News

New Law Would Allow Community colleges to Issue Teaching Credentials

Published

7 years ago

February 20, 2017

State Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) has introduced a bill to help meet California’s teacher shortage by allowing community college districts to offer teacher credentialing programs.

“As a grandfather, I truly believe that educating future generations is our most important duty,” said Senator Dodd.

“We need to do a better job attracting and retaining high quality teachers. Our community colleges are outstanding resources that can help meet the growing need for teacher training and credentialing, especially in underserved rural and urban communities”

According to a recent report from the Learning Policy Institute, 75 percent of school districts report teacher shortages. They also report that new teaching credentials in California have remained flat at approximately 11,500 annually since 2013-14, while projections show the need for new teachers is over 20,000 per year.

Despite the state’s serious need for teachers, 20 of the 58 counties in California have no approved institutions with an active teacher credentialing program.

The law would allow community colleges in rural counties to credential teachers.

“Prospective teachers in rural areas are often unable to travel or relocate to the universities that deliver California’s teacher credentialing programs. Senator Dodd’s proposal reduces a critical barrier to preparing teachers for our rural schools and rural communities,” said Dr. Douglas B. Houston, Chancellor of Yuba Community College District.

Under current law, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing may authorize a CSU, UC, private college or a local education agency to offer a program to credential teachers.

However, community colleges currently do not credential teachers on their own. The California Community College system is the nation’s largest higher education provider, serving 2.1 million students across 113 colleges. In recent years, California has sought to utilize community colleges to better meet skilled workforce needs, even authorizing community colleges to grant Bachelor’s degrees in 2014.

The measure, Senate Bill 577, has already garnered support from several community college districts across the state, and is expected to be heard in the Senate Education Committee next month.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

24 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.