Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards and procedures for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing regulations prohibit a holder of an emergency substitute teaching permit from substitute teaching during the school year for any one teacher (1) for more than 30 days for a holder of an emergency 30-day substitute permit or an emergency substitute teaching permit for prospective teachers or (2) for more than 60 days for a holder of a career emergency substitute permit. Existing law authorizes a person holding a valid credential authorizing substitute teaching to serve as a substitute for the appropriately credentialed special education teacher for not more than 20 cumulative school days for each special education teacher absent during each school year, except as otherwise provided. Existing law, notwithstanding those provisions or any other law, temporarily authorized, until July 1, 2024, any holder of a credential or permit issued by the commission that authorizes the holder to substitute teach in a general, special, or career technical education assignment to serve in a substitute teaching assignment aligned with their authorization, including for staff vacancies, for up to 60 cumulative days for any one assignment.
Existing law authorizes the commission to waive provisions governing the preparation or licensing of educators in certain situations. If a suitable fully prepared teacher is not available to the school district, the school district is required to make reasonable efforts to recruit first a candidate who is qualified to participate and enrolls in an approved internship program in the region of the school district and then a candidate who is scheduled to complete the preliminary credential requirements within 6 months. Existing regulations authorize a local employing agency to request a teaching permit for statutory leave when a teacher of record is unable to provide services due to a statutory leave and certain requirements are met.
This bill, notwithstanding any other law, would indefinitely reestablish the above-described 60-cumulative day authorization for any one assignment, if, before using the authorization, the local educational agency has both (1) employed all available and suitable substitute teachers who hold a teaching permit for statutory leave, as provided, if the substitute will serve in a position in which the teacher on record is currently on statutory leave and (2) made reasonable efforts to recruit an individual in the order specified above.
This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.