State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > California > Edc > 44279.1-44279.7

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 44279.1-44279.7



44279.1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the beginning
years of the career of a teacher are a critical time in which it is
necessary that intensive professional development and assessment
occur. The Legislature recognizes that the public invests heavily in
the preparation of prospective teachers, and that more than one-half
of all new teachers leave some California school districts after one
or two years in the classroom. Intensive professional development and
assessment are necessary to build on the preparation that precedes
initial certification, to transform academic preparation into
practical success in the classroom, to retain greater numbers of
capable beginning teachers, and to remove novices who show little
promise as teachers. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
commission and the Superintendent develop and implement policies to
govern the support and assessment of beginning teachers, as a
condition for the professional certification of those teachers in the
future.
   (b) There is hereby established the California Beginning Teacher
Support and Assessment System, to be administered jointly by the
commission and the Superintendent. In administering the system, the
commission and the Superintendent shall approve the most
cost-effective programs of support and assessment. The commission and
the Superintendent also shall ensure that programs meet the
Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher Support
and Assessment Programs adopted by the commission in 1997 and that
local programs support beginning teachers in meeting the competencies
described in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession
adopted by the commission in January 1997. The system shall do all of
the following:
   (1) Provide an effective transition into the teaching career for
first-year and second-year teachers in California.
   (2) Improve the educational performance of pupils through improved
training, information, and assistance for new teachers.
   (3) Enable beginning teachers to be effective in teaching pupils
who are culturally, linguistically, and academically diverse.
   (4) Ensure the professional success and retention of new teachers.
   (5) Ensure that a support provider provides intensive
individualized support and assistance to each participating beginning
teacher.
   (6) Improve the rigor and consistency of individual teacher
performance assessments and the usefulness of assessment results to
teachers and decisionmakers.
   (7) Establish an effective, coherent system of performance
assessments that are based on the California Standards for the
Teaching Profession adopted by the commission in January 1997.
   (8) Examine alternative ways in which the general public and the
educational profession may be assured that new teachers who remain in
teaching have attained acceptable levels of professional competence.
   (9) Ensure that an individual induction plan is in place for each
participating beginning teacher and is based on an ongoing assessment
of the development of the beginning teacher.
   (10) Ensure continuous program improvement through ongoing
research, development, and evaluation.
   (c) Participation in the system shall be voluntary for teachers,
school districts, and county offices of education and participation
by certificated employees shall not be made a condition of
employment. The commission and the Superintendent shall adopt and
implement criteria and standards for participation in the system,
including criteria regarding the eligibility of teachers and
standards of local program quality and intensity for schools, school
districts, county offices of education, colleges, universities, and
other educational and professional organizations. The criteria and
standards shall be consistent with the purposes of the system.
   (d) (1) For purposes of this article, unless the context otherwise
requires, "beginning teacher" means a teacher with a valid
California credential, as defined in Section 44259.
   (2) For purposes of this article, "beginning teacher" does not
include a teacher with a life credential, a clear credential, or a
professional clear teaching credential who returns to serve in a
certificated teaching position.
   (e) Subject to verification and approval by an induction program
director, a beginning teacher shall not be required to demonstrate
that an induction standard has been met, or complete an element of an
approved induction program designed to assist a candidate in
mastering a given standard, if the candidate previously met the
induction standard while participating in a commission-approved
preparation program.
   (f) The Superintendent and the commission shall disseminate the
California Standards for the Teaching Profession adopted by the
commission in January 1997 to colleges, universities, school
districts, county offices of education, and professional
associations, who shall be encouraged to use the standards in efforts
to improve teacher preparation and support programs. Performance
assessments developed under this article shall be designed to provide
useful, helpful feedback to beginning teachers and their support
providers. That information shall not be used for employment-related
evaluations, as a condition of employment, or as a basis for
terminating employment.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission and
the Superintendent establish a statewide teacher induction program
that supports locally designed, high-quality induction programs that
provide individualized support and formative assessment for all
participating beginning teachers as defined in subdivision (d). At
the discretion of the local beginning teacher support and assessment
system teacher induction program, funds allocated to a program on the
basis of eligible beginning teachers may be used to provide support,
assistance, and preparation services to other credential candidates
who are in their first or second year of employment as a classroom
teacher.
   (h) This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Marian
Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.



44279.2.  (a) The superintendent and the commission shall jointly
administer the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System
pursuant to this chapter. In administering this section, the
superintendent and the commission shall provide or contract for the
provision of all of the following:
   (1) Establishing requirements for reviewing and approving teacher
induction programs.
   (2) Developing and administering a system for ensuring teacher
induction program quality and effectiveness. For the purposes of this
section, "program effectiveness" means producing excellent program
outcomes in relation to the purposes defined in subdivision (b) of
Section 44279.1. For the purposes of this section, "program quality"
means excellence with respect to program factors, including, but not
limited to, all of the following:
   (A) Program goals.
   (B) Design resources.
   (C) Management, evaluation, and improvement of the program.
   (D) School context and working conditions.
   (E) Support and assessment services to each beginning teacher.
   (3) Developing purposes and functions for reviewing and approving
supplemental grants and standards for program clusters and program
consultants, as defined pursuant to Section 44279.7.
   (4) Improving and refining the formative assessment system.
   (5) Improving and refining professional development materials and
strategies for all personnel involved in implementing induction
programs.
   (6) Conducting and tracking research related to beginning teacher
induction.
   (7) Periodically evaluating the validity of the California
Standards for the Teaching Profession adopted by the commission in
January 1997 and the Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program adopted by the
commission in 1997 and making changes to those documents, as
necessary.
   (b) As part of the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment
System, the commission and the superintendent shall establish
requirements for local teacher induction programs.
   (c) A school district or consortium of school districts may apply
to the superintendent for funding to establish a local teacher
induction program pursuant to this section. From amounts appropriated
for the purposes of this section, the superintendent shall allocate
three thousand dollars ($3,000) for each beginning teacher
participating in the program. That amount shall be adjusted each
fiscal year by the inflation factor set forth in Section 42238.1. To
be eligible to receive funding, a school district or consortium of
school districts shall, at a minimum, meet all of the following
requirements:
   (1) Develop, implement, and evaluate teacher induction programs
that meet the Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher
Induction Program Standards adopted by the commission in 1997.
   (2) Support beginning teachers in meeting the competencies
described in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession
adopted by the commission in January 1997.
   (3) Meet criteria for the cost-effective delivery of program
services.
   (4) From amounts received from local, state, or resources
available for the purposes of teacher induction programs, contribute
not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the costs of each
beginning teacher served in the induction program.
   (d) Teachers who have received their preliminary credential in a
district intern program pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with
Section 44325) or an intern program pursuant to Article 3 (commencing
with Section 44450) of Chapter 3 and who are participating in an
induction program pursuant to this section are not eligible for
funding pursuant to Article 11 (commencing with Section 44380) of
Chapter 2.


44279.25.  (a) By December 1, 2007, the Superintendent and the
commission shall report to the Legislature and the Governor on the
current state of the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.
The report shall review the articulation of teacher preparation
programs and teacher induction programs to eliminate duplicative
requirements and, at a minimum, do all of the following:
   (1) Recommend revisions to laws, regulations, or policies to
eliminate duplicative requirements between teacher preparation and
teacher induction programs, with particular attention paid to
eliminating duplication between induction requirements and
requirements for completion of state-approved alternative
certification programs.
   (2) Recommend revisions to the system to ensure that teacher
credential candidates achieve teaching competence and programs use
best practices to transition candidates from teacher preparation
programs to induction programs.
   (3) Recommend ways to ensure that beginning teachers receive
direct assistance from experienced teachers who are familiar with the
grade span, subject matter, and teaching and classroom management
techniques appropriate to the teaching assignment of each beginning
teacher.
   (b) By July 1, 2008, the Superintendent and the commission shall
review and revise, as necessary, the Standards of Quality and
Effectiveness for Professional Teacher Induction Programs of March
2002 to ensure that these standards address the application of
knowledge and skills previously acquired in a preliminary credential
program and to remove any requirements or activities that require
candidates to duplicate the acquisition of knowledge through
coursework. This review shall include, but need not be limited to,
all of the following:
   (1) A review of formative assessment systems in use to ensure that
the systems are appropriately flexible and may be adapted to reflect
progress of individual candidates.
   (2) A review of professional development provided to induction
participants to ensure that it is not duplicative of coursework
completed during teacher preparation.
   (3) A review of new teacher support to ensure that the focus is on
application and enhancement of skills and knowledge acquired in a
preliminary credential program.
   (4) Recommendations for program monitoring with respect to this
subdivision.
   (c) In consultation with the Superintendent, the commission shall
revise the formative assessment system for beginning teachers, as
necessary to ensure that related tasks and activities are aligned to
the revised standards.
   (d) The Superintendent and the commission shall identify effective
practices and techniques and provide for the dissemination of these
to local induction program providers.
   (e) Immediately following the adoption of revised standards
pursuant to subdivision (b), the commission shall review induction
programs to determine whether local teacher induction programs are
meeting standards of quality and effectiveness adopted pursuant to
subdivision (b) and to assure greater program quality and
consistency. The commission shall schedule regular reviews following
the initial review of programs pursuant to this subdivision.
   (f) The Superintendent and the commission shall ensure that
teacher credential candidates are notified of the opportunity to
choose an early completion option pursuant to Section 44468.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that funds appropriated in
Provision 44 of Item 6110-001-0890 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act
of 2006 (Chapter 47 of the Statutes of 2006) be made available for
reviews and preparation of the reports required pursuant to
subdivisions (a) and (b), and that the implementation of
recommendations proceed immediately following the adoption of those
reviews and reports.


44279.3.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the executive
secretary of the commission and the Superintendent of Public
Instruction shall recommend to the commission standards of beginning
teachers' support and performance, and an assessment process for
verifying attainment of the performance standards, which shall be
based on the results of the evaluation study required by Section
44279.2, as that section read on December 31, 1992.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission shall
adopt and promulgate standards and requirements for earning the
professional teaching credential pursuant to paragraph (2) of
subdivision (a) of Section 44225 in accordance with Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Government Code. The proposed regulations shall be developed jointly
with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and shall be drafted
in consultation with the panel established pursuant to subdivision
(b) of Section 44259.2.
   It is the intent of the Legislature that the requirements of
paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 44225 be operative within
six months of the commission's adoption of standards and
requirements for earning the professional credential. First priority
shall be given to cost-effective requirements that maximize the use
of existing state and local resources. The commission shall consider
the use of credential fees and assessment fees to support the cost of
implementing the requirements. In adopting professional teacher
certification requirements pursuant to this subdivision, the
commission shall include the criteria specified in subdivision (d) of
Section 44225, and, in addition, shall include the following:
   (1) A rigorous program of candidate-centered assessment that
relies upon individually evaluating the fitness of each individual
candidate for a credential.
   (2) Rigorous assessments of each teaching candidate's general
knowledge and subject matter knowledge, that are designed to verify
reading skills, writing ability, mathematical reasoning, and other
elements of a liberal arts education.
   (3) Assessments of each teaching candidate's instructional skills
and classroom management skills, including an assessment of each
teaching candidate's ability to work effectively with students of
both sexes and from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural,
academic, and linguistic backgrounds.
   (4) Alternatives for professionally supervising, supporting, and
assisting beginning teachers for at least the critical first full
teaching year.
   (5) Deregulation of the academic training of teachers by shifting
the emphasis from granting credentials on the basis of program
approval to granting credentials on the basis of comprehensive
assessments of individual candidates.
   (c) If the professional teacher certification requirements adopted
by the commission include passage of a standardized examination, the
commission shall establish a procedure for approval by the
commission of alternative examinations or assessments whose scope,
contents, and level of difficulty are determined by the commission to
be equivalent to the scope, contents, and level of difficulty of the
standardized examination. In making these determinations, the
commission may refer to and utilize, to the extent consistent with
this section, accepted national and professional standards governing
the use of tests and assessments, and governing the determination of
equivalence between alternative tests and assessments. The commission
shall recover the costs of administering any standard examination
that the commission adopts by collecting examination fees from
examinees. An agency or organization that recommends an alternative
examination that is approved by the commission shall pay the costs of
developing and administering the alternative examination from any
available source of funds, including examination fees, existing
budget allocations, and amended budget allocations.
   (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that no detailed
prescriptive checklists of competencies be adopted at the state level
for the assessment of each beginning teacher's classroom
performance.
   (e) Until the operative date of the regulations that are adopted
and promulgated in accordance with subdivision (b), the commission
shall continue to administer teacher certification requirements and
regulations that were in effect on December 31, 1988. The commission
may amend those requirements and regulations, as the need arises.



44279.4.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that one full
year, or the equivalent thereof, of paid, classroom teaching
experience and beginning teacher support and assessment shall be a
prerequisite to obtaining a professional credential to teach in the
California public schools.
   Any credential candidate who is eligible for a preliminary
credential shall be eligible for a classroom teaching position with
beginning teacher support and assessment. The requirements of this
article may be waived by the commission for individuals who are
pursuing alternative entry programs established pursuant to
subdivision (g) of Section 44225.
   (b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that support and
assessment of beginning teachers shall be governed by standards
adopted by the commission in consultation with the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and the State Board of Education.
   (c) A beginning teacher who has been issued a preliminary teaching
credential and a preliminary specialty credential pursuant to
paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 44225 shall be eligible
for one year of beginning teacher support and assessment that
combines classroom teaching and specialty instruction.




44279.5.  It is the intent of the Legislature that a beginning
teacher who has been issued a preliminary credential shall receive
support and assistance from an experienced educator in a manner
consistent with the recommendations of the evaluation study conducted
pursuant to Section 44279.2, as that section read on December 31,
1992.



44279.6.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission
shall establish procedures to assess the teaching performance of
beginning teachers on a regular basis by onsite visits of assessment
teams or through the use of uniform exercises in a controlled
setting, or both, as determined appropriate by the commission based
upon the recommendations of the evaluation study conducted pursuant
to Section 44279.2 as that section read on December 31, 1992. The
commission shall ensure that members of the assessment teams have
been appropriately trained and demonstrate an understanding of the
cultures of the major ethnic populations of this state, teaching
strategies for the acquisition of English language skills by
non-English-speaking pupils, and teaching strategies for dealing with
at-risk pupils.



44279.7.  (a) The superintendent and the commission shall award
supplemental grants on a competitive basis to Beginning Teacher
Support and Assessment System teacher induction programs established
pursuant to Section 44279.2 that are identified as having expertise
according to criteria established by the superintendent and the
commission. The supplemental grants received pursuant to this section
shall be expended to assist clusters of teacher induction programs
operated by school districts or consortiums of school districts.
   (b) The superintendent and the commission shall designate each
school district and consortium of school districts participating in
the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System established
pursuant to Section 44279.2 as belonging to a cluster according to
the criteria established pursuant to this subdivision. For the
purposes of this section "cluster" means a cluster of school
districts or consortium of school districts established pursuant this
section. The superintendent and the commission shall establish
criteria for the formation of school districts or consortiums of
school district teacher induction program clusters based upon, but
not necessarily be limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Geographic proximity.
   (2) Program size.
   (3) The number of beginning teachers served.
   (4) The similarity of teacher characteristics and pupil
populations in each school district.
   (c) School districts and consortiums of school districts awarded
supplemental grants pursuant to this section shall identify a teacher
induction program consultant to assist the school district or
consortiums of school districts forming a cluster. The superintendent
and the commission shall identify the purpose and functions of each
consultant. Those purposes and functions shall include, but not
necessarily be limited to, all the following:
   (1) Assisting in designing, implementing, refining, and evaluating
their teacher induction programs.
   (2) Assisting in building the capacity to provide professional
development for all personnel involved in the implementation of
teacher induction programs, including, but not limited to, beginning
teachers, support providers, and administrators.
   (3) Disseminating information on teacher induction programs to all
interested participants within the cluster and collaborating with
other consultants statewide and with state administrative agency
staff to ensure ongoing program improvement.
   (d) The superintendent and the commission shall ensure that each
grant awarded pursuant to this section supports the salary and
benefits and other related costs based on the prorated amount of time
dedicated to this function for a consultant to assist each cluster.


State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > California > Edc > 44279.1-44279.7

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 44279.1-44279.7



44279.1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the beginning
years of the career of a teacher are a critical time in which it is
necessary that intensive professional development and assessment
occur. The Legislature recognizes that the public invests heavily in
the preparation of prospective teachers, and that more than one-half
of all new teachers leave some California school districts after one
or two years in the classroom. Intensive professional development and
assessment are necessary to build on the preparation that precedes
initial certification, to transform academic preparation into
practical success in the classroom, to retain greater numbers of
capable beginning teachers, and to remove novices who show little
promise as teachers. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
commission and the Superintendent develop and implement policies to
govern the support and assessment of beginning teachers, as a
condition for the professional certification of those teachers in the
future.
   (b) There is hereby established the California Beginning Teacher
Support and Assessment System, to be administered jointly by the
commission and the Superintendent. In administering the system, the
commission and the Superintendent shall approve the most
cost-effective programs of support and assessment. The commission and
the Superintendent also shall ensure that programs meet the
Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher Support
and Assessment Programs adopted by the commission in 1997 and that
local programs support beginning teachers in meeting the competencies
described in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession
adopted by the commission in January 1997. The system shall do all of
the following:
   (1) Provide an effective transition into the teaching career for
first-year and second-year teachers in California.
   (2) Improve the educational performance of pupils through improved
training, information, and assistance for new teachers.
   (3) Enable beginning teachers to be effective in teaching pupils
who are culturally, linguistically, and academically diverse.
   (4) Ensure the professional success and retention of new teachers.
   (5) Ensure that a support provider provides intensive
individualized support and assistance to each participating beginning
teacher.
   (6) Improve the rigor and consistency of individual teacher
performance assessments and the usefulness of assessment results to
teachers and decisionmakers.
   (7) Establish an effective, coherent system of performance
assessments that are based on the California Standards for the
Teaching Profession adopted by the commission in January 1997.
   (8) Examine alternative ways in which the general public and the
educational profession may be assured that new teachers who remain in
teaching have attained acceptable levels of professional competence.
   (9) Ensure that an individual induction plan is in place for each
participating beginning teacher and is based on an ongoing assessment
of the development of the beginning teacher.
   (10) Ensure continuous program improvement through ongoing
research, development, and evaluation.
   (c) Participation in the system shall be voluntary for teachers,
school districts, and county offices of education and participation
by certificated employees shall not be made a condition of
employment. The commission and the Superintendent shall adopt and
implement criteria and standards for participation in the system,
including criteria regarding the eligibility of teachers and
standards of local program quality and intensity for schools, school
districts, county offices of education, colleges, universities, and
other educational and professional organizations. The criteria and
standards shall be consistent with the purposes of the system.
   (d) (1) For purposes of this article, unless the context otherwise
requires, "beginning teacher" means a teacher with a valid
California credential, as defined in Section 44259.
   (2) For purposes of this article, "beginning teacher" does not
include a teacher with a life credential, a clear credential, or a
professional clear teaching credential who returns to serve in a
certificated teaching position.
   (e) Subject to verification and approval by an induction program
director, a beginning teacher shall not be required to demonstrate
that an induction standard has been met, or complete an element of an
approved induction program designed to assist a candidate in
mastering a given standard, if the candidate previously met the
induction standard while participating in a commission-approved
preparation program.
   (f) The Superintendent and the commission shall disseminate the
California Standards for the Teaching Profession adopted by the
commission in January 1997 to colleges, universities, school
districts, county offices of education, and professional
associations, who shall be encouraged to use the standards in efforts
to improve teacher preparation and support programs. Performance
assessments developed under this article shall be designed to provide
useful, helpful feedback to beginning teachers and their support
providers. That information shall not be used for employment-related
evaluations, as a condition of employment, or as a basis for
terminating employment.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission and
the Superintendent establish a statewide teacher induction program
that supports locally designed, high-quality induction programs that
provide individualized support and formative assessment for all
participating beginning teachers as defined in subdivision (d). At
the discretion of the local beginning teacher support and assessment
system teacher induction program, funds allocated to a program on the
basis of eligible beginning teachers may be used to provide support,
assistance, and preparation services to other credential candidates
who are in their first or second year of employment as a classroom
teacher.
   (h) This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Marian
Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.



44279.2.  (a) The superintendent and the commission shall jointly
administer the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System
pursuant to this chapter. In administering this section, the
superintendent and the commission shall provide or contract for the
provision of all of the following:
   (1) Establishing requirements for reviewing and approving teacher
induction programs.
   (2) Developing and administering a system for ensuring teacher
induction program quality and effectiveness. For the purposes of this
section, "program effectiveness" means producing excellent program
outcomes in relation to the purposes defined in subdivision (b) of
Section 44279.1. For the purposes of this section, "program quality"
means excellence with respect to program factors, including, but not
limited to, all of the following:
   (A) Program goals.
   (B) Design resources.
   (C) Management, evaluation, and improvement of the program.
   (D) School context and working conditions.
   (E) Support and assessment services to each beginning teacher.
   (3) Developing purposes and functions for reviewing and approving
supplemental grants and standards for program clusters and program
consultants, as defined pursuant to Section 44279.7.
   (4) Improving and refining the formative assessment system.
   (5) Improving and refining professional development materials and
strategies for all personnel involved in implementing induction
programs.
   (6) Conducting and tracking research related to beginning teacher
induction.
   (7) Periodically evaluating the validity of the California
Standards for the Teaching Profession adopted by the commission in
January 1997 and the Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program adopted by the
commission in 1997 and making changes to those documents, as
necessary.
   (b) As part of the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment
System, the commission and the superintendent shall establish
requirements for local teacher induction programs.
   (c) A school district or consortium of school districts may apply
to the superintendent for funding to establish a local teacher
induction program pursuant to this section. From amounts appropriated
for the purposes of this section, the superintendent shall allocate
three thousand dollars ($3,000) for each beginning teacher
participating in the program. That amount shall be adjusted each
fiscal year by the inflation factor set forth in Section 42238.1. To
be eligible to receive funding, a school district or consortium of
school districts shall, at a minimum, meet all of the following
requirements:
   (1) Develop, implement, and evaluate teacher induction programs
that meet the Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher
Induction Program Standards adopted by the commission in 1997.
   (2) Support beginning teachers in meeting the competencies
described in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession
adopted by the commission in January 1997.
   (3) Meet criteria for the cost-effective delivery of program
services.
   (4) From amounts received from local, state, or resources
available for the purposes of teacher induction programs, contribute
not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the costs of each
beginning teacher served in the induction program.
   (d) Teachers who have received their preliminary credential in a
district intern program pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with
Section 44325) or an intern program pursuant to Article 3 (commencing
with Section 44450) of Chapter 3 and who are participating in an
induction program pursuant to this section are not eligible for
funding pursuant to Article 11 (commencing with Section 44380) of
Chapter 2.


44279.25.  (a) By December 1, 2007, the Superintendent and the
commission shall report to the Legislature and the Governor on the
current state of the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.
The report shall review the articulation of teacher preparation
programs and teacher induction programs to eliminate duplicative
requirements and, at a minimum, do all of the following:
   (1) Recommend revisions to laws, regulations, or policies to
eliminate duplicative requirements between teacher preparation and
teacher induction programs, with particular attention paid to
eliminating duplication between induction requirements and
requirements for completion of state-approved alternative
certification programs.
   (2) Recommend revisions to the system to ensure that teacher
credential candidates achieve teaching competence and programs use
best practices to transition candidates from teacher preparation
programs to induction programs.
   (3) Recommend ways to ensure that beginning teachers receive
direct assistance from experienced teachers who are familiar with the
grade span, subject matter, and teaching and classroom management
techniques appropriate to the teaching assignment of each beginning
teacher.
   (b) By July 1, 2008, the Superintendent and the commission shall
review and revise, as necessary, the Standards of Quality and
Effectiveness for Professional Teacher Induction Programs of March
2002 to ensure that these standards address the application of
knowledge and skills previously acquired in a preliminary credential
program and to remove any requirements or activities that require
candidates to duplicate the acquisition of knowledge through
coursework. This review shall include, but need not be limited to,
all of the following:
   (1) A review of formative assessment systems in use to ensure that
the systems are appropriately flexible and may be adapted to reflect
progress of individual candidates.
   (2) A review of professional development provided to induction
participants to ensure that it is not duplicative of coursework
completed during teacher preparation.
   (3) A review of new teacher support to ensure that the focus is on
application and enhancement of skills and knowledge acquired in a
preliminary credential program.
   (4) Recommendations for program monitoring with respect to this
subdivision.
   (c) In consultation with the Superintendent, the commission shall
revise the formative assessment system for beginning teachers, as
necessary to ensure that related tasks and activities are aligned to
the revised standards.
   (d) The Superintendent and the commission shall identify effective
practices and techniques and provide for the dissemination of these
to local induction program providers.
   (e) Immediately following the adoption of revised standards
pursuant to subdivision (b), the commission shall review induction
programs to determine whether local teacher induction programs are
meeting standards of quality and effectiveness adopted pursuant to
subdivision (b) and to assure greater program quality and
consistency. The commission shall schedule regular reviews following
the initial review of programs pursuant to this subdivision.
   (f) The Superintendent and the commission shall ensure that
teacher credential candidates are notified of the opportunity to
choose an early completion option pursuant to Section 44468.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that funds appropriated in
Provision 44 of Item 6110-001-0890 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act
of 2006 (Chapter 47 of the Statutes of 2006) be made available for
reviews and preparation of the reports required pursuant to
subdivisions (a) and (b), and that the implementation of
recommendations proceed immediately following the adoption of those
reviews and reports.


44279.3.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the executive
secretary of the commission and the Superintendent of Public
Instruction shall recommend to the commission standards of beginning
teachers' support and performance, and an assessment process for
verifying attainment of the performance standards, which shall be
based on the results of the evaluation study required by Section
44279.2, as that section read on December 31, 1992.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission shall
adopt and promulgate standards and requirements for earning the
professional teaching credential pursuant to paragraph (2) of
subdivision (a) of Section 44225 in accordance with Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Government Code. The proposed regulations shall be developed jointly
with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and shall be drafted
in consultation with the panel established pursuant to subdivision
(b) of Section 44259.2.
   It is the intent of the Legislature that the requirements of
paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 44225 be operative within
six months of the commission's adoption of standards and
requirements for earning the professional credential. First priority
shall be given to cost-effective requirements that maximize the use
of existing state and local resources. The commission shall consider
the use of credential fees and assessment fees to support the cost of
implementing the requirements. In adopting professional teacher
certification requirements pursuant to this subdivision, the
commission shall include the criteria specified in subdivision (d) of
Section 44225, and, in addition, shall include the following:
   (1) A rigorous program of candidate-centered assessment that
relies upon individually evaluating the fitness of each individual
candidate for a credential.
   (2) Rigorous assessments of each teaching candidate's general
knowledge and subject matter knowledge, that are designed to verify
reading skills, writing ability, mathematical reasoning, and other
elements of a liberal arts education.
   (3) Assessments of each teaching candidate's instructional skills
and classroom management skills, including an assessment of each
teaching candidate's ability to work effectively with students of
both sexes and from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural,
academic, and linguistic backgrounds.
   (4) Alternatives for professionally supervising, supporting, and
assisting beginning teachers for at least the critical first full
teaching year.
   (5) Deregulation of the academic training of teachers by shifting
the emphasis from granting credentials on the basis of program
approval to granting credentials on the basis of comprehensive
assessments of individual candidates.
   (c) If the professional teacher certification requirements adopted
by the commission include passage of a standardized examination, the
commission shall establish a procedure for approval by the
commission of alternative examinations or assessments whose scope,
contents, and level of difficulty are determined by the commission to
be equivalent to the scope, contents, and level of difficulty of the
standardized examination. In making these determinations, the
commission may refer to and utilize, to the extent consistent with
this section, accepted national and professional standards governing
the use of tests and assessments, and governing the determination of
equivalence between alternative tests and assessments. The commission
shall recover the costs of administering any standard examination
that the commission adopts by collecting examination fees from
examinees. An agency or organization that recommends an alternative
examination that is approved by the commission shall pay the costs of
developing and administering the alternative examination from any
available source of funds, including examination fees, existing
budget allocations, and amended budget allocations.
   (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that no detailed
prescriptive checklists of competencies be adopted at the state level
for the assessment of each beginning teacher's classroom
performance.
   (e) Until the operative date of the regulations that are adopted
and promulgated in accordance with subdivision (b), the commission
shall continue to administer teacher certification requirements and
regulations that were in effect on December 31, 1988. The commission
may amend those requirements and regulations, as the need arises.



44279.4.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that one full
year, or the equivalent thereof, of paid, classroom teaching
experience and beginning teacher support and assessment shall be a
prerequisite to obtaining a professional credential to teach in the
California public schools.
   Any credential candidate who is eligible for a preliminary
credential shall be eligible for a classroom teaching position with
beginning teacher support and assessment. The requirements of this
article may be waived by the commission for individuals who are
pursuing alternative entry programs established pursuant to
subdivision (g) of Section 44225.
   (b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that support and
assessment of beginning teachers shall be governed by standards
adopted by the commission in consultation with the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and the State Board of Education.
   (c) A beginning teacher who has been issued a preliminary teaching
credential and a preliminary specialty credential pursuant to
paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 44225 shall be eligible
for one year of beginning teacher support and assessment that
combines classroom teaching and specialty instruction.




44279.5.  It is the intent of the Legislature that a beginning
teacher who has been issued a preliminary credential shall receive
support and assistance from an experienced educator in a manner
consistent with the recommendations of the evaluation study conducted
pursuant to Section 44279.2, as that section read on December 31,
1992.



44279.6.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission
shall establish procedures to assess the teaching performance of
beginning teachers on a regular basis by onsite visits of assessment
teams or through the use of uniform exercises in a controlled
setting, or both, as determined appropriate by the commission based
upon the recommendations of the evaluation study conducted pursuant
to Section 44279.2 as that section read on December 31, 1992. The
commission shall ensure that members of the assessment teams have
been appropriately trained and demonstrate an understanding of the
cultures of the major ethnic populations of this state, teaching
strategies for the acquisition of English language skills by
non-English-speaking pupils, and teaching strategies for dealing with
at-risk pupils.



44279.7.  (a) The superintendent and the commission shall award
supplemental grants on a competitive basis to Beginning Teacher
Support and Assessment System teacher induction programs established
pursuant to Section 44279.2 that are identified as having expertise
according to criteria established by the superintendent and the
commission. The supplemental grants received pursuant to this section
shall be expended to assist clusters of teacher induction programs
operated by school districts or consortiums of school districts.
   (b) The superintendent and the commission shall designate each
school district and consortium of school districts participating in
the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System established
pursuant to Section 44279.2 as belonging to a cluster according to
the criteria established pursuant to this subdivision. For the
purposes of this section "cluster" means a cluster of school
districts or consortium of school districts established pursuant this
section. The superintendent and the commission shall establish
criteria for the formation of school districts or consortiums of
school district teacher induction program clusters based upon, but
not necessarily be limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Geographic proximity.
   (2) Program size.
   (3) The number of beginning teachers served.
   (4) The similarity of teacher characteristics and pupil
populations in each school district.
   (c) School districts and consortiums of school districts awarded
supplemental grants pursuant to this section shall identify a teacher
induction program consultant to assist the school district or
consortiums of school districts forming a cluster. The superintendent
and the commission shall identify the purpose and functions of each
consultant. Those purposes and functions shall include, but not
necessarily be limited to, all the following:
   (1) Assisting in designing, implementing, refining, and evaluating
their teacher induction programs.
   (2) Assisting in building the capacity to provide professional
development for all personnel involved in the implementation of
teacher induction programs, including, but not limited to, beginning
teachers, support providers, and administrators.
   (3) Disseminating information on teacher induction programs to all
interested participants within the cluster and collaborating with
other consultants statewide and with state administrative agency
staff to ensure ongoing program improvement.
   (d) The superintendent and the commission shall ensure that each
grant awarded pursuant to this section supports the salary and
benefits and other related costs based on the prorated amount of time
dedicated to this function for a consultant to assist each cluster.



State Codes and Statutes

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > California > Edc > 44279.1-44279.7

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 44279.1-44279.7



44279.1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the beginning
years of the career of a teacher are a critical time in which it is
necessary that intensive professional development and assessment
occur. The Legislature recognizes that the public invests heavily in
the preparation of prospective teachers, and that more than one-half
of all new teachers leave some California school districts after one
or two years in the classroom. Intensive professional development and
assessment are necessary to build on the preparation that precedes
initial certification, to transform academic preparation into
practical success in the classroom, to retain greater numbers of
capable beginning teachers, and to remove novices who show little
promise as teachers. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
commission and the Superintendent develop and implement policies to
govern the support and assessment of beginning teachers, as a
condition for the professional certification of those teachers in the
future.
   (b) There is hereby established the California Beginning Teacher
Support and Assessment System, to be administered jointly by the
commission and the Superintendent. In administering the system, the
commission and the Superintendent shall approve the most
cost-effective programs of support and assessment. The commission and
the Superintendent also shall ensure that programs meet the
Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher Support
and Assessment Programs adopted by the commission in 1997 and that
local programs support beginning teachers in meeting the competencies
described in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession
adopted by the commission in January 1997. The system shall do all of
the following:
   (1) Provide an effective transition into the teaching career for
first-year and second-year teachers in California.
   (2) Improve the educational performance of pupils through improved
training, information, and assistance for new teachers.
   (3) Enable beginning teachers to be effective in teaching pupils
who are culturally, linguistically, and academically diverse.
   (4) Ensure the professional success and retention of new teachers.
   (5) Ensure that a support provider provides intensive
individualized support and assistance to each participating beginning
teacher.
   (6) Improve the rigor and consistency of individual teacher
performance assessments and the usefulness of assessment results to
teachers and decisionmakers.
   (7) Establish an effective, coherent system of performance
assessments that are based on the California Standards for the
Teaching Profession adopted by the commission in January 1997.
   (8) Examine alternative ways in which the general public and the
educational profession may be assured that new teachers who remain in
teaching have attained acceptable levels of professional competence.
   (9) Ensure that an individual induction plan is in place for each
participating beginning teacher and is based on an ongoing assessment
of the development of the beginning teacher.
   (10) Ensure continuous program improvement through ongoing
research, development, and evaluation.
   (c) Participation in the system shall be voluntary for teachers,
school districts, and county offices of education and participation
by certificated employees shall not be made a condition of
employment. The commission and the Superintendent shall adopt and
implement criteria and standards for participation in the system,
including criteria regarding the eligibility of teachers and
standards of local program quality and intensity for schools, school
districts, county offices of education, colleges, universities, and
other educational and professional organizations. The criteria and
standards shall be consistent with the purposes of the system.
   (d) (1) For purposes of this article, unless the context otherwise
requires, "beginning teacher" means a teacher with a valid
California credential, as defined in Section 44259.
   (2) For purposes of this article, "beginning teacher" does not
include a teacher with a life credential, a clear credential, or a
professional clear teaching credential who returns to serve in a
certificated teaching position.
   (e) Subject to verification and approval by an induction program
director, a beginning teacher shall not be required to demonstrate
that an induction standard has been met, or complete an element of an
approved induction program designed to assist a candidate in
mastering a given standard, if the candidate previously met the
induction standard while participating in a commission-approved
preparation program.
   (f) The Superintendent and the commission shall disseminate the
California Standards for the Teaching Profession adopted by the
commission in January 1997 to colleges, universities, school
districts, county offices of education, and professional
associations, who shall be encouraged to use the standards in efforts
to improve teacher preparation and support programs. Performance
assessments developed under this article shall be designed to provide
useful, helpful feedback to beginning teachers and their support
providers. That information shall not be used for employment-related
evaluations, as a condition of employment, or as a basis for
terminating employment.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission and
the Superintendent establish a statewide teacher induction program
that supports locally designed, high-quality induction programs that
provide individualized support and formative assessment for all
participating beginning teachers as defined in subdivision (d). At
the discretion of the local beginning teacher support and assessment
system teacher induction program, funds allocated to a program on the
basis of eligible beginning teachers may be used to provide support,
assistance, and preparation services to other credential candidates
who are in their first or second year of employment as a classroom
teacher.
   (h) This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Marian
Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.



44279.2.  (a) The superintendent and the commission shall jointly
administer the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System
pursuant to this chapter. In administering this section, the
superintendent and the commission shall provide or contract for the
provision of all of the following:
   (1) Establishing requirements for reviewing and approving teacher
induction programs.
   (2) Developing and administering a system for ensuring teacher
induction program quality and effectiveness. For the purposes of this
section, "program effectiveness" means producing excellent program
outcomes in relation to the purposes defined in subdivision (b) of
Section 44279.1. For the purposes of this section, "program quality"
means excellence with respect to program factors, including, but not
limited to, all of the following:
   (A) Program goals.
   (B) Design resources.
   (C) Management, evaluation, and improvement of the program.
   (D) School context and working conditions.
   (E) Support and assessment services to each beginning teacher.
   (3) Developing purposes and functions for reviewing and approving
supplemental grants and standards for program clusters and program
consultants, as defined pursuant to Section 44279.7.
   (4) Improving and refining the formative assessment system.
   (5) Improving and refining professional development materials and
strategies for all personnel involved in implementing induction
programs.
   (6) Conducting and tracking research related to beginning teacher
induction.
   (7) Periodically evaluating the validity of the California
Standards for the Teaching Profession adopted by the commission in
January 1997 and the Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program adopted by the
commission in 1997 and making changes to those documents, as
necessary.
   (b) As part of the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment
System, the commission and the superintendent shall establish
requirements for local teacher induction programs.
   (c) A school district or consortium of school districts may apply
to the superintendent for funding to establish a local teacher
induction program pursuant to this section. From amounts appropriated
for the purposes of this section, the superintendent shall allocate
three thousand dollars ($3,000) for each beginning teacher
participating in the program. That amount shall be adjusted each
fiscal year by the inflation factor set forth in Section 42238.1. To
be eligible to receive funding, a school district or consortium of
school districts shall, at a minimum, meet all of the following
requirements:
   (1) Develop, implement, and evaluate teacher induction programs
that meet the Quality and Effectiveness for Beginning Teacher
Induction Program Standards adopted by the commission in 1997.
   (2) Support beginning teachers in meeting the competencies
described in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession
adopted by the commission in January 1997.
   (3) Meet criteria for the cost-effective delivery of program
services.
   (4) From amounts received from local, state, or resources
available for the purposes of teacher induction programs, contribute
not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the costs of each
beginning teacher served in the induction program.
   (d) Teachers who have received their preliminary credential in a
district intern program pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with
Section 44325) or an intern program pursuant to Article 3 (commencing
with Section 44450) of Chapter 3 and who are participating in an
induction program pursuant to this section are not eligible for
funding pursuant to Article 11 (commencing with Section 44380) of
Chapter 2.


44279.25.  (a) By December 1, 2007, the Superintendent and the
commission shall report to the Legislature and the Governor on the
current state of the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.
The report shall review the articulation of teacher preparation
programs and teacher induction programs to eliminate duplicative
requirements and, at a minimum, do all of the following:
   (1) Recommend revisions to laws, regulations, or policies to
eliminate duplicative requirements between teacher preparation and
teacher induction programs, with particular attention paid to
eliminating duplication between induction requirements and
requirements for completion of state-approved alternative
certification programs.
   (2) Recommend revisions to the system to ensure that teacher
credential candidates achieve teaching competence and programs use
best practices to transition candidates from teacher preparation
programs to induction programs.
   (3) Recommend ways to ensure that beginning teachers receive
direct assistance from experienced teachers who are familiar with the
grade span, subject matter, and teaching and classroom management
techniques appropriate to the teaching assignment of each beginning
teacher.
   (b) By July 1, 2008, the Superintendent and the commission shall
review and revise, as necessary, the Standards of Quality and
Effectiveness for Professional Teacher Induction Programs of March
2002 to ensure that these standards address the application of
knowledge and skills previously acquired in a preliminary credential
program and to remove any requirements or activities that require
candidates to duplicate the acquisition of knowledge through
coursework. This review shall include, but need not be limited to,
all of the following:
   (1) A review of formative assessment systems in use to ensure that
the systems are appropriately flexible and may be adapted to reflect
progress of individual candidates.
   (2) A review of professional development provided to induction
participants to ensure that it is not duplicative of coursework
completed during teacher preparation.
   (3) A review of new teacher support to ensure that the focus is on
application and enhancement of skills and knowledge acquired in a
preliminary credential program.
   (4) Recommendations for program monitoring with respect to this
subdivision.
   (c) In consultation with the Superintendent, the commission shall
revise the formative assessment system for beginning teachers, as
necessary to ensure that related tasks and activities are aligned to
the revised standards.
   (d) The Superintendent and the commission shall identify effective
practices and techniques and provide for the dissemination of these
to local induction program providers.
   (e) Immediately following the adoption of revised standards
pursuant to subdivision (b), the commission shall review induction
programs to determine whether local teacher induction programs are
meeting standards of quality and effectiveness adopted pursuant to
subdivision (b) and to assure greater program quality and
consistency. The commission shall schedule regular reviews following
the initial review of programs pursuant to this subdivision.
   (f) The Superintendent and the commission shall ensure that
teacher credential candidates are notified of the opportunity to
choose an early completion option pursuant to Section 44468.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that funds appropriated in
Provision 44 of Item 6110-001-0890 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act
of 2006 (Chapter 47 of the Statutes of 2006) be made available for
reviews and preparation of the reports required pursuant to
subdivisions (a) and (b), and that the implementation of
recommendations proceed immediately following the adoption of those
reviews and reports.


44279.3.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the executive
secretary of the commission and the Superintendent of Public
Instruction shall recommend to the commission standards of beginning
teachers' support and performance, and an assessment process for
verifying attainment of the performance standards, which shall be
based on the results of the evaluation study required by Section
44279.2, as that section read on December 31, 1992.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission shall
adopt and promulgate standards and requirements for earning the
professional teaching credential pursuant to paragraph (2) of
subdivision (a) of Section 44225 in accordance with Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Government Code. The proposed regulations shall be developed jointly
with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and shall be drafted
in consultation with the panel established pursuant to subdivision
(b) of Section 44259.2.
   It is the intent of the Legislature that the requirements of
paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 44225 be operative within
six months of the commission's adoption of standards and
requirements for earning the professional credential. First priority
shall be given to cost-effective requirements that maximize the use
of existing state and local resources. The commission shall consider
the use of credential fees and assessment fees to support the cost of
implementing the requirements. In adopting professional teacher
certification requirements pursuant to this subdivision, the
commission shall include the criteria specified in subdivision (d) of
Section 44225, and, in addition, shall include the following:
   (1) A rigorous program of candidate-centered assessment that
relies upon individually evaluating the fitness of each individual
candidate for a credential.
   (2) Rigorous assessments of each teaching candidate's general
knowledge and subject matter knowledge, that are designed to verify
reading skills, writing ability, mathematical reasoning, and other
elements of a liberal arts education.
   (3) Assessments of each teaching candidate's instructional skills
and classroom management skills, including an assessment of each
teaching candidate's ability to work effectively with students of
both sexes and from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural,
academic, and linguistic backgrounds.
   (4) Alternatives for professionally supervising, supporting, and
assisting beginning teachers for at least the critical first full
teaching year.
   (5) Deregulation of the academic training of teachers by shifting
the emphasis from granting credentials on the basis of program
approval to granting credentials on the basis of comprehensive
assessments of individual candidates.
   (c) If the professional teacher certification requirements adopted
by the commission include passage of a standardized examination, the
commission shall establish a procedure for approval by the
commission of alternative examinations or assessments whose scope,
contents, and level of difficulty are determined by the commission to
be equivalent to the scope, contents, and level of difficulty of the
standardized examination. In making these determinations, the
commission may refer to and utilize, to the extent consistent with
this section, accepted national and professional standards governing
the use of tests and assessments, and governing the determination of
equivalence between alternative tests and assessments. The commission
shall recover the costs of administering any standard examination
that the commission adopts by collecting examination fees from
examinees. An agency or organization that recommends an alternative
examination that is approved by the commission shall pay the costs of
developing and administering the alternative examination from any
available source of funds, including examination fees, existing
budget allocations, and amended budget allocations.
   (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that no detailed
prescriptive checklists of competencies be adopted at the state level
for the assessment of each beginning teacher's classroom
performance.
   (e) Until the operative date of the regulations that are adopted
and promulgated in accordance with subdivision (b), the commission
shall continue to administer teacher certification requirements and
regulations that were in effect on December 31, 1988. The commission
may amend those requirements and regulations, as the need arises.



44279.4.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that one full
year, or the equivalent thereof, of paid, classroom teaching
experience and beginning teacher support and assessment shall be a
prerequisite to obtaining a professional credential to teach in the
California public schools.
   Any credential candidate who is eligible for a preliminary
credential shall be eligible for a classroom teaching position with
beginning teacher support and assessment. The requirements of this
article may be waived by the commission for individuals who are
pursuing alternative entry programs established pursuant to
subdivision (g) of Section 44225.
   (b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that support and
assessment of beginning teachers shall be governed by standards
adopted by the commission in consultation with the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and the State Board of Education.
   (c) A beginning teacher who has been issued a preliminary teaching
credential and a preliminary specialty credential pursuant to
paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 44225 shall be eligible
for one year of beginning teacher support and assessment that
combines classroom teaching and specialty instruction.




44279.5.  It is the intent of the Legislature that a beginning
teacher who has been issued a preliminary credential shall receive
support and assistance from an experienced educator in a manner
consistent with the recommendations of the evaluation study conducted
pursuant to Section 44279.2, as that section read on December 31,
1992.



44279.6.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission
shall establish procedures to assess the teaching performance of
beginning teachers on a regular basis by onsite visits of assessment
teams or through the use of uniform exercises in a controlled
setting, or both, as determined appropriate by the commission based
upon the recommendations of the evaluation study conducted pursuant
to Section 44279.2 as that section read on December 31, 1992. The
commission shall ensure that members of the assessment teams have
been appropriately trained and demonstrate an understanding of the
cultures of the major ethnic populations of this state, teaching
strategies for the acquisition of English language skills by
non-English-speaking pupils, and teaching strategies for dealing with
at-risk pupils.



44279.7.  (a) The superintendent and the commission shall award
supplemental grants on a competitive basis to Beginning Teacher
Support and Assessment System teacher induction programs established
pursuant to Section 44279.2 that are identified as having expertise
according to criteria established by the superintendent and the
commission. The supplemental grants received pursuant to this section
shall be expended to assist clusters of teacher induction programs
operated by school districts or consortiums of school districts.
   (b) The superintendent and the commission shall designate each
school district and consortium of school districts participating in
the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System established
pursuant to Section 44279.2 as belonging to a cluster according to
the criteria established pursuant to this subdivision. For the
purposes of this section "cluster" means a cluster of school
districts or consortium of school districts established pursuant this
section. The superintendent and the commission shall establish
criteria for the formation of school districts or consortiums of
school district teacher induction program clusters based upon, but
not necessarily be limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Geographic proximity.
   (2) Program size.
   (3) The number of beginning teachers served.
   (4) The similarity of teacher characteristics and pupil
populations in each school district.
   (c) School districts and consortiums of school districts awarded
supplemental grants pursuant to this section shall identify a teacher
induction program consultant to assist the school district or
consortiums of school districts forming a cluster. The superintendent
and the commission shall identify the purpose and functions of each
consultant. Those purposes and functions shall include, but not
necessarily be limited to, all the following:
   (1) Assisting in designing, implementing, refining, and evaluating
their teacher induction programs.
   (2) Assisting in building the capacity to provide professional
development for all personnel involved in the implementation of
teacher induction programs, including, but not limited to, beginning
teachers, support providers, and administrators.
   (3) Disseminating information on teacher induction programs to all
interested participants within the cluster and collaborating with
other consultants statewide and with state administrative agency
staff to ensure ongoing program improvement.
   (d) The superintendent and the commission shall ensure that each
grant awarded pursuant to this section supports the salary and
benefits and other related costs based on the prorated amount of time
dedicated to this function for a consultant to assist each cluster.