Teaching as a Priority Block Grant program.

Existing law establishes the Teacher Residency Grant Program and the Local Solutions Grant Program as one-time competitive grant programs for the recruitment and retention of teachers, as specified. This bill would establish the Teaching as a Priority Block Grant program as a competitive grant program administered by the State Department of Education with the approval of the State Board of Education. The bill would require the department to allocate funding on a per-pupil basis to schools identified for comprehensive or targeted support under federal law. The bill would require funding allocated under the program to be used for teacher recruitment and retention incentives with the goal of reducing the number of teachers on emergency permits, as provided. The bill would require the state board to submit an evaluation of the program to the Legislature by January 1, 2024.