Teachers: mandated reporting.

Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, requires certain persons identified as "mandated reporters," including teachers and various other school employees, to report suspected child abuse or child neglect, as specified, and provides that a failure to report as required is an offense. Existing law encourages employers to provide their employees who are mandated reporters with training in the duties imposed by the act, and further requires school districts that do not train their employees who are identified as mandated reporters to report to the State Department of Education the reasons why the training is not provided. Under existing law, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing is required to adopt standards and procedures for the issuance and renewal of teaching and services credentials. This bill, effective January 1, 2011, would require the holder of a teaching or services credential issued by the commission to complete an approved training program by January 1, 2012, and every 2 years thereafter, in the duties imposed on mandated reporters, as specified. The bill would require the holder of the credential to submit verification that he or she has complied with the training requirement, and, on and after January 1, 2012, would prohibit the commission from renewing a credential of a person who has not complied with the requirement. The bill would require the Office of Child Abuse Prevention in the State Department of Social Services or another agency approved by the State Department of Social Services to make resources it may have for training for mandated reporters available to all school districts and school district personnel.