Brown signs bill for teachers to take community college classes toward credentials

Aspiring teachers may take classes toward their credential at community college after Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 557 this week.|
SUSAN MINICHIELLO
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A step to address the teacher shortage in California moved forward this week when Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that allows aspiring teachers to take community college classes for their credential.

Senate Bill 557, authored by Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, was signed into law on Thursday.

“Community college campuses are well-suited to training more teachers, especially in underserved rural and urban communities. I appreciate Gov. Brown’s support for this commonsense measure,” Dodd said in a release.

About three-quarters of California school districts have reported teacher shortages, Dodd said.

The new law establishes the California Community College Teacher Credentialing Partnership Pilot Program, which authorizes three grants of up to $500,000 to community colleges working with accredited teacher-credentialing programs.

You can reach Staff Writer Susan Minichiello at 707-521-5216 or susan.minichiello@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@susanmini.

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