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AB-1255 Teacher credentialing: ethnic studies task force.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 02/16/2023 09:00 PM
AB1255:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1255

Introduced by Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo

February 16, 2023

An act to add Section 44238.5 to the Education Code, relating to teacher credentialing.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1255, as introduced, Wendy Carrillo. Teacher credentialing: ethnic studies task force.
Existing law requires a pupil to complete designated coursework while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school. These graduation requirements include, among others, the completion of a one-semester course in ethnic studies, meeting specified requirements, commencing for pupils graduating in the 2029–30 school year.
Existing law establishes authorization for 4 basic teaching credentials, one of which is the single-subject credential, and requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other duties, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of those credentials, as provided.
This bill would require the commission to convene a statewide task force, composed of relevant stakeholders, and would require the task force, on or before September 1, 2024, to provide a report to the commission and the Legislature with recommendations for the criteria that should be required in order to obtain a single-subject credential in ethnic studies. The bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2025, to use the task force’s recommendations to begin developing the criteria that will be required in order to obtain a single-subject credential in ethnic studies.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) In order for local educational agencies, including charter schools, to fully implement current law that requires a high school to offer a one-semester course in ethnic studies commencing with the 2025–26 school year, and requires a one-semester course in ethnic studies as a graduation requirement commencing with pupils graduating in the 2029–30 school year, teachers must be provided with an in-depth knowledge of the content and pedagogy required to successfully teach an ethnic studies course.
(b) Currently, teachers with a single-subject credential in social sciences are considered to be qualified to teach ethnic studies courses.
(c) Teacher training programs and many undergraduate programs do not require the completion of an ethnic studies course. This means teachers with a single-subject credential in social sciences may have little to no knowledge of the four disciplines that comprise ethnic studies.
(d) Unless prospective ethnic studies teachers enroll in one of a few existing single-subject matter waiver programs in ethnic studies, they must currently take the social sciences section of the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET), which does not address ethnic studies content, and therefore, requires prospective teachers to increase their course load to incorporate ethnic studies into their program.
(e) The state must create a pathway for a single-subject credential in ethnic studies to adequately prepare teachers to provide students with high-quality instruction in ethnic studies.

SEC. 2.

 Section 44238.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

44238.5.
 (a) On or before March 1, 2024, the commission shall convene a statewide task force of relevant stakeholders to provide recommendations related to the creation of a single-subject credential in ethnic studies.
(b) The task force shall include members from all of the following:
(1) Ethnic studies faculty at institutions of higher education.
(2) Teacher educators at institutions of higher education.
(3) Teachers with a single-subject credential in social sciences.
(4) The California Faculty Association.
(5) The California State University Council on Ethnic Studies.
(6) The California State University secondary teacher education faculty.
(7) The University of California Ethnic Studies Council.
(8) The California Community Colleges Ethnic Studies Faculty Council.
(9) The Association of California School Administrators.
(10) The California Teachers Association.
(11) The California Federation of Teachers.
(12) The California School Boards Association.
(c) (1) On or before September 1, 2024, the task force shall issue a report to the commission and the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, with recommendations for the criteria that should be required in order to obtain a single-subject credential in ethnic studies.
(2) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under paragraph (1) is inoperative on September 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(d) On or before January 1, 2025, the commission shall use the recommendations provided pursuant to subdivision (c) to begin developing the criteria that will be required in order to obtain a single-subject credential in ethnic studies.