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AB-6 Teacher credentialing: county-issued eminence credential.(2009-2010)

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2009–2010 5th Ext.

Assembly Bill
No. 6

Introduced  by  Assembly Member Nestande

November 23, 2009

An act to add and repeal Section 44262.1 of the Education Code, relating to teacher credentialing.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 6, as introduced, Nestande. Teacher credentialing: county-issued eminence credential.
Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, upon the recommendation of the governing board of a school district, to issue an eminence credential to a person who has achieved eminence in a field of endeavor taught or service practiced in the public schools of California. The eminence credential authorizes teaching in the public schools in the subject or subject area or the performance of services in the public schools at the level approved by the commission, as designated on the credential. An eminence credential is issued initially for a 2-year period and may be renewed for a 3-year period by the commission upon the request of the governing board of the school district. Upon completion of the 3-year renewal period, the holder of an eminence credential is eligible, upon application, for a clear teaching credential.
This bill, in addition, would authorize a county board of education, upon the recommendation of a school district, to authorize a county superintendent of schools to issue an eminence credential to a person who has demonstrated subject matter competence through an examination, college degree, or work experience, and if the subject or service in which the person demonstrates eminence is one that the governing board wishes to have taught in the schools of the district. The issuance of an eminence credential would be required to be based on a recommendation from the governing board of the school district, a statement of proposed employment, and a verification of the eminence qualifications of the individual. The county board of education would be required to provide notice to the public of the individuals to whom it is considering issuing eminence credentials and would be authorized to charge the applicant a fee to recover costs incurred in processing an eminence credential application.
An applicant for a county-issued eminence credential would be required to comply with specified requirements relating to demonstration of moral character, including, but not limited to, successfully completing a moral character review conducted by the commission. The county-issued eminence credential would authorize teaching in the public schools in the authorizing county in the subject or subject area and at the level approved by the county superintendent of schools and would be issued initially for a 3-year period and renewable for a 2-year period. The bill would set forth the minimum requirements for renewal, including the study of health education and computer-based technology and completion of a program of personalized preparation and 2 semester units, or passage of an examination, on the United States Constitution. The holder of a county-issued eminence credential would be eligible to apply to the commission for a clear teaching credential upon completion of the 2-year renewal period. The clear teaching credential would authorize teaching in any public school in the state, in subjects and levels as approved by the commission.
A county office of education would be required to notify the commission when it issues and renews an eminence credential. The commission would be required to track and report on the county-issued eminence credentials in the same manner that existing eminence credentials are reported.
These provisions would become inoperative on January 1, 2014, and would be repealed on January 1, 2015.
By increasing the duties of county boards of education, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 44262.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:

44262.1.
 (a) Upon the recommendation of a school district, a county board of education may authorize a county superintendent of schools to issue an eminence credential to an eminent individual who has demonstrated subject matter competence through an examination, college degree, or work experience in a subject matter that the governing board wishes to have taught in the schools of the district. This credential shall authorize the credentialholder to teach in the public schools of the authorizing county in the subject or subject area and at the level approved by the county superintendent of schools.
(b) As used in this section, “eminent individual” means a person who is recognized as eminent beyond the boundaries of his or her community, has demonstrably advanced his or her field, and has been acknowledged by his or her peers beyond the norm for others in the specific endeavor.
(c) The requesting school district shall demonstrate how the eminent individual will enrich the educational quality of the school district and not how he or she will fill an employment need.
(d) The issuance of an eminence credential shall be based on a recommendation from the governing board of the school district, a verification of the eminence qualifications of the individual, and a statement of proposed employment, as follows:
(1) The statement of employment in the district shall include the proposed assignment of the credential applicant and a certification of the intention of the district to employ the applicant if granted an eminence credential.
(2) The verification of eminence qualifications of an applicant for an eminence credential shall include:
(A) Recommendations from any of the following:
(i) Professional associations.
(ii) Former employers.
(iii) Professional colleagues.
(iv) Individuals or groups whose evaluations or recommendations would support eminence.
(B) Documentation of achievement, which may include, but need not be limited to, any of the following:
(i) Advanced degrees earned.
(ii) Distinguished employment.
(iii) Evidence of related study or experience.
(iv) Publications.
(v) Professional achievement.
(vi) Recognition attained for contributions to his or her field of endeavor.
(3) The county board of education shall provide notice to the public of the individuals to whom it is considering issuing eminence credentials. Any association, group, or individual may provide the county board of education with a written statement regarding the qualifications of an individual under consideration for an eminence credential.
(4) A county office of education may charge the applicant a fee to recover, and not to exceed, costs incurred in processing eminence credential applications.
(e) A county office of education may issue an initial eminence credential for a three-year period and may renew an eminence credential for two years upon receipt of an application for renewal with a written statement of support from the governing board of the school district adopted in a public meeting. Upon completion of the two-year renewal period, the holder of a county issued eminence credential shall be eligible to apply to the commission for a clear teaching credential.
(f) The minimum requirements for the two-year renewal of the county-issued eminence credential are all of the following:
(1) A valid three-year county-issued eminence credential.
(2) Two years of successful teaching as authorized by the county-issued eminence credential.
(3) Completion of a program of personalized preparation as approved by the commission. It is the intent of the Legislature that the program of personalized preparation be consistent with whether the credential holder performs full-time or part-time service.
(4) The study of health education, as specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 44259.
(5) Completion of two semester units or passage of an examination on the principles and provisions of the United States Constitution, as specified in Section 44335.
(6) The study of computer-based technology, including the uses of technology in educational settings.
(g) The commission may issue a clear teaching credential at the end of five years of possession of the county-issued eminence credential pursuant to this section with a written statement of support from the governing board of the school district adopted in a public meeting and submission of an application and the application fee prescribed in regulations. The clear teaching credential authorizes teaching in any public school in the state, in the subject or subject area and at the level approved by the commission.
(h) An applicant for an eminence credential issued pursuant to this section shall comply with the requirements set forth in Sections 44339, 44340, 44341, 44345, 44346, and 44346.1, including, but not limited to, successfully completing a moral character review conducted by the commission, and holding a valid certificate of clearance issued by the commission while he or she is employed by a school district under this section.
(i) Upon issuance and renewal of an eminence credential, the county office of education shall notify the commission. The commission shall track and report all county-issued eminence credentials in the same manner that existing eminence credentials are reported.
(j) Each county that issues the eminence credential may issue one eminence credential per year and one additional eminence credential per year for each 200,000 pupils enrolled in the public schools located in the county.
(k) This section shall become inoperative on January 1, 2014, and, as of January 1, 2015, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2015, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.

SEC. 2.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.