BILL NUMBER: ACR 88 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 84
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 17, 2010
ADOPTED IN SENATE JULY 1, 2010
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 9, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 7, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 1, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Torlakson and Furutani
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula,
Bass, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block,
Blumenfield, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter,
Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon, DeVore,
Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Gaines,
Galgiani, Garrick, Gilmore, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez,
Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Krekorian, Lieu,
Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava,
Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez,
Portantino, Ruskin, Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Audra
Strickland, Swanson, Torres, Torrico, Tran, Villines, and Yamada)
(Coauthors: Senators Maldonado and Wyland)
AUGUST 17, 2009
Relative to Education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 88, Torlakson. Education.
This measure would establish, until January 1, 2014, the
California Task Force on Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics Education for the purpose of promoting the improvement of
mathematics, science, engineering, and technology education across
the state. The task force would consist of Members of the Legislature
and experts appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate
Committee on Rules. The task force would conduct its business on a
volunteer basis, be able to accept private funds, and would submit an
annual report on its work to the Legislature.
WHEREAS, The State of California's competitiveness in the global
economy increasingly depends on our ability to better educate our
young people in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
subject areas and to attract more of our best and brightest students
into science, mathematics, engineering, and technology careers; and
WHEREAS, The most recent 10-year employment projections by the
United States Department of Labor show that of the 20 fastest growing
occupations projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant
mathematics or science preparation to successfully compete for a job;
and
WHEREAS, One-third of fourth graders and one-fifth of eighth
graders nationwide cannot perform basic mathematical computations,
and United States high school seniors recently tested below the
international average for 21 countries in mathematics and science;
and
WHEREAS, California pupils ranked 46th out of 50 states in
mathematics proficiency and 42nd in science proficiency on recent 8th
grade National Assessment of Educational Progress tests; and
WHEREAS, More than 50 percent of California 4th and 8th grade
pupils scored below the basic level in science and 40 percent ranked
below the basic level in mathematics as determined by the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation's
Report Card; and
WHEREAS, California schools must engage pupils in science,
technology, and mathematics at a young age and keep them engaged
throughout their education and career pipeline; and
WHEREAS, A legislative task force is necessary to provide a
framework for statewide policy and support to California's schools in
order to promote the improvement of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics education across the state and thereby
enhance California's competitive standing in the global economy; now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the California Task Force on Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education is hereby
established to promote the improvement of mathematics, science,
engineering, and technology education across the state; and be it
further
Resolved, That the task force shall increase legislative awareness
about mathematics, science, engineering, and technology education
issues, inform legislators regarding trends in mathematics, science,
engineering, and technology education, and raise awareness among the
public regarding the distressing shortage of Californians prepared to
contribute to the state's future technology workforce; and be it
further
Resolved, That the California Task Force on Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics Education shall be established for the
purpose of raising awareness of educational issues and shall be
nonpartisan in nature; and be it further
Resolved, That the task force shall be comprised of Members of the
Legislature and experts as follows:
(1) The task force shall have 11 voting members, with additional
advisory members and alternates as requested or required.
(2) The Speaker of the Assembly shall appoint all of the
following:
(A) The chair and an additional member from the Assembly, with one
member from the majority party and the other member from the
minority party.
(B) One elementary or secondary teacher with current public
classroom experience in science, technology, engineering,
mathematics, or industrial arts education and with a membership in a
state or national professional association on science, technology,
engineering, mathematics, or industrial arts education.
(C) One postsecondary educator from the science, technology,
engineering, mathematics, or industrial arts education subject areas
with current classroom or administrative experience for the purpose
of advising the task force on articulation of elementary, secondary,
and postsecondary curriculum to prepare pupils for higher education.
(D) Two representatives of a business or association committed to
supporting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
education in California.
(3) The Senate Committee on Rules shall appoint all of the
following:
(A) Two members of the Senate, with one member from the majority
party and the other member from the minority party.
(B) Two elementary or secondary teachers with current public
classroom experience in science, technology, engineering,
mathematics, or industrial arts education and with a membership in a
state or national professional association on science, technology,
engineering, mathematics, or industrial arts education.
(C) One representative of a business or association committed to
supporting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
education in California; and be it further
Resolved, That the Members of the Legislature who serve on the
task force shall serve for a term of two years and only to the extent
that their service is consistent with their duties as Members of the
Legislature; and be it further
Resolved, That nonlegislative members of the task force shall be
at-will appointees serving at the pleasure of the Speaker of the
Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules and shall conduct the
business of the task force on a volunteer basis and shall not receive
a salary for services nor be reimbursed for travel or any other
expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as task force
members; and be it further
Resolved, That the task force shall have all of the following
duties:
(1) Hold at least one annual meeting, open to the public.
(2) Develop and support an Internet Web site for the purpose of
publicizing the task force mission statement and providing resources
to California citizens, educators, and industry employers.
(3) Submit a report on the work of the task force annually for the
review of the Legislature; and be it further
Resolved, That the task force shall accept no state funding and is
authorized to accept private funds and in-kind donations to pay
expenses incurred in conducting task force business; and be it
further
Resolved, That the task force cease to exist on January 1, 2014,
unless a resolution that is enacted before that date deletes or
extends that date; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.