44630-44643
EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 44630-44643
44630. This article may be cited as the Professional Development and Program Improvement Act of 1968. 44631. It is the intent of the Legislature that professional development and program improvement centers be established throughout the state to offer comprehensive in-service training programs to strengthen the instructional techniques of classroom teachers in kindergarten and grades 1 through 12, inclusive. It is also the intention of the Legislature that the professional development and program improvement centers may provide staff development activities pursuant to a systematic assessment of pupil and personnel needs, including needs of pupils who have not mastered basic reading, writing, and mathematic skills, improve the teacher's skills in diagnosing learning disabilities of pupils, and develop corrective programs of instruction. It is the further intention of the Legislature that the center include the principal and other school administrative personnel in the training program. It is also the intention of the Legislature that in sparsely populated areas, involving long distances, in which the establishment of professional development and program improvement centers is not feasible, the in-service teacher training shall be provided under joint programs between school districts and county superintendents of schools to strengthen the instructional techniques of classroom teachers in kindergarten and grades 1 through 12. It is the further intention of the Legislature that all district, state, and federal resources related to teacher training be integrated and coordinated with in-service training programs established by this article in order to improve the educational achievement of pupils enrolled in both categorical aid programs and regular instructional programs. 44632. As used in this article: (a) "Center" means a professional development and program improvement center which is a school designated as such upon application of a school district by the State Board of Education. It is a school in which a program under either Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the Miller-Unruh Basic Reading Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 54100) of Part 29 of Division 4 of this title), the Educationally Disadvantaged Youth Programs (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 54000) of Part 29 of Division 4 of this title), or the Early Childhood Education Program (Article 10 (commencing with Section 49530) of Chapter 9 of Part 27 of Division 4 of this title) is in operation. (b) "Satellite school" means any other school or schools in the district designated as such by the district and approved by the State Board of Education. Satellite schools shall be named in accordance with the priority measures established by Section 44636. (c) "Program" means a professional development and program improvement center program established pursuant to this article. (d) "Joint program" shall mean a program undertaken through joint agreement by two or more school districts or county superintendents of schools joined together for the purpose of providing in-service training to administrators and teachers teaching kindergarten and grades 1 through 12. 44633. A school may be designated as a center when all of the following conditions are met: (a) The director of the center, as appointed by the school district, has the concurrence of a cooperating teacher training institution. (b) The master teachers at the center have been determined to be outstanding teachers by the school district and the cooperating institution of higher education. (c) The center has at least the staff for auxiliary and administrative services that would be present in an adequately staffed school. 44634. Each school designated as a center shall employ a staff of teachers, administrative and auxiliary personnel, and teacher aides and may provide training for such staff which may serve as substitutes in the satellite school when the regular satellite school staff is released for in-service training. 44635. Any school district may apply to establish a center. The application shall be submitted to the State Board of Education and shall contain a detailed plan cooperatively developed with a teacher training institution and shall include all of the following: (a) A description of the training program for all school personnel to be trained through the program, including administrative and auxiliary personnel and, if appropriate, replacement teachers. (b) A description of the in-service program to be provided to the staff of satellite schools on a regular rotational basis until all staff members of the satellite schools have participated in the in-service training program. Staff of satellite schools shall include specialist teachers in reading and mathematics regularly employed with such schools, and administrative and auxiliary personnel, and teacher aides. (c) A description of the procedure to be used for the identification of master teachers at the center based on demonstrated ability by the district in cooperation with the institution of higher education. (d) A description of the program for followup training to be provided to personnel of satellite schools which have had training in the centers. (e) A description of how all existing in-service training programs of the district funded from local, state, and federal sources will be integrated with the professional development and program improvement programs authorized by this article, including a specific statement of the local, state, and federal resources for district in-service training programs that will be utilized in the implementation of this program. 44636. (a) Satellite schools shall be designated and approved as those schools which meet all of the following criteria: (1) The schools which have designated one or more master teachers to act as resource teachers in reading and mathematics and to work with other teachers in the strengthening of instructional techniques and program improvements. (2) The schools which have the largest concentration of teachers who will assure the district that they will continue to teach in the satellite schools for the second school year following their participation in the center program. (b) Priority shall be given to those schools which have the largest concentration of pupils whose achievement scores in reading or mathematics, or both, fall below the first quartile, as measured by the latest administered standardized achievement test in reading or mathematics, or both. 44637. A program proposed by a joint agreement may be considered when all the following conditions are met: (a) The director of the program, as appointed by the joint agreement, has the concurrence of a cooperating teaching training institution. (b) The professional staff proposed by the teacher training institution to work with the joint program has the concurrence of the school districts participating in the joint agreement. (c) The master teachers or specialist teachers employed by the joint program have been determined to be outstanding teachers by the school district and the cooperating institution of higher education. 44638. The designated agent of any joint program may apply to establish a program of in-service and preservice training for classroom teachers in lieu of applying to establish a center pursuant to Section 44635. The application shall contain a detailed plan cooperatively developed with a teacher training institution and shall include all of the following: (a) A description of the training program for all school personnel to be trained through the program, including administrative and auxiliary personnel and, if appropriate, replacement teachers. (b) A description of the in-service program to be provided the staff of satellite schools on a regular rotational basis until all staff members of the satellite schools have participated in the in-service training program. Staff of satellite schools shall include specialist teachers in reading and mathematics regularly employed with such schools, and administrative and auxiliary personnel, and teacher aides. (c) A description of procedures to be used for the identification of master teachers at the center based on demonstrated ability by the district in cooperation with the institution of higher education. (d) A description of the program for followup training to be provided to personnel of satellite schools which have had training in the centers. (e) A description of how all existing in-service training programs of the district funded from local, state, and federal sources will be integrated with the professional development and program improvement programs authorized by this article, including a specific statement of the local, state, and federal resources for district in-service training programs that will be utilized in the implementation of this program. (f) Priority shall be given to those schools of the participating districts which have (1) the largest concentration of pupils whose reading achievement scores fall in the first quartile, as measured by the most recently administered standardized achievement test in reading, (2) the largest concentration of pupils whose mathematic achievement scores fall in the first quartile as measured by the most recently administered standardized achievement test in mathematics, and (3) the largest concentration of teachers who will assure the district that they will continue to teach in the schools for the second school year following their participation in the program. 44639. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this article, including the establishment of minimum standards for in-service programs offered. 44640. The State Board of Education shall provide for the evaluation of improvement of teacher competence of teachers participating in the program. The board shall select or contract for the development of evaluation procedures and materials designed to measure the improvement of teaching competence as a result of participation in the program. The assessment procedures and materials shall be utilized to assess participating teachers before and after participation in the program. 44642. The State Board of Education shall establish procedures for allocating funds to support the preservice and in-service training programs authorized by this article. 44643. State grants made to school districts shall not exceed the amount approved in the project budget of the district. Allocation by the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall include such amount as may be necessary to (1) pay the salaries of replacement teachers, and (2) pay the salaries of instructors or prorate salaries of consultants for time of instruction in the project. In no event shall allocations to school districts for the professional development program exceed one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) per trainee.