AB497:v97#DOCUMENTBill Start
Assembly Bill
No. 497
CHAPTER 15
An act to amend Section 56351.5 of the Education Code, relating to special education.
[
Approved by
Governor
June 29, 2023.
Filed with
Secretary of State
June 29, 2023.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 497, Quirk-Silva.
Special education: braille instructional aide: notice of teacher credentialing programs.
Existing law authorizes a local educational agency to reinforce braille instruction using a braille instructional aide who meets specified criteria under the supervision of a teacher who holds an appropriate credential to teach pupils who are functionally blind or visually impaired. Existing law requires a local educational agency to provide a braille instructional aide with information regarding certain teacher credentialing programs, including the Wildman-Keeley-Solis Exemplary Teacher Training Act of 1997 and the Teacher Education Internship Act of 1967.
Existing law establishes the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program as a grant program for purposes of encouraging classified school employees to enroll in teacher training programs and to provide instructional service as teachers in the public schools, as
specified.
This bill would require a local educational agency to provide a braille instructional aide with information regarding the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program, which substantially revised and renamed the Wildman-Keeley-Solis Exemplary Teacher Training Act of 1997.
Digest Key
Vote:
MAJORITY
Appropriation:
NO
Fiscal Committee:
NO
Local Program:
NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 56351.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:56351.5.
(a) (1) A local educational agency may reinforce braille instruction using a braille instructional aide who meets the criteria set forth in paragraph (2) under the supervision of a teacher who holds an appropriate credential, as determined by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, to teach pupils who are functionally blind or visually impaired. This instruction shall be in accordance with the individualized education program of the pupil.(2) For purposes of this section, a braille instructional aide shall demonstrate to the supervising teacher that the aide is fluent in reading and writing grade 2 braille and possesses basic knowledge of the rules of braille construction.
(b) A local educational agency that employs a braille instructional aide shall provide the aide with information regarding teaching credential programs, including the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program (Article 12 (commencing with Section 44391) of Chapter 2 of Part 25 of Division 3) and the Teacher Education Internship Act of 1967 (Article 3 (commencing with Section 44450) of Chapter 3 of Part 25 of Division 3).