Legislative update: Bills signed to streamline credentialing requirements, delay start of board member terms following election
Published: July 25, 2018
The first crop of 2018 bills signed by Gov. Jerry Brown includes CSBA’s first signed co-sponsored bill of the year, and a measure that delays the required start date of a school or county board member’s term of office by one week. Assembly Bills 2285 and 2449 were both signed into law on July 20.
AB 2285 (O’Donnell, D-Long Beach) – Out-of-state prepared teachers – Co-sponsor – CSBA co-sponsored AB 2285 to remove critical barriers for teachers credentialed in other states to attain a clear credential in California.
In 2007, the requirement for 150 hours of professional development was eliminated for in-state teachers who were renewing a credential. AB 2285 extends similar relief to experienced teachers who have already completed their credentialing requirements in another state.
AB 2285 helps make more experienced teachers available to fill the record-level vacancies in our schools and help local educational agencies focus resources on improving student outcomes.
AB 2449 (Arambula, D-Fresno) – Governing boards: elections – Support – The CSBA-supported AB 2449 delays the required start date of a school or county board member’s term of office by one week.
Recent statutory changes have moved most school district and county boards to consolidated elections held in even-numbered years. This shift has created a situation where boards must hold their required annual organizational meetings (with newly elected members seated) before election results are required to be certified; the Secretary of State has until 30 days after the election to certify the results.
AB 2449 provides that boards may hold their organizational meetings (thus commencing the terms of newly elected board members) by the second Friday in December, a one-week delay which ensures that board members are not seated before election results are certified.
The Legislature reconvenes from its summer recess on Aug. 6 and will have until Aug. 31 to hear all remaining bills from the 2017–18 session and send them to Gov. Brown’s desk.
CSBA will release the annual “What’s New” report in early October, detailing all new bills signed into law in 2018 that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
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