SPI sponsors legislation to address housing affordability State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has announced he is sponsoring legislation to help local educational agencies across California address the housing affordability crisis.

Senate Bill 502, introduced on Feb. 19 by State Sen. Jesse Arreguín (D-07), would establish a fund to support predevelopment costs of housing for educators and school employees, a common barrier for LEAs seeking to establish workforce housing.

“California’s housing crisis is driving talented educators and school staff away from the communities that need them most,” said Thurmond, in a news release. “This bill will create a real pathway to accelerate the opportunities for districts to build over 2 million units of affordable housing over the next decade. We applaud Senator Arreguín for his efforts to support school employees.”

SB 502 would allow more than 125 school districts and LEAs each year to use state homebuilding funds to cover predevelopment costs — such as architectural planning and permit applications — needed to construct affordable housing for school employees. Many school districts have available land to build housing but lack the funding to cover these costs.

“The scarcity of housing is making it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain educators,” said Arreguín. “Educators and all workers deserve to live in the communities they serve. That is why I am excited to partner with Superintendent of Public Instruction Thurmond to secure funding to kick-start workforce housing projects for educators and school employees, repurposing school land for needed homes.”

A key component of the bill is the creation of a zero-interest revolving loan fund, which would be funded by setting aside 5 percent of the annual revenue generated by the Building Homes and Jobs Trust Fund — a state fund that generates over $250 million per year from a $75 transaction fee on real estate documents. Under existing law, these funds support affordable housing projects, but school districts currently lack clear access to these resources. SB 502 would change that, helping school districts overcome financial barriers to developing workforce housing.

California’s housing crisis has disproportionately impacted educators, with housing costs far outpacing salaries. In 2016, only 17.4 percent of homes were affordable to the average teacher, and most school employees are considered “housing cost burdened,” spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Meanwhile, school districts and county offices of education collectively own more than 75,000 acres of land that could be developed for workforce housing. Notably, 40 percent of this land is in areas with high teacher turnover rates.

Employee housing has shown to be a highly effective strategy for addressing the school staffing crisis. Jefferson Union High School District in Daly City, an area hard-hit by the high cost of housing, recently opened a 122-unit housing development for staff. Following the opening of these housing units, the district opened the school year with zero vacancies, which board member Andy Lie called “unheard of in public education.”

To share policy recommendations for Thurmond’s housing initiative, email initiatives@cde.ca.gov.

NCTQ: California’s teacher diversity efforts are working California’s teacher diversity outpaces the diversity of working-age adults with degrees in the state, according to a new article from the National Council on Teacher Quality.

The article, which explores data from NCTQ’s new Teacher Diversity Dashboard, identifies California, Texas and Washington, D.C., as bright spots for increasing teacher diversity. According to the article, 32.8 percent of California teachers are from historically disadvantaged groups, compared to 26.8 percent of California degree-holders who are working-age adults.

Previous research has shown that teacher diversity matters for all students, especially students of color, and results in improved academic, social-emotional and behavioral outcomes.

In California, the authors cite four reasons for the state’s rise in teacher diversity: state-level prioritization, investment, research-based advocacy, and strong data infrastructure. Efforts such as the California Department of Education-convened Educator Diversity Advisory Group and grant programs that specifically focused on increasing the diversity of school administrators were credited with the state’s success in teacher diversity.

However, the authors cautioned against lowering requirements for the sake of diversity.

“Research from the last three decades shows that licensure tests are predictive of teachers’ effectiveness in the classroom, so it’s critical to keep these guardrails in place,” the article reads. “Rather than drop or sidestep licensure requirements, California should maintain high standards for teacher licensure and continue to support all prospective teachers to attain the knowledge and skills to be successful with students and achieve full certification.”

Read the full article at https://teacherdiversity.nctq.org/brief/what-can-california-texas-and-washington-d-c-teach-us-about-how-to-diversify-the-teacher-workforce.

WWC releases practice guide for behavior interventions In December, the What Works Clearinghouse released a new practice guide for educators, “Teacher-Delivered Behavioral Interventions in Grades K-5.” Developed in collaboration with an expert panel, the practice guide provides guidance on implementing teacher-delivered, low-intensity behavioral interventions with students in kindergarten through grade 5. The guide offers seven recommendations that teachers can apply in their classrooms with minimal resources:

The recommendations aim to help teachers support students in demonstrating appropriate behaviors in the classroom and are intended to complement existing schoolwide behavioral programs. Each recommendation includes a summary of supporting evidence, examples to support implementation and suggestions for addressing potential challenges.

Access the guide at ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/31.

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s Roadmap Project was established by the 2022-23 State Budget Education Trailer Bill with the goal of helping to guide teacher credential candidates and explain pathways for individuals interested in a career in education. The project includes eight Education Career Counselors who provide direct support to individuals interested in becoming educators. Career Counselors act as credential experts, subject matter experts, and resource specialists for individuals seeking careers in PK-12 education. These staff members’ prior extensive background and experience greatly increase their ability to provide guidance from multiple perspectives, as well as to provide accurate, relevant information for aspiring educators and educators looking to grow in their careers. Career Counselors are available via email at careerguidance@ctc.ca.gov and questions generally receive a response in one to two business days. Education Career Counselors have helped develop resources and webpages that are available at www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/roadmap-to-teaching.