BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Gloria Romero, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 482
AUTHOR: Mendoza
AMENDED: June 1, 2009
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: July 1, 2009
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Kathleen Chavira
SUBJECT : English learner instructional materials.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to
revise the reading/language arts framework, as specified,
by December 31, 2013, to address the needs of English
learners. The bill also requires the SBE to ensure and
document, beginning with the 2010 follow-up adoption of
instructional materials for reading/language arts/English
language development and for each subsequent primary and
follow-up adoption, that the panels for the instructional
materials review and content review meet specified
requirements.
BACKGROUND
Current law establishes the Instructional Materials
Program, under which the State Board of Education (SBE) is
required to adopt at least five basic instructional
materials for use in grades K-8 in subject areas that
include language arts, mathematics, science, and social
science, bilingual or bicultural subjects, or other subject
areas which the SBE has determined to be necessary or
desirable. The SBE is also required to adopt statewide
academically rigorous content standards in the core
curriculum areas of reading, writing and mathematics,
history, social science and science. These content
standards are implemented through the SBE adopted
curriculum frameworks.
ANALYSIS
This bill :
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1) Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to revise
the reading/language arts framework to address the
needs of English learners by December 31, 2013.
2) Specifies that the revision required by the bill:
a) Integrate English/language arts
content standards and English language
development standards, as specified.
b) Align curriculum and instruction
materials for English learners to both the
English/language arts content standards and the
English language development standards.
3) Requires the criteria for evaluating the curriculum
and instructional materials for English learners to be
included in the revised reading/language arts
framework.
4) Requires that, by July 1, 2014, the evaluation
criteria and standards maps developed for the revised
framework:
a) Include English language
development and English language content
standards adopted by the board.
b) Provide clear direction to
publishers regarding the curriculum and
instructional materials for English learners.
5) Requires that instructional materials adopted by the
SBE based upon the revised framework to be placed on
the list of basic reading/language arts instructional
materials and remain on the list until the established
expiration date for that list.
6) Requires the SBE to ensure and document, beginning
with the 2010 follow-up adoption of these materials
and for each subsequent primary and follow-up
adoption, that the panels for the instructional
materials review and content review meet specified
requirements. More specifically:
a) That fifty percent of the panel
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possess expertise and have experience teaching
English language development to pupils, have been
trained on validating alignment of English
language development standards and English
language arts standards, as specified, and been
trained on research-based attributes of high
quality English language development instruction.
b) That 75 percent of the panel
reviewing and evaluating reading intervention
materials for English learners possess expertise
and have experience working with English learners
in grades 4 through 8 and have been trained on
research based attributes of reading intervention
instruction for English learners.
7) Clarifies that the State Board of Education is not
required to convene any additional panels or increase
the number of persons serving on a panel.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . According to the author,
California's 2006 Reading/Language Arts Framework and
its criteria establish "a one size fits all" approach
to reading/language arts for English learners. The
current framework calls for the development for
curriculum and instruction that do not include English
language development in the core program, but instead
provides it as a supplemental program. This approach
will contribute to the widening of the achievement gap
between native English speakers and English learners.
The Reading/Language Arts Framework and its criteria
need to be revised to allow for curriculum,
instruction, professional development and
instructional materials designed for English learners
at all levels of English proficiency.
2) Adopted Reading/Language Arts Frameworks . The SBE
adopted the 2007 English Language Arts Frameworks &
Evaluation Criteria on April 17, 2006. These criteria
will guide publishers in the development of
instructional materials to be submitted for adoption
and, once adopted, expected to be in classrooms until
2014. The next scheduled review of this framework and
evaluation criteria is in 2013 with the next primary
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adoption of materials scheduled for 2015.
3) Prior legislation .
AB 2135 (Mendoza, 2008) would have required the SBE to
revise the reading/language arts framework to include
the English Language Development Literacy Program
(ELDLP), as a basic comprehensive English language
literacy program for English learners.
SB 1607 (Romero, 2008) would have required the SBE, in
the next revision of the reading/language arts
framework, to include a chapter that provides for
language and content instruction specific to English
learners, as specified.
Although AB 2135 and SB 1607 were passed by the
Legislature, both were ultimately vetoed by the
Governor with the same message:
I vetoed similar legislation in 2006 and I am
concerned that this bill circumvents the decision by
the State Board of Education on this issue. The State
Board thoroughly vetted the issue in its deliberations
and this measure contradicts that decision.
SUPPORT
California Association for Bilingual Education
Californians Together
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Los Angeles Unified School District
Riverside County Schools Advocacy Association
San Francisco Unified School District
OPPOSITION
None received.