Teacher credentialing: community college baccalaureate degrees.

The entire California Community College designated subjects career technical education credential pilot program (Section 44227.1) was removed. This had authorized the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2033, to approve community colleges to recommend issuance of CTE credentials aligned with approved baccalaureate degree majors, along with requirements for interim statewide evaluation and a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2032.

A new provision was added incorporating additional changes to Sections 44252, 44259, and 44325 of the Education Code as proposed by SB 1443. These incorporated changes are operative only if both AB 2206 and SB 1443 are enacted and AB 2206 is enacted last.

The definition of 'institution of higher education' in Section 44203(e) was corrected from 'California Community College community college, or a California Community College community college district' to 'California community college, or a California community college district,' removing redundant wording.

Removed the provision that would have allowed a baccalaureate degree in the industry sector or subject named on the credential from a regionally accredited community college, junior college, or institution of higher education to satisfy the subject matter experience requirement for the 3-year preliminary designated subjects CTED teaching credential.

Added a prohibition preventing California community colleges and community college districts from offering an integrated program of professional preparation that enables a candidate to engage in professional preparation concurrently with subject matter preparation while completing a baccalaureate degree.

Changed the entity responsible for conducting the interim statewide evaluation of CTED credential programs at community colleges from the Legislative Analyst's Office to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, with the report still due by January 1, 2032.

Broadened the definition of 'institution of higher education' exclusion to explicitly name 'community college' and 'junior college' in addition to 'California Community College community college' and its district, making the exclusion from this term more explicit.

Added Section 44259.1 to the list of Education Code sections being amended by the bill.

The definition of 'institution of higher education' in Section 44225 was changed from 'an institution that grants baccalaureate or higher degrees' to 'an institution that grants baccalaureate or higher degrees, not including a California Community College or a California Community College district.' This explicitly removes community colleges from the category of institutions eligible under general credentialing provisions.

A new amendment to Section 44227 was added (as new Section 3 of the bill). Subdivision (a) now states the commission may approve any regionally accredited institution of higher education 'other than a community college' to recommend credentials. This creates an explicit general prohibition on community colleges recommending teacher credentials.

Section 44227.1(b)(1), the CTE credential pilot program, now begins with 'Notwithstanding Section 44227' before the existing date range (January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2033). This clarifies that the pilot program is a specific exception to the new general exclusion of community colleges in Section 44227.

The entity responsible for conducting and reporting the interim statewide evaluation of CTE credential pilot programs appears to have been changed from the Legislative Analyst's Office to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The text shows both names ('The Legislative Analyst's Office commission'), suggesting an unresolved or transitional drafting state, but the intent is to shift this oversight function to the commission.

Minor grammatical fix in Section 44225(a)(1)(A): 'candidate for a preliminary credential' was changed to 'candidate for a preliminary credential and may award' to improve sentence flow.

The community college career technical education credential pilot program is moved from an amendment to Section 44227 into a new standalone section (44227.1). Section 44227 is no longer amended by this bill. The new section explicitly states the pilot operates 'Notwithstanding Section 44227,' making it a clear exception to the general rule that only regionally accredited institutions of higher education can recommend credentials.

The digest language describing the removal of community colleges from the 'regionally accredited' definition was simplified. The old version included an explanatory clause about limiting applicability to specific provisions where coursework at community colleges could count toward credential requirements; that explanatory language was removed in favor of a shorter statement.

The amendment date was updated from April 6, 2026 to April 13, 2026, with the prior date retained. Page numbering shifted from 97 to 96 due to the reorganization reducing overall document length.

A new standalone Section 44227.1 was added to formally establish the California Community College designated subjects career technical education credential pilot program, replacing the previous approach of merely stating legislative intent for future legislation.

The bill's scope of amended sections expanded significantly, now covering Sections 44225, 44252, 44260, 44265, 44269, 44300, and 44325 in addition to the previously listed sections.

The CTE credential issued under the pilot program must now be in a subject aligned with the community college's approved baccalaureate degree major, adding a restriction not present in the prior version.

A new amendment to Section 44225 requires that a baccalaureate degree from a community or junior college accredited by ACCJC must include coursework in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills in the English language (as described in Section 44252(b)(10)) in order to satisfy the baccalaureate degree requirement for a teaching credential, certificate, or permit.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amended bill now carries fiscal implications requiring fiscal committee review.

The definition of 'regionally accredited' in Section 44203 no longer includes community or junior colleges that confer baccalaureate degrees as a general category, narrowing the applicability of regionally accredited provisions to specific contexts where community college coursework counts toward credential requirements.

Redefines 'regionally accredited' in Education Code Section 44203 to remove community or junior colleges that confer baccalaureate degrees from the general definition of regionally accredited institution of higher education. This narrows which institutions can be approved for full teacher preparation programs.

Adds a new pilot program (Section 44227(d)) authorizing the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2033, to approve community colleges to recommend issuance of designated subjects career technical education credentials based on programs of 'personalized preparation' that meet commission-approved standards.

Sets a sunset date of January 1, 2033 for the community college career technical education credential pilot program, and requires the Legislative Analyst's Office to report evaluation results by January 1, 2032.

Requires the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct an interim statewide evaluation covering: which colleges applied, were accredited, or were denied; costs to colleges and candidates; completion rates compared to other institutions; number of credentials issued; teacher retention after three years; and regional workforce demand trends.

Defines 'community college' for the pilot program as one that offered a baccalaureate degree before January 1, 2026 through a program approved under Education Code Section 78040 et seq., limiting eligibility to colleges with existing bachelor's degree programs.

Amends multiple sections (44252.2, 44256, 44258.2, 44258.7, 44259) to explicitly allow coursework completed at regionally accredited community or junior colleges to count toward semester hour requirements for subject matter competence in various credential types, preserving this pathway despite the removal from the general definition.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amended bill now has fiscal implications that require fiscal committee review.