Teachers: The California STEM Teaching Pathway Act of 2019.

(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The department has numerous duties relating to the governance and funding of public elementary and secondary education in this state. This bill would establish the California STEM Teaching Pathway for purposes of recruiting, preparing, supporting, and retaining qualified science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, including military veterans, as mathematics, science, engineering, and computer science teachers in California. The bill would authorize various activities as part of the California STEM Teaching Pathway, including developing and distributing statewide recruitment materials encouraging interested STEM professionals to pursue teaching careers in mathematics, science, engineering, and computer science, and providing information to STEM professionals and current teachers regarding the requirements for obtaining a teaching credential in mathematics, science, engineering, and computer science and how to complete those steps, applying to teacher preparation programs, and accessing financial aid. The bill would also require the State Department of Education to submit a report, including specified data relating to the program, to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature and the Governor by May 1 of each year, beginning with the first May 1 after an award under this program is granted. (2) This bill would appropriate $27,000,000, as scheduled, from the General Fund to the State Department of Education on a one-time basis for the 2019–20 fiscal year for purposes of the bill, to be allocated as a one-time grant to partnerships, including local educational agencies, charter schools, or county offices of education, in conjunction with institutions of higher education with a teacher preparation program, as specified. The bill would specify that these funds would be used to establish the California STEM Teaching Pathway.