Foreign language instruction: teaching credential: State Seal of Biliteracy.

Existing law authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue various types of teaching and services credentials, including the issuance of a multiple or single subject teaching credential. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to award the State Seal of Biliteracy to high school graduates who meet specified requirements, including, but not limited to, proficiency in one or more languages other than English. This bill would require the commission to issue a foreign language teaching credential for the sole purpose of providing foreign language instruction as part of an after school program voluntarily maintained by a school district to a person who has a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of postsecondary education and passes the single subject California Subject Examinations for Teachers in the foreign language in which he or she will be providing instruction. The bill would allow a high school pupil to demonstrate that he or she has proficiency in one or more languages other than English, for the purpose of being awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy, by successfully completing four years of foreign language instruction from a person issued that credential as part of an after school program voluntarily maintained by a school district.