US News
California lawmakers pass bill to discipline school administrators who skip teacher misconduct checks
The measure allows state credentialing sanctions for failing to vet educators or disclose past job history following reports that accused teachers were rehired.
The short version
- California lawmakers unanimously passed a bill enabling the state credentialing agency to penalize administrators and teachers who fail to comply with background check and employment history disclosure laws.
- The legislation allows public reprimands, credential suspensions, or revocations for noncompliant staff and school leadership.
- The bill now awaits action by Governor Gavin Newsom, who must sign or veto it by September 30.
Key facts
- California lawmakers unanimously passed legislation authored by Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi to enforce existing background check mandates for school hiring.[ProPublica]
- Under the bill, the state's teacher licensing agency can publicly reprimand, suspend, or revoke credentials of teachers and administrators who fail to comply with disclosure and vetting rules.[ProPublica]
- The measure follows a joint investigation by KQED and ProPublica that identified at least 14 educators hired by new schools after previous employers reported them for sexual misconduct.[ProPublica]
- An earlier version proposing a searchable public teacher misconduct database was removed after opposition from teachers unions and the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing over privacy and legal concerns.[ProPublica]
- Governor Gavin Newsom has until September 30 to sign or veto the bill.[ProPublica]
What remains uncertain
- Whether Governor Gavin Newsom will sign or veto the legislation remains unknown, as his office generally refrains from commenting on pending bills.[ProPublica]