Date: April 26, 2007
Dear County and District Superintendents:
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MATHEMATICS AND READING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The California Department of Education (CDE) is continuing its implementation of the Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program, formerly known as Assembly Bill (AB) 466 and now known as Senate Bill (SB) 472. The professional development program offered through SB 472 reauthorizes AB 466 as of January 1, 2007, and extends the operation of the program until July 1, 2012. The training provided through SB 472 is appropriately funded, and SB 472 provides an additional English Learner Professional Development (ELPD) component that was not included in AB 466.
Incentive funding is offered to local educational agencies (LEAs) including state special schools through SB 472 for coordinating the professional development and training of qualified teachers. Selected teachers participate in an initial training of 40 hours that has been developed by approved providers. This initial training focuses on statewide academic content standards, curriculum frameworks, instructional materials, and instructional strategies. A current list of approved training providers may be found on the CDE Web site. Participating LEAs will be reimbursed $1,250 for each teacher who completes the initial 40 hour training. SB 472 also allows for an 80 hour follow-up professional development component for teachers who have received the initial 40 hour training. Participating LEAs will be reimbursed an additional $1,250 for each teacher who completes the 80 hour follow-up component.
Initial training can be provided for a variety of teachers including special education teachers. Single subject English or social science teachers can receive training in reading, and single subject mathematics or science teachers can receive training in mathematics. Participating teachers may directly benefit from participating in SB 472 training. LEAs may grant teachers up to $500 of the reimbursed $1,250 for attending the initial 40 hour training and up to an additional $500 of the additional $1,250 reimbursement for completing the 80 hour follow-up.
The 80 hours of follow-up professional development authorized through SB 472 may come in the form of additional professional development training, school site coaching, or participation in any activities that directly support the content provided during the initial 40 hours of training. LEAs have three options for coordinating the 80 hour follow-up: contract with a State Board of Education approved provider, use another source, or conduct the additional professional development in house.
The language in SB 472 also provides ELPD for teachers of English language learners in kindergarten through grade twelve for reading/language arts. The ELPD training may cover 40 hours of the 80 hour follow-up training. Teachers who have already completed their 120 hours of program training may also attend the 40 hours of English learner training. SB 472 provides additional incentive funds for districts $1,250 and teachers $500 who opt to take the ELPD training. The following table demonstrates the two options for completing the ELPD:
Option one:
- Initial 40 hours - $1,250
- Follow-up 80 hours - $1,250
- ELPD 40 hours - $1,250
Option two:
- Initial 40 hours - $1,250
- ELPD 40 hours - $1,250
- Follow-up 40 hours - $1,250
The ELPD includes differentiated instructional strategies, vocabulary development, writing development, early intervention techniques, and many other English language strategies. To be eligible to participate in the SB 472 ELPD, a teacher must have completed the initial 40 hours of training. Priority funding for the ELPD training is extended to LEAs where 20 percent or more of its total enrollment are English language learner students, or one or more schools are identified as not meeting English language learner subgroup targets or as program improvement. Currently this training is in design and should be available in the fall of 2007.
SB 472 also mandates that LEAs conduct local audits of their records of teacher participation. LEAs should keep records on file for the names of the participating teachers, the classes taught at time of training, the school, the approved instructional material used, the type of training, the date of training, and the name of the provider.
To obtain additional information regarding SB 472 program issues, please visit the CDE website. If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact Eli Johnson, Consultant, Reading/Language Arts Leadership Office, at 916-323-4711 or by e-mail at ejohnson@cde.ca.gov. If you have any questions regarding fiscal matters, please contact Pat Boncella, Analyst, Administrative and Fiscal Services Office, at 916-323-4965 or by e-mail at pboncell@cde.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
JACK O’CONNELL
JO:ej
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814