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SB-1115 Professional learning: mathematics and literacy.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 03/19/2024 09:00 PM
SB1115:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  March 19, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 1115

Introduced by Senator Limón

February 13, 2024

An act to amend Section 33500 of the Education Code, relating to state educational programs. add Section 44473 to the Education Code, relating to teachers, and making an appropriation therefor.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1115, as amended, Limón. State educational programs: educational advisory bodies. Professional learning: mathematics and literacy.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to issue a request for proposals to contract for the development of standards for professional development for educators and instructional leaders. Existing law requires those standards to, among other things, present a vision of ongoing, high-quality professional development, give special attention to high-need schools and school districts, and build on existing work on quality professional development, including the Designs for Learning system. Existing law requires the entity contracted by the department for these purposes to submit the standards to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for approval, and requires the Superintendent to submit the standards to the State Board of Education for approval, as specified.
This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2026, to identify and recommend high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy and that meet specified requirements. The bill would, among other things, appropriate an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the Superintendent for allocation to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and the state special schools for these purposes, and would authorize those local educational agencies to use those allocated funds for any high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy, including, but not limited to, those identified and recommended by the department, if they comply with the specified requirements. The bill would authorize the department to, among other things, establish, where appropriate, project partnerships with other public and private agencies, to support the use of high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy, as specified.
Certain funds appropriated by this bill would be applied toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.

Existing law establishes preschool programs and public and private elementary and secondary schools throughout the state. Existing law also establishes the State Board of Education and the State Department of Education to provide guidance and support to local educational agencies and other entities that operate schools and preschool programs, and further authorizes the establishment and operation of numerous educational programs on the state level that are administered by the state board, the department, or other state agencies.

Existing law expresses the finding and declaration of the Legislature that there is a need to encourage the adoption of new or improved educational ideas, practices, and techniques in solving critical educational problems in preschool, elementary, and secondary schools throughout the state, but that there are a large number of permanent commissions, committees, and councils, some of which have overlapping duties and functions or that have been perpetuated in existence beyond the original need or purpose for which they were created. Existing law expresses the intent of the Legislature to create 3 levels of educational advisory bodies, as specified.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes in these provisions.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NOYES   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) Schools are in a state of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and while there have been promising gains in mathematics and English language arts proficiency scores, pupils and educators continue to need support.
(2) In order to retain and recruit California’s educator workforce, it is critical that educators are provided with comprehensive, effective, and equitable professional learning rooted in sound theoretical principles and evidence-based practices.
(3) High-quality professional learning has a positive impact on educator practices and improves pupil learning outcomes.
(4) All educators should feel prepared to teach mathematics and literacy.
(5) Research shows that strategic preparation and ongoing professional learning for educators is key for addressing and narrowing the achievement gap.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide robust professional learning in literacy and mathematics to at least 300,000 classified and credentialed staff.

SEC. 2.

 Section 44473 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 44472, to read:

44473.
 (a) On or before January 1, 2026, the department shall identify and recommend high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy and do all of the following:
(1) Include literacy professional learning for certificated and classified staff serving pupils in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 6, inclusive, that align with the principles of the science of reading by focusing on results-driven methods of teaching, which may include, but is not limited to, offerings such as Lexia LETRS and CORE Learning.
(2) Support the development of biliteracy in pupils.
(3) Have proven, evidence-based outcomes for pupils.
(4) Have proven, evidence-based outcomes for educator knowledge and instruction.
(5) Focus on pupil engagement and equity.
(6) Address supports for pupils.
(7) Support educators at different stages and roles in their careers with offerings of varied duration and intensity that tie to their specific responsibilities.
(b) (1) The sum of ____ ($____) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Superintendent for allocation to local educational agencies for purposes of providing high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy, including, but not limited to, those identified and recommended by the department pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2) For purposes of this section, the department may also:
(A) Identify and leverage current and future funding opportunities, including appropriate public, private, and federal funding to support the use of high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy.
(B) (i) Establish, where appropriate, project partnerships with other public and private agencies, to support the use of high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy.
(ii) Notwithstanding any other law, contracts awarded pursuant to clause (i) are exempt from the personal services contracting requirements of Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the Public Contract Code, and the State Contracting Manual, the approval of the Department of General Services, and the California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Program requirements of Article 6 (commencing with Section 999) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Military and Veterans Code.
(3) A local educational agency may use funds allocated pursuant to this section for any high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy, including, but not limited to, those identified and recommended by the department, if they comply with the requirements specified in paragraphs (1) to (7), inclusive, of subdivision (a).
(c) As a condition of receiving funds apportioned pursuant to this section, a local educational agency shall report to the department, in a manner prescribed by the department and at times prescribed by the department, measurable outcomes of pupil achievement due to the professional learning provided pursuant to this section, including, but not limited to, test scores, pupil attendance, and graduation rates.
(d) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, charter school, or state special school.

SECTION 1.Section 33500 of the Education Code is amended to read:
33500.

(a)The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1)There is further need to encourage the adoption of new or improved educational ideas, practices, and techniques in solving critical educational problems in preschool, elementary, and secondary schools throughout the state. In recognition of the need for the planning and developing of new programs involving a wide range of new approaches designed to improve the quality of education available in this state, this chapter is expressly enacted to foster innovation and create change in education, based on research and proven need. It is the purpose of this chapter to bring purposeful change and experimentation to schools throughout the state, through the use of all available resources of the state.

(2)There are in existence a large number of permanent commissions, committees, and councils, some of which have overlapping duties and functions, and some of which have been perpetuated in existence beyond the original need or purpose for which they were created.

(b)Therefore, in order to provide a more economical, efficient, and logical structure to educational policymaking, it is the intent of the Legislature to create three levels of educational advisory bodies: educational policy advisory commissions, educational advisory committees, and educational task forces.