Teacher credentialing: county-issued eminence credential.

Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, upon the recommendation of the governing board of a school district, to issue an eminence credential to a person who has achieved eminence in a field of endeavor taught or service practiced in the public schools of California. The eminence credential authorizes teaching in the public schools in the subject or subject area or the performance of services in the public schools at the level approved by the commission, as designated on the credential. An eminence credential is issued initially for a 2-year period and may be renewed for a 3-year period by the commission upon the request of the governing board of the school district. Upon completion of the 3-year renewal period, the holder of an eminence credential is eligible, upon application, for a clear teaching credential. This bill, in addition, would authorize a county board of education, upon the recommendation of a school district, to authorize a county superintendent of schools to issue an eminence credential to a person who has demonstrated subject matter competence through an examination, college degree, or work experience, and if the subject or service in which the person demonstrates eminence is one that the governing board wishes to have taught in the schools of the district. The issuance of an eminence credential would be required to be based on a recommendation from the governing board of the school district, a statement of proposed employment, and a verification of the eminence qualifications of the individual. The county board of education would be required to provide notice to the public of the individuals to whom it is considering issuing eminence credentials and would be authorized to charge the applicant a fee to recover costs incurred in processing an eminence credential application. An applicant for a county-issued eminence credential would be required to comply with specified requirements relating to demonstration of moral character, including, but not limited to, successfully completing a moral character review conducted by the commission. The county-issued eminence credential would authorize teaching in the public schools in the authorizing county in the subject or subject area and at the level approved by the county superintendent of schools and would be issued initially for a 3-year period and renewable for a 2-year period. The bill would set forth the minimum requirements for renewal, including the study of health education and computer-based technology and completion of a program of personalized preparation and 2 semester units, or passage of an examination, on the United States Constitution. The holder of a county-issued eminence credential would be eligible to apply to the commission for a clear teaching credential upon completion of the 2-year renewal period. The clear teaching credential would authorize teaching in any public school in the state, in subjects and levels as approved by the commission. A county office of education would be required to notify the commission when it issues and renews an eminence credential. The commission would be required to track and report on the county-issued eminence credentials in the same manner that existing eminence credentials are reported. These provisions would become inoperative on January 1, 2014, and would be repealed on January 1, 2015. By increasing the duties of county boards of education, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.