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Class Credit — and a Paycheck: New Bill to Finally Pay California’s Struggling Student Teachers

July 21, 2025

California's approximately 28,000 student teachers face significant financial challenges as they work unpaid while completing required credential programs costing between $20,000-$40,000. To address this issue, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi has introduced Assembly Bill 1128, which would establish the California Student Teacher Support Grant Program to compensate teacher candidates at the same rate as substitute teachers ($140/day). The bill has received unanimous support in the Assembly with a 79-0 vote and Governor Newsom has already allocated $100 million for the program in his 2025-26 budget, though analysts estimate the full program could cost up to $300 million annually.

Who is affected

  • Approximately 28,000 student teachers in California
  • K-12 public school teacher candidates
  • Student teachers from low-income backgrounds and educators of color (disproportionately impacted)
  • Students in California schools (indirectly affected by teacher shortages)
  • Ronald Council, a second-year teacher in San Diego who struggled financially during his unpaid teaching period

What action is being taken

  • Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi has introduced Assembly Bill 1128 to establish the California Student Teacher Support Grant Program
  • The Assembly has voted 79-0 to advance the bill, which is now awaiting second committee review in the Senate
  • Governor Gavin Newsom has already set aside $100 million for the program in his 2025-26 budget
  • The California Teachers Association is actively supporting the legislation

Why it matters

  • Student teachers currently work unpaid while completing 600 hours of classroom experience
  • Credential programs cost between $20,000 and $40,000, creating significant financial burden
  • According to the Learning Policy Institute, 60% of teachers borrowed money to finish their degrees in 2020, averaging about $30,000 in loans
  • Unpaid teaching positions create barriers to diversifying the teaching workforce, particularly impacting educators of color and those from low-income backgrounds
  • Research shows Black and Latino students tend to perform better academically when they have at least one teacher of the same race
  • The bill addresses California's ongoing teacher shortage

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint