Four of the five bills we collaboratively supported were signed by Governor Newsom this month! Thank you to our bills authors, sponsors, writers and everyone who dedicated and lent their time and hearts to make these bills law. Below is a quick summary of what this means for students in California.
AB 370 (The Biliteracy Inclusion Act) This law is set to enhance the criteria for achieving the State Seal of Biliteracy by expanding rigorous options for students to demonstrate proficiency in English and a second language. Now, a greater number of students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their linguistic abilities and proudly earn the prestigious State Seal of Biliteracy. Thank you to bill sponsors Californians Together and California Association of Bilingual Education (CABE) for championing this cause. We also want to extend our appreciation to Assemblymember Dawn Addis for her dedication in drafting and guiding this bill through the legislative process.
AB 393 (Dual Language Learner Identification) This new law will create a standardized process for relevant state agencies to identify and support dual language learners in the California Early Learning and Care system. Doing so is crucial for ensuring leaders and practitioners have the information they need to best serve the needs of these students. Thank you to bill sponsors Californians Together, Early Edge and CABE and to Assesmbleymember Luz Rivas for writing this bill and getting it turned into law.
AB 714 (Newcomer Students) Thanks to this new law, the California Department of Education will now be required to provide districts with guidance for best supporting newcomer students. This law establishes a definition for newcomers and requires the collection of data to inform actions and programs for LEAs to meet their needs. Thank you to Assemblymember Kevin McCarty for your leadership in drafting and leading the way on this legislation.
AB 1127 (Bilingual Professional Development Program) This law re-established the Bilingual Teacher Professional Development Program–a successful method for addressing bilingual teacher shortages which ended in 2021. This program will empower local education agencies to partner with higher education institutions to provide professional learning opportunities to develop educators as they work to support students’ language needs.Thank you to bill sponsor Californians Together and to Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes for spearheading this bill.
AB 1106 will be reintroduced for 2024. Stay tuned.
AB 1106 (Soria) – PK-3 early childhood education specialist credential: grant program.
Co-sponsored by Education Trust – West and Children Now
Current law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to award planning grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop plans for the creation of integrated programs of professional preparation that lead to more credentialed teachers with an emphasis on identified shortage fields, as provided. Current law requires the commission to also award implementation or expansion grants of up to $500,000 each for regionally accredited institutions of higher education to develop new programs of professional preparation or to establish a new partnership with a California community college, as provided. This bill would, separate from those grants, require the commission to develop and implement a program to award, on a competitive basis, planning grants of up to $250,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education for the development of plans to guide the creation of programs of professional preparation, and implementation grants of up to $500,000 each to regionally accredited institutions of higher education for the implementation of programs of professional preparation, that lead to more credentialed teachers obtaining the PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Credential, as provided. (Based on 03/30/2023 text)
