AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 29, 2025
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 30, 2025
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 5, 2025
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
94
CHAPTER 471
Statutes of 2025
[ Approved by Governor October 9, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 9, 2025. ]
Introduced by Assembly Members Rivas, Muratsuchi, and Blanca Rubio
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Bonta, Hoover, and Patel)
February 21, 2025
An act to add Sections 44265.1, 44270.6, and 60205 to the Education Code, relating to pupil literacy.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: yes
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law sets forth the minimum requirements for a preliminary services credential with a specialization in administrative services, which include, among other requirements, completion of an entry-level program of specialized and professional preparation in administrative services or a one-year internship in a program of supervised training in administrative services, subject to approval by the commission, as provided. Existing law also sets forth the minimum requirements for a reading and literacy leadership specialist credential and a reading and literacy added authorization, which include, among other requirements, completion of a program of specialized and professional preparation, as provided.
This bill would require the commission to, no later than September 1, 2028, ensure that the program standards for the professional preparation of candidates for a preliminary services credential with a specialization in administrative services meets specified criteria, including, among other things, that the program standards include preparation on how to support teachers in delivering instruction through effective means for teaching literacy, as provided. The bill would require the commission to, no later than January 1, 2028, ensure that the program standards and teaching performance expectations for the professional preparation of candidates for the reading and literacy leadership specialist credential and the reading and literacy added authorization include preparation on how to deliver instruction and support teachers to deliver instruction through effective means for teaching literacy, as provided.
Existing law requires the state board to adopt basic instructional materials for use in kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, for governing boards of school districts and county boards of education, subject to specified provisions, including, among others, that the State Board of Education adopt at least 5 basic instructional materials for all applicable grade levels in each of the specified subject areas, including, among others, language arts, including, but not limited to, spelling, reading, and English language development.
This bill would require the state board, on or before January 31, 2027, and in adherence with specified provisions related to followup adoptions, to adopt instructional materials for kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, in English language arts and English language development, as provided. The bill would require the state board to ensure that instructional materials adopted pursuant to these provisions adhere to specified criteria. The bill would require, upon the adoption of instructional materials described above, the state board to update the state Guidance for Local Instructional Materials Adoptions to reflect the criteria described above. The bill would require a local educational agency to follow this guidance for purposes of adopting instructional materials and require a local educational agency that adopts materials that have not been adopted by the state board to certify that the materials align to the criteria described above. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 44265.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:
44265.1.
(a) No later than January 1, 2028, the commission shall ensure that its standards of program quality and effectiveness for the preparation of candidates for the reading and literacy leadership specialist credential and the reading and literacy added authorization, and the teaching performance expectations for the preparation of candidates for the reading and literacy leadership specialist credential and the reading and literacy added authorization include preparation on how to deliver instruction and support teachers to deliver instruction through effective means for teaching literacy, aligned to all of the following:
(1) The English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework, including instruction to meet the varied language development needs of English learners.
(2) Evidence-based means of teaching foundational reading skills, which shall include explicit and systematic instruction in print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency to all pupils, and attending to oral and written language development, vocabulary and background knowledge, and comprehension, including tiered supports for pupils with reading difficulties, English learners, and pupils with exceptional needs.
(3) The program guidelines for dyslexia developed pursuant to Section 56335.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that candidates for the reading and literacy leadership specialist credential and the reading and literacy added authorization are prepared to deliver instruction and support teachers to deliver instruction through effective means for teaching literacy in programs in which English learner pupils are being instructed in their primary languages.
SEC. 2.
Section 44270.6 is added to the Education Code, to read:
44270.6.
(a) No later than September 1, 2028, the commission shall ensure that the program standards for the professional preparation of candidates for a preliminary services credential with a specialization in administrative services established pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 44270 include preparation on how to support teachers in delivering instruction through effective means for teaching literacy, aligned to all of the following:
(1) The English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework, including instruction to meet the varied language development needs of English learners.
(2) Evidence-based means of teaching foundational reading skills, which shall include explicit and systematic instruction in print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency to all pupils, and attending to oral and written language development, vocabulary and background knowledge, and comprehension, including tiered supports for pupils with reading difficulties, English learners, and pupils with exceptional needs.
(3) The program guidelines for dyslexia developed pursuant to Section 56335.
(b) The commission shall confirm that administrative preparation programs implement the standards pursuant to this section.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that candidates for a preliminary services credential with a specialization in administrative services are prepared to support teachers to deliver instruction through effective means for teaching literacy in programs in which English learner pupils are being instructed in their primary languages.
SEC. 3.
Section 60205 is added to the Education Code, to read:
60205.
(a) On or before January 31, 2027, the state board shall, in adherence with the procedures established pursuant to Section 60227, adopt instructional materials for kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, in English language arts and English language development.
(b) The state board shall ensure that instructional materials adopted pursuant to this section adhere to all of the following:
(1) Align to the current English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework, including integrated and designated English language development instruction adopted by the state board, and including strategies to meet the varied language development needs of English learners.
(2) Align to evidence-based means of teaching foundational reading skills, which shall include explicit and systematic instruction in print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency, and attending to oral and written language development, vocabulary and background knowledge, and comprehension, including tiered supports for pupils with reading difficulties, English learners, and pupils with exceptional needs.
(3) Align to the program guidelines for dyslexia developed pursuant to Section 56335.
(4) Include materials that focus on the teaching of specific skills and standards that are a subset of the entire English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework and clearly designate which standards they effectively address.
(c) Upon the adoption of instructional materials pursuant to subdivision (a), the state board shall update the state Guidance for Local Instructional Materials Adoptions to reflect the criteria in subdivision (b). A local educational agency shall follow this guidance and the processes described in Section 60002 for purposes of adopting instructional materials.
(d) (1) A local educational agency that adopts instructional materials that have not been adopted by the state board pursuant to subdivision (a) shall certify that the instructional materials align to the criteria in subdivision (b).
(2) A local educational agency may adopt a set of instructional materials that, in combination, address all of the state standards and components of the English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature that the state board’s adoption of instructional materials in English language arts and English language development include high-quality instructional materials in pupils’ primary languages to enable teachers to build upon pupils’ linguistic assets in programs for which English learner pupils are being instructed in their primary language.
SEC. 4.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.