BILL NUMBER: SB 1269	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 20, 2008
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 6, 2008
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 22, 2008
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 8, 2008
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 27, 2008

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Wyland
   (Coauthor: Senator Alquist)

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2008

   An act  to amend Section 51210.3 of the Education Code, 
relating to science education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1269, as amended, Wyland. Science education  : experimental
science curriculum  . 
   Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district
to designate a credentialed teacher as a science coach at each
elementary school, or provide staff development to teachers, for
purposes of developing, coordinating, and providing instruction in an
experimental science curriculum and coaching other teachers in the
provision of that curriculum. Existing law requires that the
experimental science curriculum be aligned to the California
standards for investigation and experimentation and be designed to
develop various types of knowledge and skills related to scientific
experimentation.  
   This bill would add the understanding of engineering principals
and engineering skills to that list of knowledge and skills. 

   The California Constitution requires the Legislature to encourage
by all suitable means the promotion of intellectual, scientific,
moral, and agricultural improvement. Under existing law, the
Legislature finds and declares that improved science education in
elementary and secondary schools contributes to improvements in pupil
performance. Existing law provides for the establishment by the
University of California, upon approval by the regents, of the
California Science Project for purposes of providing science
education to public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary school
personnel located in rural, urban, and suburban areas throughout the
state.  
   This bill would state findings and declarations of the Legislature
regarding the need for science education programs, and would
encourage the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State
Board of Education to consider ways to increase the number of pupils
who go to college and graduate with degrees in the various scientific
and engineering fields. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

   SECTION 1.    Section 51210.3 of the  
Education Code   is amended to read: 
   51210.3.  (a) The governing board of a school district may
designate a credentialed teacher at each elementary school as a
science coach, or provide staff development to teachers, in order to
accomplish the objectives described in subdivision (b), as determined
by the governing board.
   (b) The designated teacher shall do all of the following:
   (1) Develop, coordinate, and provide instruction in a science
curriculum that incorporates experimentation. The curriculum shall be
aligned to the California standards for investigation and
experimentation, and be designed to develop all of the following:
   (A) Understanding of basic scientific facts and principles.
   (B) Mathematics skills.
   (C) Reading comprehension.
   (  D)     Understanding of engineering
principals and engineering skills.  
   (D) 
    (E)    Analytical and intellectual skills
required to pose and answer questions.
   (2) Act as a coach for other teachers at the school in the
provision of a science curriculum based on experimentation.
   (c) This section does not preclude the assignment of duties to a
science coach that are not listed in subdivision (b) and relate to
developing, coordinating, and providing instruction in a science
curriculum that incorporates experimentation. 
  SECTION 1.    (a) The Legislature finds and
declares both of the following:
   (1) Science and technical innovation is critical for the future of
California.
   (2) California is not producing enough scientists and engineers to
meet the challenges our state's companies will face in the global
competition of the future.
   (b) The Legislature therefore encourages the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and the State Board of Education to consider ways
to increase the number of pupils who go to college and graduate with
degrees in the various scientific and engineering fields, including
any of the following:
   (1) Recruiting more science teachers through incentives and
public-private partnerships designed to encourage pupils to go to
college, major in science and related fields, and enter teaching
careers.
   (2) Revising the science teaching frameworks, and standards if
necessary, to reflect the model curriculum developed by organizations
of outstanding scientists, such as the National Academy of Science.
   (3) Incorporating in the science curriculum applied mathematics,
reading comprehension, and expository writing in describing
observations and experiments.
   (4) Incorporating in the science curriculum analytical,
intellectual, and creative skills required to pose and investigate
scientific questions.
   (5) Incorporating engineering elements in the science curriculum
in a manner designed to engage pupils.
   (6) Encouraging companies in the private sector to participate in
educating pupils and in offering them exposure to possible careers in
the science and engineering fields.