Teacher credentialing: teacher preparation outside of the United States: temporary certificates.

(1) Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other duties, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law requires the commission to issue a 5-year preliminary multiple subject teaching credential, a 5-year preliminary single subject teaching credential, or a 5-year preliminary education specialist credential to a teacher prepared in a country other than the United States who meets specified requirements. Existing law provides that coursework, programs, or degrees completed at an institution of higher education outside of the United States are acceptable toward certification when the commission or an evaluating agency approved by the commission has determined that the institution's coursework, programs, or degrees are equivalent to those offered by a regionally accredited institution in the United States. This bill would authorize the commission to determine that the national standards for coursework, programs, or degrees in a country other than the United States are equivalent to those offered by a regionally accredited institution in the United States. The bill would provide that, if the commission determines that the other country's national standards are equivalent, an individual who holds or is eligible for a credential in that country is presumed to have satisfied specified requirements for obtaining a credential. The bill would authorize the commission to enter into an agreement with an evaluating agency as necessary to make a determination regarding another country's national standards. The bill would also require the commission to adopt regulations necessary to implement these provisions. The bill would require the commission to annually report to the Legislature specified information relating to these provisions. The bill would require a school district, county office of education, and charter school to annually report to the State Department of Education the number of visa applications for certain nonimmigrant aliens the school district, county office of education, or charter school applies for on behalf of potential employees, and the number of those visa applications that are granted. The bill would require the department to annually report that information to the Legislature. (2) Existing law authorizes a county board of education or city and county board of education to issue temporary certificates to certified employees whose credentials are being processed by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Under existing law, a county board of education or city and county board of education, before issuing a temporary certificate, or a school district, before issuing a temporary certificate of clearance, is required to obtain a certificate of clearance from the commission. This bill instead would require a county board of education or city and county board of education, before issuing a temporary certificate, or a school district, before issuing a temporary certificate of clearance, to obtain proof that the applicant has obtained a credential, certificate, or permit authorizing the performance of services in the public schools from the commission. (3) Existing law authorizes certain school districts, at their discretion, to provide for the registration of a valid certification or other document authorizing the holder to serve in a position requiring certification qualifications as an employee of the school district. Existing law prohibits a school district from exercising that authority until the school district has obtained a certificate of clearance from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. This bill instead would require a school district, before providing for the registration of a valid certification or other document authorizing the holder to serve in a position requiring certification qualifications as an employee of the school district, to obtain proof that the holder has obtained a credential, certificate, or permit authorizing the performance of services in the public schools from the commission. (4) Existing law authorizes a county board of education or city and county board of education to issue temporary certificates to certified employees of nonpublic, nonsectarian schools, including individuals certified in another state, whose credentials are being processed by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Existing law requires a county board of education or city and county board of education, before issuing a temporary certificate, to obtain a certificate of clearance from the commission. This bill instead would require a county board of education or city and county board of education, before issuing a temporary certificate, to obtain proof that the applicant has obtained a credential, certificate, or permit authorizing the performance of services in the public schools from the commission.