BILL NUMBER: SB 140	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Lowenthal

                        JANUARY 31, 2011

   An act to add Section 60605.85 to the Education Code, relating to
pupil instruction.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 140, as introduced, Lowenthal. Instructional materials: common
core academic content standards.
   Existing law establishes the Academic Content Standards
Commission, consisting of 12 appointed members, as specified. The
commission is required to develop academic content standards in
language arts and mathematics and to present its recommended academic
content standards to the State Board of Education. Existing law
requires at least 85% of these standards to be the common core
academic standards developed by the Common Core State Standards
Initiative consortium or any associated or related interstate
collaboration. Existing law requires the state board to adopt or
reject the academic content standards. Existing law exempts
instructional materials adopted pursuant to these provisions from
specified requirements relating to the approval and adoption of basic
instructional materials by the state board.
   This bill would require the State Department of Education to
develop a list, on or before July 1, 2012, of supplemental
instructional materials that are aligned with the common core
academic content standards in language arts and mathematics adopted
pursuant to the process described above. The bill would require the
state board to either adopt or reject the instructional materials as
proposed by the department. The bill would also permit the governing
boards of school districts to adopt instructional materials other
than those adopted by the state board if the governing board
determines that other instructional materials are aligned with the
common core academic content standards and meet the needs of the
pupils of the district. The bill would require the department to
maintain on its Internet Web site a portal for local educational
agencies to share information about instructional materials that are
aligned with the common core academic content standards.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) California and 40 other states have adopted common core
academic content standards in language arts and mathematics to
provide consistent and clear expectations of what pupils need to
learn to compete in a global economy.
   (b) Eighty-five percent of the standards are common across the
nation, with 15 percent being unique to California.
   (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the state collaborate
with other states in the development of instructional materials to
realize efficiencies, particularly for the 85 percent of the
standards that are common across the nation.
  SEC. 2.  Section 60605.85 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   60605.85.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the department shall
develop a list, on or before July 1, 2012, of supplemental
instructional materials that are aligned with the common core
academic content standards in language arts and mathematics adopted
pursuant to Section 60605.8. The supplemental instructional materials
shall provide a bridge between the common core academic content
standards and the standards-aligned instructional materials currently
being used by local educational agencies.
   (b) On or before August 1, 2012, the state board shall do either
of the following:
   (1) Adopt the instructional materials as proposed by the
department.
   (2) Reject the instructional materials as proposed by the
department. If the state board rejects the instructional materials it
shall provide a specific written explanation to the Superintendent,
the Governor, and the Legislature of the reasons why the proposed
materials were rejected.
   (c) The governing boards of school districts may adopt
instructional materials other than those adopted by the state board
pursuant to subdivision (b) if the governing board determines that
other instructional materials are aligned with the common core
academic content standards and meet the needs of the pupils of the
district. A governing board of a school district may only adopt
instructional materials that comply with the requirements of Section
60226 and Article 3 (commencing with Section 60040) and Article 4
(commencing with Section 60060).
   (d) Prior to adopting instructional materials pursuant to this
section, the state board, or the governing board of a school district
that chooses to adopt instructional materials pursuant to
subdivision (c), shall review the instructional materials for
academic content, social content, and instructional support to
teachers and pupils. Instructional materials adopted pursuant to this
section shall meet required program criteria for grade-level
programs, intervention programs, and English learners and shall
include materials for use by teachers.
   (e) The department shall maintain on its Internet Web site a
portal for local educational agencies to share information about
instructional materials that are aligned with the common core
academic content standards.