Commission on Teacher Credentialing: public awareness campaign.

Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other duties, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits, and collect, compile, and disseminate information regarding exemplary practices in supporting and assessing beginning teachers. Existing law establishes the Teacher Residency Grant Program and appropriates funds from the General Fund to the commission to make grants to develop new, or expand, strengthen, or improve access to existing, teacher residency programs that support, among other things, a list of designated shortage fields. This bill would require the commission to contract with a public relations organization, or other organization with similar expertise, to develop a public awareness campaign that highlights the value and benefits of educational careers in California's public schools, spanning from prekindergarten and kindergarten to elementary and secondary schools serving pupils in any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. The bill would require the campaign to recognize the value of the contributions made by public school teachers, encourage individuals to enter the teaching profession, and include information about available high-quality teacher credentialing pathways and financial supports. The bill would authorize the campaign to include the development and distribution of public service announcements related to teacher recruitment and outreach to high school pupils and college students.