SACRAMENTO, California – California State Assemblyman Tony Mendoza (D-Norwalk) was successful in moving three bills through the state’s Education Committee; each bill providing California students and teachers with the tools they need to succeed.

Passed on a 7-3 vote in the Assembly’s Education Committee, AB 2135 seeks to provide additional support to students learning English by assisting the learning process with a third Language program option that would be offered through the state’s core reading Language Arts curriculum.  At present there are only two options in California, Open Court and Houghton Mifflin.

“There is a widening achievement gap between those learning English and those native English speakers and part of the problem is the ‘one-size fits all’ approach the state has used is transitioning these students,” said Assemblyman Mendoza.  “AB 2135 will provide the needed curriculum to advance and enhance a student’s ability to learn the language and will be a part of the core program not as a supplemental program.”

In 2006 results from the California STAR test in Reading/Language showed that there remains a growing disparity in attainment between native English speakers and the state’s 1.6 million English Language Learners. Revisions to the state’s English Language Arts
Framework is not scheduled to be reviewed and revised until 2015.

Assemblyman Mendoza’s AB 2481, also known as the Teacher Payroll Recovery Act, aims to resolve issues created by the newly installed $95 million Los Angeles Unified School District’s modernized payroll system. On June 5, 2007 the system experienced a massive breakdown and errors related to overpayment, underpayment, incorrect withholdings and missed pension fund payments for teachers began to be reported. 

“The rollout of this new payroll system had promised to streamline the process of paying our teachers in Los Angeles, instead it began to reek havoc with teacher’s time cards, vacation and sick pay and their taxes,” said Assemblyman Mendoza. 

AB 2481 seeks to resolve the issues caused by the breakdown of the system by ensuring that proper reimbursement by the district to the teacher or district employee for additional income taxes incurred is provided and that teachers and district staff are allowed time-off
to rectify any negative impact to personal finances or hardships caused by the system’s failure.  AB 2481 passed through the committee on a 6-3 vote.

Assemblyman Mendoza third bill to pass through the Assembly Education Committee would require that a specialist with knowledge of the English Language Learner Arts programs and the curriculum needs of students with disabilities be included in a School/District Assistance and Intervention team (SAIT/DAIT).  AB 2531 passed through on a unanimous vote of the committee 10-0.

“With 97 school districts totaling hundreds of schools identified as needing program improvement by the state’s accountability program, many will be required to contract with a SAIT/DAIT team by the State Board of Equalization,” said Assemblyman Mendoza. “There is real concern that these teams will need to have on staff an individual or two that has the training, skills and expertise to meet the needs of students with disabilities and those participating in the English Language Learners programs.”

AB 2531 would require that an individual of an SAIT/DAIT hold an educational advanced studies degree equal to a Masters or PhD and have expertise in first and second language academic development along with special needs curriculum training.

Assemblyman Tony Mendoza is an educator that proudly represents the communities of Norwalk, Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, Buena Park, Santa Fe Springs and parts of Lakewood and Whittier. The Assemblyman was first elected to the State Assembly in November 2006 and currently serves as a member of the Assembly’s Banking and Finance, Elections and Redistricting and Rules committees.