Schools Chief Also Comments on Bills to Improve Teacher Quality

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that bills he sponsored to continue high-quality teacher professional development programs and to improve programs offered by Regional Occupational Centers have been signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

SB 472, by Senator Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara), reauthorizes the law which provides incentive funding to local education agencies to offer high-quality teacher professional development programs, commonly called AB 466 training. This training includes 40 hours of professional development and 80 hours of follow-up training for math and reading teachers. The measure provides an additional incentive for teachers of English learners. This law will sunset on July 1, 2012. 

"California has set the bar high for student success and good teachers are the most important element in students' ability to meet that bar," O'Connell said. "This new law will allow California to continue to provide high quality professional development for all reading and math teachers. We need to do more to ensure that every student in every school has a well trained teacher. This measure is a vital step in that direction. I would like to thank Senator Elaine Alquist for carrying this legislation. Because of her hard work, thousands of teachers across our state will be able to continue to improve their skills which, in turn, will help the 6.3 million K-12 students in our state meet the challenge of higher expectations."

AB 2448, by Assemblymember Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley), increases accountability and monitoring of Regional Occupational Centers and Programs.

"Students stay engaged in school when they can see the real work connection to what they are learning," O'Connell said. "Regional Occupational Centers play an important role in helping students learn through hands on experience. This law will help focus our centers on providing rigorous and relevant programs that serve high school students. I applaud Assemblymember Hancock for her commitment to education and thank her for introducing this bill."

Superintendent O'Connell today also issued the following statement about two bills, SB 1209 and SB 1655, authored by Senator Jack Scott (D-Altadena) which were signed into law today.

"By streamlining teacher credential processes and giving principals tools to recruit and hire talented teachers, these bills will significantly help improve our teaching forces at our lowest performing schools," O'Connell said. "I applaud Senator Jack Scott for authoring these important new laws and congratulate Governor Schwarzenegger for signing them today."