CTC COMPOSITION
Would convert the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing into a more independent standards board by increasing its teacher membership and by requiring a majority of its members to be classroom teachers.
TEACHER RECRUITMENT
Would create a comprehensive teacher recruitment program, including minority teacher recruitment, with an emphasis on career ladders for preschool teachers, teacher aides and child development aides, and other paraprofessionals.
CREDENTIAL RENEWAL
Would mandate that teaching credentials issued by the CTC be renewed from the credential's expiration date and not the date of receipt.
LOAN FORGIVENESS
Would create a loan forgiveness program of $8,000 per year for economically disadvantaged students in their last two years of college or a fifth-year credential program if they will teach for a designated number of years.
FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION (Kuehl)
AB 537
Would assure all students a right to participate fully in the education process free from discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status or economic situation.
Status: Signed into law (Ch. 587, '99)
COUNSELORS
Would require districts to provide counseling by certificated personnel to students who are struggling with gender or sexual orientation issues.
GROUP HOME REQUIREMENTS (Shelley)
Would require group home owners who act as guardians of school-aged children to meet the following requirements in order to maintain a group home license: a minimum of nine semester units of coursework in child and adolescent development and pertinent education courses that apply to specified staff/professionals; and 40 hours of parenting education workshops.
RETROACTIVE BENEFITS (Ortiz)
Would provide retroactivity for eligible STRS retirees who received their initial STRS allowance in 1998 to reflect the increased age and career factor levels that became available to STRS members who retired on or after Jan. 1, 1999. Would allow retirees to rescind their retirement and work at least one full year in order to receive the benefits.
TOTAL COMPENSATION (Reyes)
Would provide a new calculation for STRS retirement requiring that the greater of an individual's district W-2 salary or total compensation be used to calculate retirement benefits.
TEACHERS' PENSION EQUITY ACT (Honda)
Would provide for an elected STRS Board, and other possible benefits like highest year compensation and 80 percent purchasing power.
EARNINGS LIMITATION (Wildman)
AB 1733
Would increase the STRS earnings limitation for retired teachers who return to work in public schools to $36,000 or more.
RULE OF 85 (Strom-Martin)
AB 1213
Would create an option authorizing retirement at the 2.4 percent level for an STRS member aged 55 or older when the sum of the member's years of service and age equals at least 85. [This language was removed from SB 39 (Baca) and is being reintroduced in the 2000 legislative session.]
Status: Passed Assembly PER&SS. Sent to Assembly Appropriations***
Action Needed: Write your Assembly member.*
REDUCED WORKLOAD
Would clarify current law to specify that the Willie Brown Reduced Workload Program can be bargained for less than 10 years.
*Letters to Senators, Assembly Members and the Governor can be mailed c/o State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. For an up-to-date picture of a bill's progress, check CTA's Web site [www.CTA.org], and click on PAL.
** Designated a two-year bill.
*** Designated a two-year bill; must pass house of origin by Jan. 31 or the bill dies.
