CA SB854

Adds bilingual cross-cultural teacher recruitment to the criteria for selecting school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education to participate in the California Classified School Employee Teacher Credentialing Program.

Authorizes county superintendents and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to directly request the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to provide advice and assistance to school districts and county offices of education, rather than requiring assignment.

Exempts the Office of Planning and Research's implementation and interpretation of the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine from the Administrative Procedure Act.

Extends the repeal date for best value procurement authority from January 1, 2018 to January 1, 2019 for the University of California and community college districts, and moves the Legislative Analyst's reporting deadline from February 1, 2017 to February 1, 2018.

Authorizes the State Department of Education to use up to $300,000 of an $18,000,000 appropriation to contract for regional meetings, training, and technical assistance to support grantees receiving dropout and truancy prevention program funding.