§ 44400.02. — 44400.02. (Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 8, Sec. 36.)

California § 44400.02.

• Jurisdiction: California
• Code EDC: Education Code - EDC
• Div.: 3.
• Title 2.: DIVISION 3. LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
• Part 25.: PART 25. EMPLOYEES
• Ch. 2.: CHAPTER 2. Teacher Credentialing
• Art. 13.5.: ARTICLE 13.5. Educator Recruitment and Retention Initiative

Text

(a)
The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall award funding appropriated for this purpose to local educational agencies that host student teachers or teacher residents or that employ teacher apprentices.
(b)
(1)
Local educational agencies awarded funding pursuant to this article shall provide stipends to prospective educators during their completion of 500 or more hours of student teaching. Stipends for each prospective educator shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000) and paid during the school year in which the credential applicants are completing their student teaching.
(2)
Local educational agencies employing credentialed educator apprentices
may use stipend awards to offset the wages paid to those apprentices during the initial phase of the apprenticeship when the apprentice is not yet the educator of record.
(3)
Local educational agencies hosting teacher residents may use student teacher stipends in cases where residents are not supported by residency stipends pursuant to Section 44415.5.
(c)
The Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall establish a streamlined online process for local educational agencies to submit the prospective educator’s information, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1)
The prospective educator’s preparation program.
(2)
The number of student teaching hours they will complete.
(3)
The
local educational agency or agencies where they are completing their student teaching.
(4)
The schoolsite or schoolsites where they are completing their student teaching.
(5)
Their desired credential.
(6)
Evidence of their valid certificate or permit issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing that required professional fitness review.
(7)
Their demographic information.
(d)
(1)
Commencing July 1, 2026, to the extent that funds are available for this purpose, up to one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) shall be available annually for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to award stipends.
(2)
To the extent that demand for this program exceeds the amount appropriated by the Legislature, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall prioritize student teacher stipend applications for the year on a first-come, first-serve basis.
(e)
Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing shall, on or before January 1, 2027, and each year thereafter, report to the Department of Finance and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature, regarding the state of the grant program, including, but not limited to, the number of prospective educators paid, their education preparation programs, their desired credential, the participating local educational agencies, and the demographics of the participants in the program. The report submitted to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature shall be submitted consistent with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

Legislative History

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 8, Sec. 36. (AB 121) Effective June 27, 2025.