Bill Text: CA AB694 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 694

Bill Title: Teachers: teacher residency apprenticeship programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2023-09-01 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB694 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB694-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate June 27, 2023

Amended IN Assembly March 27, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 694

Introduced by Assembly Members Gipson and Muratsuchi
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Juan Carrillo)

February 13, 2023

An act to add and repeal Section 3075.2 to of the Labor Code, relating to teachers.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 694, as amended, Gipson. Teachers: teacher residency apprenticeship programs.

Under existing law, it is the public policy of this state to encourage the utilization of apprenticeship as a form of on-the-job training, that such training is cost-effective in developing skills needed to perform public services. Existing law requires state and local public agencies to make a diligent effort to establish apprenticeship programs for apprenticeable occupations in their respective workforces. Existing law establishes the Teacher Residency Grant Program and appropriates funds from the General Fund to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to make one-time grants to develop new, or expand, strengthen, or improve access to existing, teacher residency programs that support, among other things, a list of designated shortage fields.

This bill would require the commission to submit the Teacher Residency Grant Program standards for approval as a registered apprenticeship program through the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and the United States Department of Labor and to act as the sponsoring authority for purposes of the state applying for United States Department of Labor grant funding. The bill would authorize a local educational agency with a commission-approved teacher residency program, or a local educational agency, in partnership with an institution of higher education, with a teacher residency apprenticeship program that is not approved by the commission as a teacher residency program, to submit these programs for approval as registered apprenticeship programs with Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the United States Department of Labor, or both of those entities, as provided. The bill would require these approved teacher residency apprenticeship programs to, among other things, work with one or more commission-accredited teacher preparation programs to develop and implement programs of preparation and mentoring for apprentices who will be supported through program funds and subsequently be employed by the local educational agency, and to ensure and provide apprentices with certain instruction and support. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2029.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 3075.2 is added to the Labor Code, to read:

3075.2.

(a) (1) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall submit the Teacher Residency Grant Program standards, pursuant to Section 44415.5 of the Education Code, for approval as a registered apprenticeship program through the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and the United States Department of Labor.

(2) A local educational agency with a teacher residency program approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing pursuant to Section 44415.5 of the Education Code may submit that program for approval as a registered apprenticeship program with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the United States Department of Labor, or both of those entities.

(3) A local educational agency with a teacher residency apprenticeship program that is not approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing as a teacher residency program pursuant to Section 44415.5 of the Education Code may, in partnership with an institution of higher education, submit that program for approval as a registered apprenticeship program with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the United States Department of Labor, or both of those entities.

(4) A program approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the United States Department of Labor, or both of those entities, pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, shall be known as a teacher residency apprenticeship program.

(b) The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall act as the sponsoring authority for purposes of the state applying for United States Department of Labor grant funding under this section.

(c) A teacher residency apprenticeship program approved pursuant to subdivision (a) shall expand, strengthen, or improve access to existing teacher residency programs that support either or both of the following:

(1) Designated shortage fields, including, but not limited to, special education, bilingual education, science, computer science, technology, engineering, mathematics, transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, school counseling, and any other fields identified by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing based on an annual analysis of state and regional hiring and vacancy data.

(2) Local efforts to recruit, develop support systems for, provide outreach and communication strategies to, and retain a diverse teacher workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which a local educational agency is located.

(d) A teacher residency apprenticeship program approved pursuant to subdivision (a) shall work with one or more Commission on Teacher Credentialing-accredited teacher preparation programs, and may work with other community partners or nonprofit organizations, to develop and implement programs of preparation and mentoring for apprentices who will be supported through program funds and subsequently be employed by the local educational agency.

(e) Teacher residency apprenticeship program funding shall supplement, and not supplant, any funds received by an apprentice through their participation in the Teacher Residency Grant Program pursuant to Section 44415.5 of the Education Code. Both new and existing apprentices shall be eligible for any additional forms of federal, state, and local educational agency resources to support the cost of their preparation.

(f) A teacher residency apprenticeship program approved pursuant to subdivision (a) shall do all of the following:

(1) Ensure that apprentices are prepared to earn a preliminary teaching credential, including a PK-3 early childhood education specialist credential, in furtherance of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) upon completion of the program.

(2) Ensure that apprentices are provided with instruction in all of the following:

(A) Teaching the content area or areas in which the teacher will become certificated to teach.

(B) Planning, curriculum development, and assessment.

(D) Management of the classroom environment.

(E) Use of culturally responsive practices, supports for language development, and supports for serving pupils with disabilities.

(F) Professional responsibilities, including interaction with families and colleagues.

(3) Provide each apprentice mentoring and beginning teacher induction support following the completion of the apprentice’s initial credential program necessary to obtain a clear credential, and ongoing professional development and networking opportunities during the apprentice’s first years of teaching at no cost to the apprentice.

(4) Prepare apprentices to teach in a school within the geographic region served by the local educational agency in which they will work and to learn the instructional initiatives and curriculum of the local educational agency.

(5) To the maximum extent feasible, group apprentices in cohorts to facilitate professional collaboration and ensure apprentices are enrolled in a teaching school or professional development program that is organized to support a high-quality teacher learning experience in a supportive work environment.

(g) The purpose of a teacher residency apprenticeship program under this section is to address shortages in the educator workforce, expand the pipeline into the teaching profession, and grow a diverse, local pathway into teaching.

(h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.