Teacher preparation programs: planning grants and implementation or expansion grants.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Under existing law, the commission establishes standards for teacher preparation programs at regionally accredited institutions of higher education, as defined. Existing law authorizes a regionally accredited institution of higher education to offer a 4-year or 5-year integrated program of professional preparation that allows a student to earn a baccalaureate degree and a preliminary multiple or single subject teaching credential, or an education specialist instruction credential authorizing the holder to teach special education, including student teaching requirements, concurrently and within 4 or 5 years of study. Existing law requires an integrated program of professional preparation to provide opportunities for candidates to complete intensive field experiences, including student teaching, in public elementary and secondary schools early in the undergraduate sequence. This bill instead would require an integrated program of professional preparation to provide opportunities for candidates to complete intensive field experiences, including student teaching, in public prekindergarten, kindergarten, or grades 1 to 12, inclusive, programs early in the undergraduate sequence. Existing law requires integrated programs offered by the California State University be designed to concurrently lead to a preliminary multiple subject or single subject teaching credential, or an education specialist instruction credential authorizing the holder to teach special education, and a baccalaureate degree. This bill would additionally authorize the California State University to meet the above-described requirement if the integrated program is designed to concurrently lead to an early childhood education specialist credential and a baccalaureate degree. Existing law, contingent upon appropriation of funds in the annual Budget Act or another statute, requires the commission to develop and implement a program to award grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education for the development of transition plans to guide the creation of 4-year integrated programs of professional preparation, as provided. This bill would revise and recast that program to instead require the commission to award planning grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop plans for the creation of integrated programs of professional preparation that lead to more credentialed teachers in identified shortage fields, as provided. The bill would require the commission to award implementation or expansion grants of up to $500,000 each for regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop new, or expand existing, programs of professional preparation, including programs related to the early childhood education specialist credential, or to establish a new partnership with a California community college, as provided. The bill would require the commission to give preference to proposals that commit to delivering a ratified articulation agreement for teacher preparation coursework between one or more California community colleges and one or more 4-year institutions, as provided. The bill would require a regionally accredited institution of higher education to provide program and outcome data for at least 5 years after receiving the implementation or expansion grant. The bill would require the commission to ensure that applicants for planning grants and implementation or expansion grants provide assurances related to supporting teacher preparation programs, as provided. The bill would authorize applicants that previously received planning grants, or implementation or expansion grants, to apply for new grants, contingent on sharing information on the previous grants and proposing expanded or new programs, as provided. The bill would make these grant programs contingent upon appropriation of funds in the annual Budget Act or another statute.