Bill Text: CA AB2489 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2489 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Teachers: Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Grant Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-03-10 - Referred to Com. on ED. [AB2489 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB2489-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2489

Introduced by Assembly Member Salas

February 17, 2022

An act to add Article 5.3 (commencing with Section 69617.5) to Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to teachers.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2489, as introduced, Salas. Teachers: Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Grant Program.

Existing law establishes the Golden State Teacher Grant Program under the administration of the Student Aid Commission to provide a grant to each student enrolled in an approved teacher credentialing program who commits to working in a high-need field, as defined, at a priority school, as defined, for 4 years after the student receives a preliminary teaching credential. Existing law establishes the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification Incentive Program to award grants to teachers who agree to teach for 5 years at a high-priority school, as provided.

This bill would establish the Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Grant Program, to be administered by the Student Aid Commission, to provide grants to local educational agencies for awards, in unspecified amounts, to teachers who agree to reside for at least 5 years within the attendance boundaries of the priority school in which the teacher is assigned to teach, as provided. The bill would define a priority school as a school maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, with 50% or more of its pupils who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. The bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would appropriate $50,000,000 for the program, and would make implementation of the program contingent on an appropriation being made in the annual Budget Act or another statute for purposes of the program.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Article 5.3 (commencing with Section 69617.5) is added to Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

Article 5.3. Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Grant Program

69617.5.

(a) For purposes of this article the following definitions apply:

(1) “Grant” means a Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Program Grant awarded pursuant to this article to a local educational agency to provide teacher awards to eligible teachers employed by the local educational agency.

(2) “Local educational agency” means a school district or county office of education.

(3) “Priority school” means a school maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, where 50 percent or more of its pupils are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals, as described in subdivision (a) of Section 42238.01.

(4) “Program” means the Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Program established by this article.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would appropriate the sum of fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) for purposes of this article.

69617.6.

(a) The Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Grant Program is hereby established to be administered by the commission to award grants to local educational agencies for the purpose of providing teacher awards to teachers who agree to reside within the attendance boundaries of a priority school in which the teacher is assigned to teach.

(b) (1) On and after January 1, 2023, a teacher may apply to receive a teacher award under the program if the teacher meets all of the following criteria:

(A) The teacher is assigned to teach in a priority school.

(B) The teacher agrees to reside or to continue to reside for at least five years within the attendance boundaries of the priority school in which the teacher is assigned to teach. Teaching service and residence before January 1, 2023, shall not be counted towards satisfying the five-year commitment.

(C) The teacher holds a valid California teaching credential, not including an emergency permit, intern permit, or waiver.

(D) The teacher possesses a baccalaureate or higher degree.

(2) Grants awarded by the commission under this section to local educational agencies shall be used to supplement and not supplant teacher salaries.

(3) A teacher may apply for a teacher award by submitting an application, developed by the commission pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69617.7, to the local educational agency employing the teacher.

(1) Use the grant solely to disburse annual payments to teacher applicants who meet the criteria prescribed in subdivision (b).

(2) Ensure that teachers employed by the local educational agency are informed about the program and are able to obtain an application and materials about the program developed by the commission pursuant to Section 69617.7.

(3) On or before January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter until grant funds are exhausted, submit an annual report to the commission summarizing the activities undertaken related to the program. The report shall include the names of the teachers who received a teacher award and the amount of the award.

69617.7.

The commission shall do all of the following:

(a) Administer the grants authorized for the program, including by developing program information, criteria, procedures, and applications that are consistent with this article.

(b) Distribute relevant program information and materials to all local educational agencies.

(c) Require, as a condition for a grant award, a local educational agency to submit a hiring plan, as specified by the commission, that includes a commitment by the local educational agency to fill any teacher vacancy created by a teacher award recipient with another teacher who is eligible for a teacher award under the program.

(d) Award grants to local educational agencies for each approved teacher application, except that grant awards shall not exceed the total amount appropriated for purposes of the program.

(e) On or before January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter until funds appropriated for purposes of the program are exhausted, and notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, submit a report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The report shall include a summary of program activities by the commission, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) The information received from local educational agencies pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 69617.6.

(2) The number of local educational agency grants distributed annually.

(3) The number of teacher awards distributed each year by each local educational agency.

(4) An assessment of the program’s effectiveness in recruiting and retaining teachers.

69617.8.

The operation of this article is contingent on an appropriation being made in the annual Budget Act or another statute for purposes of the Neighborhood Teacher Incentive Grant Program.