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Committee advances bill letting local education agencies run teacher‑preparation programs for English‑learner credentials
Summary
AB 1306 would authorize district‑ and county‑run teacher preparation programs (with Commission on Teacher Credentialing approval) to offer California Teacher of English Learners (CTEL) and bilingual authorizations; the committee moved the bill forward.
The Senate Education Committee advanced AB 1306, by Assemblymember Marisuchi, which would authorize local educational agencies (LEAs) — school districts and county offices of education — to offer Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)‑approved preparation programs leading to California Teacher of English Learners (CTEL) or bilingual authorizations. Programs would be subject to the same standards used for college and university‑based programs; the only change would be the location and sponsoring institution.
Sponsors said the change aims to expand the pipeline of teachers prepared to instruct English learners, now numbering more than 1.1 million in California, by creating more accessible local preparation options. Sasha Horwitz of Los Angeles Unified, a sponsor, said the authorization would help diversify and grow the bilingual and English‑learner teacher workforce by allowing community‑rooted candidates and classified staff who cannot access university pathways to pursue credentialing locally.
Supporters included Californians Together, the California Teachers Association, county offices of education and school administrator associations. No organized opposition appeared in the hearing record.
Committee members expressed support for increasing preparation capacity while stressing that CTC accreditation and quality standards must be maintained. The bill was moved to the Appropriations Committee with a recorded 6‑0 committee disposition in the hearing record.
