BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1281
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 13, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 1281 (Portantino) - As Amended: April 30, 2009
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the California School Racial Equality
Designation (CSRED) Act, which requires any state agency, board,
or commission (beginning on July 1, 2010) that directly collects
demographic data on race or ethnicity of pupils in elementary or
secondary schools to provide the following written instructions
for reporting racial information on all forms: "Multiracial
pupils may check two or more boxes." Specifically, this bill:
Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
notify each school district, county office of education (COE),
and charter administrator that it is the intent of the
Legislature that, beginning July 1, 2010, that pupils asked to
provide demographic data on race/ethnicity be provided the
following written instructions: "Multiracial pupils may check
two or more boxes."
FISCAL EFFECT
1)GF administrative costs, likely $75,000 to $100,000, to the
State Department of Education (SDE) to comply with this
measure. These costs are associated with SDE updating their
guidance to LEAs with regard to federal data compliance.
2)GF/98 cost pressure, of approximately $2 million, to the
school districts, COEs, and charter schools to comply with the
Legislature's intent regarding demographic data. These costs
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are associated with not only the changing of forms used to
collect data, but modifications to existing systems used to
compile and report that data.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . In October 2007, the United States Department of
Education (USDE) issued final guidance on maintaining,
collecting, and reporting racial and ethnic data related to
federal law (e.g., the No Child Left Behind Act and the
Individuals with Disabilities Act). This guidance allows
individuals to self-identify their ethnicity and race and
permits individuals to select more than one race and/or
ethnicity. This change expands reporting options to seven
categories (American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or
African American, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander, White, and Two or More Races). USDE requires
implementation of this requirement by the 2010-11 school year.
According to the author, "In our fluid society of immigration and
intermarriage, it is our responsibility to properly reflect the
entire heritage of our population. Some school districts in
California list 20 or more races and ethnicities on forms, but
limit students to choosing only one."
This bill establishes the CSRED Act, which requires state
agencies, boards, and commissions that collects demographic data
related to schools to include a multiracial identification option
on forms, as specified.
2)State Department of Education (SDE) compliance . In order to
comply with USDE's requirement, schools and district must
use a two-part question, focusing first on ethnicity and
second on race when collecting the data from individuals.
The first part asks about the broad category of ethnicity
and the second part asks about the more narrow divisions of
race. The first part asks the respondent to identify his or
her ethnicity as a Hispanic or Latino. The second part asks
the respondent to identify his or her race or races (i.e.,
American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African
American; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and
White).
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In December 2008, SDE sent a letter to school districts,
COEs, and charter administrators informing them that they
need to be prepared to report racial/ethnicity information
using USDE's two part question through the California
Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)
beginning in the 2009-10 school year.
3)Data on multiracial individuals . Since 2000, the United
States Census Bureau has allowed individuals to report their
race/ethnicity by using one or more identifications.
Specifically, the question on race was asked of every
individual living in the United States and responses reflect
self identification. Respondents were asked to report the
race or races they considered themselves and other members of
their households to be. The question on race for Census 2000
was different from the one for the 1990 census in several
ways. Most significantly, respondents were given the option
of selecting one or more race categories to indicate their
racial identities. The Census 2000 reported that 6.8 million
people, or 2.4 percent, reported more than one race.
In August 2004, the Public Policy Institute of California
(PPIC) reported that Multiracial Californians make up five
percent of the state's total population or twice the
percentage as the rest of the nation. According to PPIC, "this
growing population is more likely to be younger, less
educated, and living in poverty than single-race residents.
On average, multiracial residents are 10 years younger than
single-race Californians (24 years versus 34 years). The most
striking age difference is between black/white residents, with
a median age of 12 years, and single-race blacks and whites,
who each have a median age of over 30 years. Multiracial
Californians are also less likely than single-race residents
to have a bachelor's degree (21% versus 27%) and more likely
to be living below the poverty line (17% versus 14%)."
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081