BILL NUMBER: AB 897	CHAPTERED  10/05/05

	CHAPTER  530
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  OCTOBER 5, 2005
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  OCTOBER 5, 2005
	PASSED THE SENATE  SEPTEMBER 1, 2005
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  MAY 31, 2005
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 26, 2005
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 18, 2005

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Coto
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chan, DeVore, Dymally, Koretz, Leno,
Maze, Pavley, and Torrico)
   (Coauthors: Senators Alquist, Cedillo, Figueroa, and Romero)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2005

   An act to add Sections 56351.8 and 56351.9 to the Education Code,
relating to public schools.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 897, Coto  Braille standards.
   Existing law requires school districts, special education local
plan areas, or county offices of education to provide opportunities
for braille instruction for pupils who, due to a prognosis of visual
deterioration, may be expected to have a need for braille as a
reading medium.
   Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
form an advisory task force, with prescribed membership approved by
the State Board of Education, to develop standards for mastery of the
braille code by pupils, and to report to the Governor and the
Legislature by June 30, 2004.
   This bill would require the Superintendent to utilize that task
force to develop standards for pupils to learn, and to achieve
mastery of, the braille mathematics code as they progress from
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.  The bill would require
that these standards be developed for pupils who, due to a visual
impairment, are functionally blind or may be expected to have a need
to learn the braille code as their primary literacy mode for
learning. The bill would require the task force to report to the
state board by March 1, 2006, regarding those standards.
   The bill would also require the state board to adopt, by June 1,
2006, braille reading and mathematics standards for pupils who, due
to a visual impairment, are functionally blind or may be expected to
have a need to learn the braille code as their primary literacy mode
for learning.
   The bill would also require county offices of education, school
districts, and special education local plan areas to provide
opportunities for instruction for these pupils to master the braille
reading and mathematics standards.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares both of the
following:
   (a) The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is based on the
idea that literacy is the foundation for learning for all pupils.
   (b) Functionally blind pupils in California are at a disadvantage
in mathematics performance due to the lack of braille mathematics
standards in the state.
  SEC. 2.  Section 56351.8 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   56351.8.  (a) The Superintendent shall utilize the advisory task
force established pursuant to Section 56351.7 to develop standards
for pupils described in subdivision (b) to learn, and to achieve
mastery of, the braille mathematics code as they progress through
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
   (b) The standards described in subdivision (a) shall be developed
for pupils who, due to a visual impairment, are functionally blind or
may be expected to have a need to learn the braille code as their
primary literacy mode for learning.
   (c) The task force shall, by March 1, 2006, report to the state
board with the standards it develops pursuant to subdivision (a).
  SEC. 3.  Section 56351.9 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   56351.9.  (a) By June 1, 2006, the state board shall adopt braille
reading and mathematics standards for pupils who, due to a visual
impairment, are functionally blind or may be expected to have a need
to learn the braille code as their primary literacy mode for
learning.
   (b) County offices of education, school districts, and special
education local plan areas shall provide to pupils described in
subdivision (a) opportunities for instruction to master the braille
reading and mathematics standards described in subdivision (a).