to competence, performance, or effectiveness in the profession of education and the teacher’s classroom assignments. Acceptable activities shall be defined by the commission to include, among other acceptable activities, the completion of courses offered by regionally accredited colleges and universities, including instructor-led interactive courses delivered through online technologies; participation in professional conferences, workshops, teacher center programs, staff development programs, or a California Reading Professional Development Program operated pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 99220) of Chapter 5 of Part 65; service as a mentor teacher pursuant to Section 44496; participation in school curriculum development projects; participation in systematic programs of observation and analysis of teaching; service in a leadership role in a professional organization; and participation in educational research or innovation efforts. Employing agencies and employees’ bargaining agents may negotiate to agree on the terms of programs of professional growth within their jurisdictions, provided that the agreements shall be consistent with this section.
(c) An individual program of professional growth shall be developed and planned by the holder of a clear teaching credential.
(d) Effective January 1, 1991, an individual program of professional growth may include a basic course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which includes training in the subdiaphragmatic abdominal thrust (also known as the “Heimlich maneuver”) and meets or exceeds the standards established by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross for courses in that subject or minimum standards for training programs established by the Emergency Medical Services Authority. Effective January 1, 2001, an individual program of professional growth may also include a course in first aid that meets or exceeds the standards established by the American Red Cross for courses in that subject or minimum standards for training programs established by the Emergency Medical Services Authority. A teacher’s participation in these training options shall count towards the minimum 150 clock hours required to satisfy the professional growth requirements.
(e) Before a holder of a clear teaching credential commences or amends an individual program of professional growth, a school principal, a mentor teacher provided for in Section 44496, or other district designee shall certify to the credential holder that the planned program or amendment complies with this section and with regulations of the commission.
(f) A clear teaching credential shall be deemed to remain valid so long as the holder of the credential, at five-year intervals, submits to the commission verification by a school principal, a mentor teacher, or other district designee that the holder has satisfied the minimum requirements specified in subdivision (a). In the absence of adequate verification, the commission shall invalidate the credential. Verification by a school principal, a mentor teacher, or other district designee shall be independent of any evaluation of the performance of the holder of the clear teaching credential that is conducted for the purpose of determining the credential holder’s employment status. The arbitrary refusal of a school principal, a mentor teacher, or other district designee to verify completion of an individual program of professional growth meeting the requirements of this section and commission regulations shall constitute grounds for an appeal as prescribed in Section 44278.