(a)
The Legislature finds and declares that the teaching profession must be able to recruit talented individuals, in addition to college students, from a variety of sources to address geographic and subject area shortages. Many persons changing careers and early retirees from industry and the military are interested in the challenge of teaching.
(b)
The Legislature further finds that, in California, there is a serious shortage of qualified teachers in the subjects of mathematics and science, teachers who work with limited-English-proficient pupils, minority teachers, and special education teachers.
(c)
Therefore, in enacting this article, the Legislature intends to encourage public school districts, county offices of education, and colleges and universities to design concentrated programs leading to a permanent credential for people with work experience and others who already have a bachelor’s degree.