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	Vol.7, No 11, September 16, 1999
	High schoolers focus of new bill By Yoko Ito-Peterson Daily Forty-Niner When Cal State Long Beach junior Zary Alozian chose to pursue a career as a teacher her sophomore year, she regretted not making the decision sooner. Alozian and many students like her are the target of a new bill, which was approved by the state Assembly last week. Assembly Bill 192 will set up the California Teacher Cadet Program, which is expected to fulfill the anticipated shortage of teachers in the state.  "My decision was late, so this program will be helpful," Alozian said. The bill, which aims to attract high school students to enter the teaching profession, will allow high schools to give students an initial view of the teaching profession through various activities by providing $5,000 grants. The bill will now be passed to Gov. Gray Davis, who has 30 days to sign it. Only 4 percent of high school students plan to enter teaching, said Assemblyman Jack Scott, D-Pasadena. Scott also said the state will have to find 300,000 new students. With its College of Education enrollment increasing, CSULB is helping to fill the void. "The increase is partly because of our outreach program," said Nancy McGlothin, director of special projects and recruitment for the College of Education. Professors, teachers or faculty members from the college go to high schools and explain to students what the education program is about, McGlothin said.  In return, high schools also encourage students to choose teaching careers at an early age.  The Long Beach Unified High School District already offers Exploring Teaching Class, which guides students to the teaching profession, said Kathy Cohen, associate dean of the College of Education.  Students are given opportunities to tutor elementary and middle school students, she said.  "Teachers and students have to walk two mornings a week to visit elementary schools for tutor experiences as they do not have the funds," Cohen said. Recruiting high school students to get into teaching before they start college is an absolute must, as obtaining a teaching credential requires more course work, she said.  Both Cohen and McGlothin agreed the new bill will help fuel enrollment at the education college.  A successful South Carolina program that began in the 1980s is the model of AB 192. The program succeeded to increase the number of new college students choosing the teaching profession, Scott said. Fifty-one percent of those cadet participants became teachers or had an occupation in the teaching profession, Scott said. "Students know they can pursue much more lucrative careers, and they only see teaching from the studentís side of the desk."		CSU raises admission standards Students mingle with employers High Schoolers focus of new bill Bookstore sales up despite Web stores Bill to keep guns from mentally unstable Assembly bill may reduce area code confusion Cultural center celebrates diversity on campus Police need policing Out-of-wedlock birth decline at what cost Mr. Mike comes through Magic wins with 'Thuggin' High school ballers show off their skills Coach Gimmillaro looking forward to challenge Best of the West face-off at USC Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.