Teacher credentialing: substitute teachers: days of service.

Assembly Member Valencia's legislation would permanently authorize substitute teachers in California to serve up to 60 cumulative days in any single assignment, extending a temporary policy set to expire July 1, 2024. The authorization applies to holders of Commission on Teacher Credentialing permits for general, special, or career technical education substitute teaching.

Local educational agencies can utilize this extended substitute teaching period through two pathways. Agencies with collective bargaining agreements that specify substitute teacher assignment processes may implement the 60-day authorization directly. Those without such agreements must first employ all available substitute teachers holding statutory leave permits for positions where the teacher of record is on leave, and demonstrate reasonable efforts to recruit permanent staff according to existing state guidelines.

The measure builds upon current regulations that limit emergency substitute permit holders to 30 days per assignment, or 60 days for career emergency permit holders. It also modifies existing provisions that restrict substitute teaching for special education positions to 20 cumulative days per absent teacher each school year. The authorization applies to substitute assignments aligned with the credential holder's qualifications, including positions that are temporarily vacant.