SECTIONS 44630-44643 - California Statutes

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.