SECTIONS 44695-44697 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 44695-44697

44695. The State Department of Education shall administer a program
of staff development grants to reimburse school districts and county
offices of education for fees and materials costs for teachers to
take mathematics courses offered by the mathematics departments at
accredited institutions of higher education. The purpose of the staff
development coursework is to increase the content knowledge of
teachers who teach mathematics to pupils in grades 4 to 12,
inclusive, in order to increase the teacher's capability to impart
knowledge of mathematics content consistent with the academically
rigorous content standards adopted by the State Board of Education in
the subject of mathematics. The department shall do all of the
following:
(a) Develop criteria, guidelines, and procedures as necessary and
submit these to the State Board of Education for amendments, if any,
and approval.
(b) Identify school districts that meet eligibility requirements
for grant awards.
(c) Calculate an allotment for eligible school districts pursuant
to Section 44695.5.
(d) Allocate funds to eligible school districts pursuant to
Section 44695.5 based on the actual cost of fees and materials.

44695.3. A school district shall do all of the following to be
eligible for receiving grants pursuant to this article:
(a) Meet either of the following criteria:
(1) Have employed teachers who are assigned to teach mathematics
outside the authorization of their credential.
(2) Have employed teachers who hold a credential for teaching in a
self-contained classroom, who are assigned to teach pupils in any of
grades 4 to 6, inclusive, and who have not completed more than three
college-level courses in mathematics.
(b) Inform all district teachers who teach mathematics to pupils
in grades 4 to 12, inclusive, of the availability of payments for
fees and materials in courses in mathematics.
(c) From the funds allotted to the school district pursuant to
Section 44695.5, pay for the fees and materials costs of teachers
based on their need for mathematics training. Highest priority shall
be given to teachers with the least college-level mathematics
training. Consideration shall be given to the needs of a school in
extending its course offerings.
(d) Ensure that each teacher who receives the staff development
training in mathematics, as authorized in this chapter, meets all of
the following conditions:
(1) Has designed a professional development plan that specifies
the sequence of courses that the teacher will take in order to
fulfill the course requirements for a mathematics minor, major,
teaching credential, or advanced degree, as appropriate.
(2) Obtains a grade of C or better in the course.
(3) For a teacher described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a),
the teacher has a professional development plan that specifies the
course or sequence of courses that the teacher will need to complete
in order for the teacher to have the appropriate knowledge of
mathematics necessary to teach the subject.
(e) Apply to the State Department of Education for a staff
development grant pursuant to this chapter and certify the number of
teachers employed by the district meeting the criteria in subdivision
(a).

44695.5. The State Department of Education shall calculate an
allotment of funding that each school district is eligible to receive
in reimbursement of fees and materials costs of coursework completed
by teachers for the purpose of increasing mathematics teachers'
content knowledge in the subject of mathematics. The amount of the
funding that each district is eligible to receive shall be equal to
the amount of funding provided for the purpose of this chapter in the
Budget Act of 1998, divided by the number of teachers reported in
subdivision (e) of Section 44695.3 for the school year in which the
application is made. The amount shall not exceed two thousand five
hundred dollars ($2,500) per eligible teacher.

44695.7. Funds received pursuant to this article may be expended
only for fees and required course materials for courses in
mathematics offered by the mathematics departments at accredited
institutions of higher education.

44695.9. A teacher may be eligible to receive payment for fees and
materials costs of more than one course during a fiscal year,
provided that the priorities established pursuant to subdivision (c)
of Section 44695.3 are being addressed and the courses taken are
consistent with the teacher's professional development plan developed
pursuant to paragraph (1) or (3) of subdivision (d) of Section
44695.3.

44696. For the purposes of this chapter, "school district" includes
a county office of education.

44697. Any funds appropriated for the purposes of this chapter in
the 1997-98 Regular Session shall be available for expenditure for
three years.