BILL NUMBER: SB 300 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 624
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 8, 2011
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 8, 2011
PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 26, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 28, 2011
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 31, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Senator Hancock
FEBRUARY 14, 2011
An act to add and repeal Section 60605.85 of the Education Code,
relating to pupil instruction.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 300, Hancock. Pupil instruction: instructional materials:
content standards.
Existing law, which became inoperative on July 1, 2011, and is to
be repealed on January 1, 2014, requires the State Board of Education
to adopt statewide academic content standards and performance
standards, based on the recommendation of the Commission for the
Establishment of Academic Content and Performance Standards and the
Superintendent of Public Instruction, respectively, and authorizes
the state board to modify any proposed content standard or
performance standard prior to its adoption.
This bill would require the state board to adopt science content
standards pursuant to specified requirements. The bill would require
the Superintendent to convene a group of science experts with whom
the Superintendent would be required to recommend science content
standards for adoption to the state board. The bill would require the
Superintendent to hold at least 2 public meetings to provide public
input on the science content standards. The bill would require the
Superintendent to present the recommended science content standards
to the state board by March 30, 2013, and would require the state
board to adopt, reject, or modify those standards, as specified, by
July 30, 2013. The bill would require the Superintendent and the
state board to present to the Governor and the appropriate policy and
fiscal committees of the Legislature a schedule and implementation
plan for integrating the adopted science content standards into the
state educational system. The bill would repeal these provisions on
July 1, 2014.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) It is widely acknowledged that California has the eighth
largest economy in the world.
(b) California must develop scientifically and technologically
literate citizens in order to maintain our edge in the world economy.
(c) The state's current science content standards do not include
any mention of biotechnologies or nanotechnologies, and they do not
require pupils to learn about environmental issues or the fact that
Pluto is no longer considered a planet.
(d) The state's science content standards were developed in 1998
and are now 13 years old.
(e) There is nothing in current law that requires science content
standards to be reviewed and updated.
SEC. 2. Section 60605.85 is added to the Education Code, to read:
60605.85. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the state board
shall adopt science content standards pursuant to the following
requirements:
(1) The Superintendent, in consultation with the state board,
shall convene a group of science experts. The Superintendent shall
ensure that the members of the group of science experts include, but
are not limited to, individuals who are elementary and secondary
science teachers, schoolsite principals, school district or county
office of education administrators, and university professors. The
Superintendent and the group of science experts shall recommend
science content standards for adoption to the state board and shall
utilize the Next Generation Science Standards as the basis for their
deliberations and recommendations to the state board.
(2) The Superintendent shall hold a minimum of two public meetings
pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing
with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2
of the Government Code) in order for the public to provide input on
the science content standards that would be recommended pursuant to
paragraph (1).
(3) The Superintendent shall present the recommended science
content standards to the state board on or before March 30, 2013.
(4) On or before July 30, 2013, the state board shall adopt,
reject, or modify the science content standards presented by the
Superintendent.
(5) If the state board modifies the science content standards
presented by the Superintendent, it shall provide written reasons for
its modifications in a public meeting. The state board shall adopt
its modifications to the science content standards at a subsequent
public meeting held no later than July 30, 2013. The public meetings
required by this paragraph shall be held pursuant to the Bagley-Keene
Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of
Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(b) The Superintendent and the state board shall present to the
Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the
Legislature a schedule and implementation plan for integrating the
science content standards adopted pursuant to this section into the
state educational system.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2014,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
is enacted before July 1, 2014, deletes or extends that date.