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SB-995 California State University: High-Quality Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 06/20/2024 09:00 PM
SB995:v97#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  June 20, 2024
Amended  IN  Senate  April 02, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 995

Introduced by Senator Padilla

January 31, 2024

An act to add Article 12 (commencing with Section 89298) to Chapter 2 of Part 55 of Division 8 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to the California State University.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 995, as amended, Padilla. California State University: High-Quality Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act.
Existing law establishes the California State University, which is administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, which is administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as 2 of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The California Community Colleges segment comprises 73 community college districts and a total of 116 campuses throughout the state. The California State University segment includes 23 institutions of higher education located throughout the state.
This bill would enact the High-Quality Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act. The bill would require the Chancellor of the California State University to develop, in consultation with and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, Colleges to develop a 5-year pilot program to commence with the 2025–26 school year to recruit high-quality teaching candidates at 3 California State University campuses in partnership with 3 community college campuses. The bill would require the pilot program to meet certain requirements, including, among other requirements, that it implement transfer model curriculum and an associate degree for transfer at create a pathway from a community college campus that can then be completed at a California State University campus that will allow, but not require, the participating student to complete a baccalaureate degree and a teaching credential in 4 years.
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) Over one-third of teachers in the state are over 50 years of age, making the state’s teacher workforce among the oldest in the nation.
(b) The age demographics of teachers pose a significant threat to the state’s education system and that threat has been exacerbated by an increase of early teacher retirements in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Learning Policy Institute found that two-thirds of the school districts it surveyed were facing an increased number of vacancies due to retirements and resignations.
(c) The California State University trains prepares more of the state’s teachers than all of the other institutions of higher education in the state combined. However, enrollment in teacher credentialing programs at the California State University dropped 59 percent between 2003 and 2022.
(d) Due to the factors described in subdivision (b), an overwhelming majority of school districts in the state are reporting shortages of teachers. These shortages have led districts to take action to mitigate the consequences, including increasing class sizes and hiring unqualified intern teachers.
(e) Not only is California facing a steep decline in qualified teacher candidates, the state’s teachers overall lack the critical language skills and cultural competencies that are vital to educating the nation’s most diverse student population.
(f) The Public Policy Institute of California reports that expanding transfer pathways between the California Community Colleges and four-year institutions of higher education have streamlined the transfer process and increased access to, and completion of, transfer-level courses.
(g) Currently, most California State University teacher training programs are five-year programs, which present significant time and cost hurdles to all students contemplating becoming a teacher. Those hurdles are especially acute for low-income students considering going into the teacher profession.
(h) The California Community Colleges have an important role to play in assisting and facilitating students who want to become teachers by saving them thousands of dollars by coordinating coursework with local California State University teacher training programs.
(i) A structured pipeline created by the California State University in coordination with the California Community Colleges that lowers cost barriers and accelerates completion time focused on students starting from when they are still in high school can help California increase enrollment in teacher training programs, increase diversity of the state’s teachers, and help ensure every classroom in the state is led by a qualified teacher.

SEC. 2.

 Article 12 (commencing with Section 89298) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 55 of Division 8 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:
Article  12. High-Quality Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act

89298.
 This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the High-Quality Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act.

89298.1.
 (a) The Chancellor of the California State University shall, in consultation with and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, Colleges shall develop a five-year pilot program to commence with the 2025–26 school year, to recruit high-quality teaching candidates at three California State University campuses in partnership with three community college campuses that apply to participate in the five-year pilot program.
(b) In developing the five-year pilot program, all of the following requirements shall apply:
(1) One pilot program shall be at a campus of the California State University that is located in a rural community.
(2) Each pilot program at a California State University campus shall partner with a community college district campus that has applied to participate in the pilot program and is within close proximity to the California State University campus.

(3)The pilot program shall comply with and build on the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (Article 3 (commencing with Section 66745) of Chapter 9.2 of Part 40 of Division 5).

(4)

(3) (A) The pilot program shall implement transfer model curriculum and an associate degree for transfer at a create a pathway from a community college campus that can then be completed at a campus of the California State University that will allow, but not require, a participating student to complete a baccalaureate degree and a teaching credential in four years.
(B) The pilot program shall use dual enrollment practices to fulfill the transfer model curriculum, admission, as needed.
(C) If a participating student completes their associate degree for transfer lower division coursework at a community college campus and is in good academic standing, the student shall be guaranteed admission to the teacher training program at the partnering campus of the California State University.

(5)

(4) The participating campuses of the California State University, in consultation with University and the partnering community college district, campuses shall conduct marketing and outreach to local high schools to recruit a diverse pool of participating students.

(6)

(5) (A) Participating California State University campuses and the partnering community college districts campuses shall assign counselors provide advisement to participating students to ensure they are completing the correct coursework during their participation in the pilot program.
(B) Counselors assigned Advisement provided pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be existing counselors who work with assist students to meet the requirements for an associate degree for transfer, lower division coursework, a baccalaureate degree, and a teaching credential.