BURLINGAME – Following the Assembly’s passage of AB 1220 by Assembly Member Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), which would extend the probationary status for new teachers and further exacerbate the critical teacher shortage in California, CTA President Eric Heins issued this statement:

“California educators are extremely disappointed with Assembly members supporting AB 1220,” said CTA President Eric Heins.

“As a state, we should be supporting teacher quality and attracting the best and brightest teachers for California students and this bill will not do that. AB 1220 is the wrong solution to support good teaching and learning, and it’s disappointing that leaders in the Assembly refused to work with educators to improve the bill. As it stands now, this bill doesn’t create better educators and is not focused on teacher quality, it aggravates the teacher shortage in California and makes it harder for new teachers to speak out for their students and the quality education they deserve. 

“Forty-six other states provide due process rights to teachers on day one, California is taking a step back by adding another year without any rights for our newest educators. This will make it harder for California to attract and keep the best teachers as we face a critical teacher shortage.”

“We look forward to working with the Senate to improve this legislation to support educators and students.”

###

The 325,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with
the 3 million-member National Education Association.