AMENDED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 1, 2023

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 5, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

94

CHAPTER 671

Statutes of 2023

[ Approved by Governor October 10, 2023. Filed with Secretary of State October 10, 2023. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Muratsuchi

February 14, 2023

An act to add Section 44224 to the Education Code, relating to teacher credentialing.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

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.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 44224 is added to the Education Code, to read:

44224.

(a) For purposes of this section, “campaign” means the public awareness campaign described in subdivision (b).

(b) The commission shall 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.

(c) The campaign shall recognize the value of the contributions made by public school teachers and encourage individuals to enter the teaching profession.

(d) The campaign shall include information about available high-quality teacher credentialing pathways and available financial supports.

(e) The campaign may include, but is not limited to, the development and distribution of statewide public service announcements relating to teacher recruitment and outreach to high school pupils and college students.

(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the cost of the public awareness campaign established by this section not exceed nine hundred thousand dollars ($900,000).