BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: ACR 88
Author: Torlakson (D), et al
Amended: 1/7/10 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 6-0, 6/16/10
AYES: Romero, Huff, Emmerson, Hancock, Liu, Price
NO VOTE RECORDED: Alquist, Simitian, Wyland
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Read and adopted, 9/9/09
SUBJECT : Education
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution establishes, until January 1,
2014, the California Task Force on Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education for the
purpose of promoting the improvement of mathematics,
science, engineering, and technology education across the
state.
ANALYSIS :
Existing Law
1.Requires school districts to adopt a course of study for
grades 1 to 6 that includes instruction in English,
mathematics, social sciences, science, visual and
performing arts, health, physical education, and other
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areas that may be prescribed by the governing board; also
requires school districts to adopt a course of study for
grades 7 to 12 that includes instruction in these same
areas, as well as in foreign language, applied arts,
career technical education, automobile driver education.
2.Requires the State Board of Education to adopt statewide
content standards in the curriculum areas of reading,
writing, mathematics, history/social science, and
science.
This resolution:
1.Makes findings as to the link between California's
competitiveness in the global economy and its ability to
better educate pupils in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics to attract more of our best
and brightest students into those fields; the projections
of very high growth in occupations that require
significant mathematics or science preparation; the lack
of proficiency in those subject areas among California
and U.S. pupils; and, the need to engage pupils in these
subject areas at a young age and to keep them engaged
throughout their education and career.
2,Declares that a legislative California Task Force on
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Education (Task Force) is necessary to provide a
framework for statewide policy and support to
California's schools in order to promote statewide
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
education.
3.Resolves that the Task Force is established to promote
the improvement of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics education across the state, to increase
legislative awareness about mathematics, science,
engineering, and technology education issues, to inform
legislators regarding trends in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics education, and to raise
awareness among the public regarding the distressing
shortage of Californians prepared to contribute to the
state's future technology workforce.
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4.Resolves that the Task Force:
A. Be nonpartisan in nature, and consist of 11 voting
members with additional advisory members and
alternates as requested or required.
B. Have the following members appointed by the
Speaker of the Assembly:
(1) The chair and an additional member from the
Assembly, each serving for a term of two years and
only to the extent that their service is
consistent with their duties as Members of the
Legislature, with one member appointed from the
majority party and the other member from the
minority party.
(2) One K-12 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.
(3) One post-secondary 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 K-12 and postsecondary curriculum
to prepare pupils for higher education.
(4) Two representatives of a business or
association committed to supporting science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics education
in California.
C. Have the following members appointed by the Senate
Rules Committee:
(1) Two members of the Senate, each serving for
a term of two years and only to the extent that
their service is consistent with their duties as
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Members of the Legislature, with one member
appointed from the majority party and the other
member from the minority party.
(2) Two K-12 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
(3) One representative of a business or
association committed to supporting science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics education
in California.
D. Hold at least one annual meeting that is open to
the public, annually submit a report on its work to
the Legislature, and develop and support an Internet
web site to publicize the mission of the task force
and to provide resources to California citizens,
educators and industry employers.
E. Not accept state funding, but has the authority to
accept private funds and in-kind donations to pay
expenses
F. Ceases to exist on January 1, 2014, unless a
resolution is enacted before to delete or extend that
date.
5.Resolves that non-legislative members of the Task Force:
A. Be at-will appointees serving at the pleasure of
their appointing authority for a term of up to two
years.
B. Conduct the business of the Task Force on a
volunteer basis, not receive a salary for services,
and not be reimbursed for travel or any other
expenses incurred as task force members.
Comments
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According to the National Center for Education Statistics,
over 30 percent of U.S. grade 4 students and 20 percent of
grade 8 students cannot perform basic mathematical
computations. Results from California's statewide
assessments show results that are at least as poor. In the
Third International Math and Science Survey conducted in
1995, U.S. grade 4 students ranked 12th against other
nations when it came to mathematics competency, 6th in
science competency. By grade 8 their ranking dropped to
19th in mathematics - below not only students in countries
such as Korea, Japan and Taiwan, but also below students in
many Eastern European nations such as Bulgaria, the Czech
Republic and Slovenia - and to 18th in science. More
recent rankings of U.S. students relative to their
counterparts around the globe have been no more encouraging
with respect to America's future ability to compete.
Student interest in science and technology has also eroded
over time in higher education. In 1960, 17 percent of the
bachelor or graduate degrees in the U.S. was awarded in
engineering, mathematics or the physical sciences; however,
by 2001 that proportion had dropped to just eight percent,
a decline of more than 50 percent from 1960. That eight
percent in 2001 translated to only 148,000 degrees granted,
the smallest number in two decades. In addition, fewer
than 10 percent of U.S. graduate degrees granted are
conferred in engineering, mathematics and computer science,
placing the U.S. 20th internationally in terms of the share
of graduate degrees granted in these critical areas.
Furthermore, more than 40 percent of U.S. doctoral students
in engineering, mathematics and computer science are
foreign nationals. Numerous U.S. workforce studies in
recent years have projected a continuing and growing
shortage relative to the demand for professionals trained
in these technical fields.
In recent years, a number of reports have addressed the
erosion of math and science skills among students and the
decline of postsecondary students majoring in STEM fields.
A 2007 report by the National Academies of Sciences titled
"Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and
Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future" contained
a number of findings and recommendations for strengthening
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K-12 science and mathematics education as a way to
strengthen skills needed by employers and to encourage more
students to pursue occupations and careers in STEM fields.
The federal America COMPETES Act of 2007 focused on (1)
increasing research investment, (2) strengthening
educational opportunities in STEM from elementary through
graduate school, and (3) developing an innovation
infrastructure. In 2009, the House of Representatives
passed the STEM Education Coordination Act of 2009, which
would create an advisory committee on STEM education to
counsel the President on aligning federal programs more
effectively with the needs of states and schools.
Additionally, Congress is debating reauthorization of the
America COMPETES Act.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/21/10)
American Chemical Society California Government &
Legislative Affairs Committee
Business for Science, Math and Related Technology Education
California Healthcare Institute
California Mathematics Council
California School Employees Association
California Science Teachers Association
California State PTA
California Teachers Association
Hands on Science Partnership
National Science Teachers Association
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
"the state of California's competitiveness in the world
economy is highly dependant on its ability to better
educate young people in the science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics subject areas. Nationally the
idea of promoting STEM education has developed a prominent
status among those tasked with identifying and projecting
economic growth. Recognizing a need for improvements in
the education of these subjects, the STEM Education Caucus
was created in the U.S. House of Representatives and
currently at the forefront on education issues related to
science, technology, engineering, and math in America."
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The author's office indicates that the intent of this bill
is to have the Legislature resolve to establish the Task
Force in order to provide a forum for discussions on state
policy, and to create a focus on hiring qualified teachers,
providing career direction for students, improving student
interest in STEM subjects, and increasing education funding
for the sciences.
TSM:cm 6/21/10 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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