SECTIONS 52180-52186

52180.  It is the intent of the Legislature that school districts,county offices of education and institutions of higher education,with the assistance of the State Department of Education, shallcontinue to provide training for teachers under bilingual teacherwaivers.52181.  The State Bilingual Teacher Training Assistance Program ishereby established for teachers who are granted waivers under Section52178 and who are enrolled and participating in a program leading toa bilingual specialist credential or a certificate of competence forbilingual-crosscultural competence. The program shall beadministered by the State Department of Education which shall, inconsultation with the Commission on Teacher Credentialing andrepresentatives of bilingual educators from institutions of highereducation, county offices of education, and school districts, developannual and long-range goals and objectives for the program, basedupon the reports required under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) ofsubdivision (a) of Section 52171.6 and under Section 52178.52182.  (a) The State Department of Education shall establishminimum standards and criteria for the State Bilingual TeacherTraining Assistance Program, and shall conduct appropriate trainingprograms, or provide for training services by allocation to existingstate staff development resource centers, county offices ofeducation, public or private four-year institutions of postsecondaryeducation, bilingual programs consortia, or cooperatives formed amongtwo or more of these groups. (b) Allocations for training programs conducted under this articleshall be primarily directed toward school districts with highconcentrations of pupils of limited-English-proficiency and teacherson waiver under Section 52178. (c) In awarding allocations pursuant to subdivision (a), thedepartment shall adopt evaluative criteria demonstrating the agency'sability to provide appropriate training services. The adoptedcriteria shall include, but need not be limited to, all of thefollowing: (1) Demonstrated commitment to bilingual education and bilingualteacher training. (2) Demonstrated capability to fully prepare candidates forbilingual certificates of competence in accordance with the criteriafor assessment in language, methodology, and culture. (3) The availability of bilingual education staff withdemonstrated experience and knowledge of bilingual education trainingprograms. (4) Demonstrated management and supportive services necessary toefficiently and effectively meet the intent of this article. (5) District matching funds or in-kind matching resources insupport of teachers participating in training programs under thisarticle. (d) Agencies maintaining programs for the training of bilingualteachers on waiver shall have their programs approved for a periodnot to exceed three consecutive years, contingent upon all of thefollowing: (1) The availability of funds. (2) The submission of acceptable plans and modifications thereof. (3) An annual evaluation that demonstrates that participants havemade significant progress toward passing competency requirementsleading to bilingual teachers certification. Upon the successfulcompletion of a three-year cycle, centers shall be eligible toreapply for continued funding.52183.  The department shall establish minimum requirements forteachers who may wish to participate in the program, including, butnot limited to, the following requirements: (a) That the teacher is working in a bilingual classroom servingpupils of limited-English-proficiency and is under a bilingualteacher waiver issued pursuant to Section 52178. (b) That the teacher's waiver application includes a certificationby an assessor agency approved by the Commission on TeacherPreparation and Licensing issued pursuant to Section 52178. (c) That the teacher is enrolled and participating in a programleading to a bilingual specialist credential or a certificate ofcompetence for bilingual-crosscultural instruction pursuant toSection 44253.5. (d) That the teacher demonstrates the ability and commitment tomeet the requirements of the certificate of competence within thetime period specified in Section 52178.52184.  The department shall prepare and submit to the Legislaturean annual report regarding the number of participants in the StateBilingual Teacher Training Assistance Program, the success of theprogram in assisting teachers under waiver in the geographic areas ofthe state with high concentrations of pupils oflimited-English-proficiency and teachers under waiver, and the numberof teachers who have received assistance under the program and whohave been certified as bilingual-crosscultural teachers.52185.  Agencies funded under Section 52182 to provide trainingservices shall report annually to the Superintendent of PublicInstruction the information required under Section 52184.52186.  The department shall provide ongoing technical assistanceand support for districts establishing or continuing bilingualteacher training assistance programs under this article.