SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla’s AB 2560, which sailed through the legislature with strong support from both the Senate and Assembly, was signed into law today by Governor Brown. Assembly Bill 2560 ensures that applicants, who submit an initial or renewal credential application, clearly understand their responsibilities as mandated reporters.
This measure was created to address the growing number of cases across the state involving child abuse in schools. The delay in response time has allowed for incidences of physical and sexual student abuse to go unaddressed.
“Student safety is an important priority in our schools,” said Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord). “It is imperative that all school employees clearly understand that once abuse is suspected, the appropriate intervention occurs immediately. AB 2560 reinforces the actions that must be taken to protect our students and maintain a trusting school environment.”
AB 2560 addresses the issue and improves student safety in our schools by requiring that all applicants attest by signature that he or she understands the obligation to report directly to law enforcement officials, and not to school administrators of higher authority. This bill also requires that a written report of the suspected child abuse or neglect must be submitted within 36 hours of becoming aware of the incident.
Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord) was elected in November 2010 and represents California’s 14th Assembly District, which includes Contra Costa County and Solano County.
Here is a look at AB 2560 or read below
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
AB 2560, Bonilla. Teacher credentialing: applications: child abuse reporting.
Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards and procedures for the initial issuance and renewal of teaching credentials.
Existing law, the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, requires a mandated reporter, as defined to include a teacher, to report whenever he or she, in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, has knowledge of or observes a child whom the mandated reporter knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect.
This bill would require the commission, as part of its standards and procedures for the issuance or renewal of teaching or services credentials, to require an initial or renewal applicant who submits an initial or renewal application for his or her credential online, or an initial applicant who submits an application in paper form, to read and attest by signature a statement that is substantially in a specified form that the applicant understands the duties imposed on a holder of a teaching credential or a services credential by the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, as provided. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 44252 of the Education Code is amended to read:
44252.
(a) (1) The commission shall establish standards and procedures for the initial issuance and renewal of credentials.
(2) (A) The commission shall require an initial or renewal applicant who submits an initial or renewal application his or her credential online, as part of the application process, to read and attest by electronic signature a statement that the applicant for the credential understands the duties imposed on a holder of a teaching credential or a services credential pursuant to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code), including, but not limited to, the duty of a holder of a teaching credential or a services credential to report to any police department, sheriff’s department, county probation department authorized to receive reports, or county welfare department, whenever he or she, in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, has knowledge of or observes a child whom the holder of a teaching credential or a services credential knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect.
(B) The commission shall require an initial applicant who submits an application in paper form, as part of the application process, to read and attest by signature a statement that the applicant understands the duties imposed on a holder of a teaching credential or a services credential pursuant to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code), including, but not limited to, the duty of a holder of a teaching credential or a services credential to report to any police department, sheriff’s department, county probation department authorized to receive reports, or county welfare department, whenever he or she, in his or her professional capacity or within the scope of his or her employment, has knowledge of or observes a child whom the holder of a teaching credential or a services credential knows or reasonably suspects has been the victim of child abuse or neglect.
(C) The statement described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be substantially in the following form:
“As a documentholder authorized to work with children, it is part of my professional and ethical duty to report every instance of child abuse or neglect known or suspected to have occurred to a child with whom I have professional contact.
I understand that I must report immediately, or as soon as practicably possible, by telephone to a law enforcement agency or a child protective agency, and will send a written report and any evidence relating to the incident within 36 hours of becoming aware of the abuse or neglect of the child.
I understand that reporting the information regarding a case of possible child abuse or neglect to an employer, supervisor, school principal, school counselor, coworker, or other person is not a substitute for making a mandated report to a law enforcement agency or a child protective agency.
I understand that the reporting duties are individual and no supervisor or administrator may impede or inhibit my reporting duties.
I understand that once I submit a report, I am not required to disclose my identity to my employer.
I understand that my failure to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act under Section 11166 of the Penal Code is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail or by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.
I acknowledge and certify that as a documentholder, I will fulfill all the duties required of a mandated reporter.”
(b) The commission shall not issue initially a credential, permit, certificate, or renewal of an emergency credential to a person to serve in the public schools unless the person has demonstrated proficiency in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills in the English language as provided in Section 44252.5 or 44252.7. The commission shall exempt the following persons from the basic skills proficiency test requirement:
(1) A person credentialed solely for the purpose of teaching adults in an apprenticeship program.
(2) An applicant for an adult education designated subject credential for other than an academic subject.
(3) A person credentialed in another state who is an applicant for employment in a school district in this state who has passed a basic skills proficiency examination administered by the state where the person is credentialed.
(4) A person credentialed in another state who is an applicant for employment in a school district in this state who has passed a basic skills proficiency examination that has been developed and administered by the school district offering that person employment, by cooperating school districts, or by the appropriate county office of education. School districts administering a basic skills proficiency examination under this paragraph shall comply with the requirements of subdivision (h) of Section 44830. The applicant shall be granted a nonrenewable credential, valid for not longer than one year, pending fulfillment of the basic skills proficiency requirement pursuant to Section 44252.5.
(5) An applicant for a child care center permit or a permit authorizing service in a development center for the handicapped, so long as the holder of the permit is not required to have a baccalaureate degree.
(6) The holder of a credential, permit, or certificate to teach, other than an emergency permit, who seeks an additional authorization to teach.
(7) An applicant for a credential to provide service in the health profession.
(8) An applicant who achieves scores on the writing, reading, and mathematics sections of the College Board SAT Reasoning Test, the enhanced ACT Test, or the California State University Early Assessment Program that are sufficient to waive the English placement test and the entry level mathematics examination administered by the California State University.
(9) An applicant for an eminence credential to be issued pursuant to Section 44262.
(c) (1) The Superintendent shall adopt an appropriate state test to measure proficiency in these basic skills. In adopting the test, the Superintendent shall seek assistance from the commission and an advisory board. A majority of the members of the advisory board shall be classroom teachers. The advisory board also shall include representatives of school boards, school administrators, parents, and postsecondary educational institutions.
(2) The Superintendent shall adopt a normed test that the Superintendent determines will sufficiently test basic skills for purposes of this section.
(3) The Superintendent, in conjunction with the commission and approved teacher training institutions, shall take steps necessary to ensure the effective implementation of this section.
(d) This section does not require the holders of, or applicants for, a designated subjects special subjects credential to pass the state basic skills proficiency test unless the requirements for the specific credential required the possession of a baccalaureate degree. The governing board of a school district, or the governing board of a consortium of school districts, or the governing board involved in a joint powers agreement, which employs a holder of a designated subjects special subjects credential, shall establish its own basic skills proficiency criteria for the holders of these credentials and shall arrange for those individuals to be assessed. The basic skills proficiency criteria established by the governing board shall be at least equivalent to the test required by the district, or in the case of a consortium or a joint powers agreement, by any of the participating districts, for graduation from high school. The governing board or boards may charge a fee to individuals being tested to cover the costs of the test, including the costs of developing, administering, and grading the test.
(e) The commission shall compile data regarding the rate of passing the state basic skills proficiency test by persons who have been trained in various institutions of higher education. The data shall be available to members of the public, including to persons who intend to enroll in teacher education programs.
(f) (1) Each applicant to an approved credential program, unless exempted by subdivision (b), shall take the state basic skills proficiency test in order to provide both the prospective applicant and the program with information regarding the proficiency level of the applicant. Test results shall be forwarded to each California postsecondary educational institution to which the applicant has applied. The program shall use test results to ensure that, upon admission, each applicant receives appropriate academic assistance necessary to pass the state basic skills proficiency test. Persons residing outside the state shall take the test no later than the second available administration following their enrollment in a credential program.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that applicants for admission to teacher preparation programs not be denied admission on the basis of state basic skills proficiency test results.
