(a) The governing board of a school district may assign the holder of a credential, other than an emergency permit, to teach any subjects in departmentalized classes in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, if the governing board verifies, before making the assignment, that the teacher has adequate knowledge of each subject to be taught and the teacher consents to that assignment. The governing board shall adopt policies and procedures for the purpose of verifying the adequacy of subject knowledge on the part of each of those teachers. The governing board shall involve subject matter specialists in the subjects commonly taught in the school district in the development and implementation of the policies and procedures, and shall include in those policies and procedures both of the following:

(1) One or more of the following ways to assess subject matter competence:

(A) Observation by subject matter specialists, as defined in subdivision (d).

(B) Oral interviews.

(C) Demonstration lessons.

(D) Presentation of curricular portfolios.

(E) Written examinations.

(2) Specific criteria and standards for verifying adequacy of subject matter knowledge using any of the methods in paragraph (1). The criteria shall include, but need not be limited to, evidence of the candidate’s knowledge of the subject matter to be taught, including demonstrated knowledge of the curriculum framework for the subject to be taught and the specific content of the course of study in the school district for the subject, at the grade level to be taught.

(b) Teaching assignments made pursuant to this section shall be valid only in that school district. The principal of the school, or other appropriate administrator, shall notify the exclusive representative of the certificated employees for that school district, as provided under Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, of each instance in which a teacher is assigned to teach classes pursuant to this section. The commission may suspend the authority of a school district to use the teaching assignment option authorized by this section upon a finding that the school district has violated this section.

(c)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the effect of Section 44955 with regard to the reduction by a school district governing board of the number of certificated employees.

(d) For purposes of this section, “subject matter specialists” are mentor teachers, curriculum specialists, resource teachers, classroom teachers certified to teach a subject, staff to regional subject matter projects or curriculum institutes, or college faculty.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 782, Sec. 4. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2020.)