CTA has shepherded through the Legislature a measure aimed at ensuring that State Board of Education decisions will help improve classroom outcomes.
Assembly Bill 2363 by Assembly Member Marco Firebaugh (D-Los Angeles) would require the governor to appoint at least three teachers to the board that oversees educational policy.
Assembly Member Simon Salinas at a news conference.
It was headed for Gov. Davis' desk as the Educator went to press. CTA is urging members to contact the governor and ask for his support on the measure.
Assembly Member Marco Firebaugh at a news conference.
As approved by the Legislature, AB 2363 would boost to 11 the total number of appointments the governor could make to the board. It would also require that three must be classroom teachers practicing in public schools. The bill spells out that one teacher must be working at the elementary level, another in grades 6-8, and a third at the high school level (grades 9-12).
CTA Board Member Paula Caplinger at a news conference.
Also among the 11 gubernatorial appointees would be two parents, a school administrator and a public school student.
By increasing the breadth of educational experience on the state board, CTA believes AB 2363 would help guarantee that the perspectives of California's education experts - classroom teachers - would be included in board actions.
Assembly Member Juan Vargas at a news conference, urging passage of AB 2363.
In an effort to ensure that the board is capable of responding to the changing demographics of the pupil population, the bill calls for one of the teachers on the board to have experience in teaching English language learners. Another board member would be required to have expertise in the research and methodology of teaching English language learners.
Bilingual parents join Assembly Members at a news conference to urge the passage of AB 2363.
The new eligibility criteria would be phased in over a four-year period and all appointments would be subject to approval by a two-thirds vote of the state Senate.
Len Feldman