Senate Minority Leader Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) is authoring a number of education reforms designed to give California students the best possible education that the state can deliver. His education reform agenda includes measures that address problems highlighted by the recent Vergara v. California ruling and other measures designed to put students first.

“Our children deserve the highest quality education we can give them,” said Senator Huff. “These modest reforms help deliver on this promise. These are educational reforms that provide better choices for parents and a top notch public education for students — no matter where they live.”

Senator Huff’s education reform bills include the following measures:


  *   SB 279 – Teacher Evaluation Study<http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB279&search_keywords=>: This bill would require the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) to develop recommendations for the Legislature on how to evaluate certificated employees by using multiple measures that also include student achievement.  This report will be due to the Legislature by January 1, 2018.


  *   SB 381 – LIFO Exception<http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB381&search_keywords=>: Senator Huff’s legislation seeks an amendment to the Education Code to allow for an exception to the Last In First Out (LIFO) hiring rule. This includes, but is not limited to, those who teach career pathway/Career Technical education courses or any course necessary for the Local Education Area to implement its Local Control Accountability Plan.


  *   SB 597 – District of Choice<http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml>: Extends the 22-year running School District of Choice program, which fosters public school choice by allowing parents to transfer their children to participating school districts without a transfer agreement.


  *   SB 416 – Ensuring Local Control in Schools<http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB416&search_keywords=>: This bill removes sections of law in the Education code that were made obsolete from the enactment of local control funding reforms. In order to ensure California closes the chapter on “strings attached” education funding, it is critical these antiquated laws are omitted.

“The California Constitution establishes a fundamental right of every child to a basic education and equitable opportunity to learn,” said Senator Huff. “Yet special interests continue to push for laws that are not in the best interests of children. California student performance on achievement tests consistently ranks near the bottom in elementary and middle-school reading and mathematics, and our high school graduation rates are mediocre at best. My reforms will improve our public schools and, more importantly, student achievement.”