BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 611
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Date of Hearing: June 21, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
SB 611 (Steinberg) - As Introduced: February 17, 2011
SENATE VOTE : 26-11
SUBJECT : Public postsecondary education: the University of
California.
SUMMARY : Requests the Regents of the University of California
(UC), to establish and maintain the University of California
Curriculum Integration Institute (UCCII) to be administered by
the UC President, subject to the availability of funds in the
annual budget act. Specifically, this bill :
1)Makes findings and declarations regarding California's high
pupil dropout rate; the number of jobs that will require
training or education beyond high school; and the need for a
more integrated approach to learning that combines rigorous
academics with career education that can create more options
for students after high school, whether they choose college or
career.
2)Finds that, through UCCII, California has a significant
opportunity to leverage existing infrastructure to better
align middle and high school curricula more closely to the
needs of growing and emerging sectors of the California
economy by providing teachers with supports and tools
necessary to design career-oriented, integrated academic and
technical education content.
3)Expresses the intent of the Legislature to see rapid
implementation and scaling of UCCII to accomplish the
following, subject to availability of funds in the annual
Budget Act, the availability of federal or private funds, or
any combination thereof:
a) Facilitate no less than 10 convenings annually,
b) Serve at least 500 educators annually, and,
c) Develop no less than 250 courses by January 1, 2015.
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4)Requests the UC Regents, subject to the availability of funds
in the annual Budget Act, to establish and maintain UCCII to
be administered by the UC President and requires UCCII to
accomplish all of the following:
a) Facilitate statewide collaboration and innovation in
providing California pupils career-oriented, integrated
academic and technical education content in a manner that
provides pupils with opportunities to experience the
application of subject matter content within high-priority
industry sectors among those identified in the California
Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards, as
adopted by the State Board of Education.
b) Develop, disseminate, and promote career-oriented,
integrated academic and technical education courses that
meet course requirements for admission to UC and the
California State University (CSU), and align with
high-priority industry sectors among those identified in
the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum
Standards as adopted by the State Board of Education.
5)Requires the UC President, in consultation with appropriate
state entities, industry leaders, and representatives of
organized labor, educators, and other parties, to determine
the priority among the industry sectors.
6)Requires, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the UC
Regents to establish procedures and forms to administer the
UCCII only if the UC Regents, by resolution, make the
provisions of this act, applicable.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes UC as a constitutionally autonomous entity.
(Article IX, Section 9, California Constitution)
2)Requires CSU and requests UC establish a model uniform set of
academic standards for high school courses, as specified,
including career technical courses, for the purposes of
recognition for UC and CSU admission. (Education Code §
66205.5)
3)Requires the California Community Colleges (CCC) Board of
Governors to assist economic and workforce regional
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development centers and consortia, including middle and junior
high schools or high schools and regional occupational centers
and programs to improve linkages and career-technical
education pathways between high schools and community
colleges, as specified. (EC § 88532)
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, this bill will result in cost pressures of up to $4
million annually.
COMMENTS : This bill is double-referred to the Assembly
Education Committee, which will consider issues related to K-12.
This bill is part of a four bill package (SB 547, SB1x 1, SB
611, and SB 612) that the author is sponsoring to align middle
and high school curricula more closely to the needs of growing
and emerging sectors of the California economy and reduce the
middle and high school drop-out rate by engaging and motivating
students.
"A-G" process . UC and CSU have established common high school
course requirements for undergraduate admissions to ensure that
potential university students are prepared to engage and be
successful in university-level coursework. Students who follow
the articulated sequence of courses in each of the subject areas
listed below and who meet other specified criteria are eligible
to apply and be considered for admission. The UC Board of
Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS), which is
comprised of UC faculty, reviews and determines which high
school courses meet the "a-g" approval criteria. The CSU
accepts courses certified by BOARS as meeting the "a-g"
requirements, thus, enabling students to complete the same
course-taking sequence whether they choose to apply for
admission to UC or CSU. The following list is commonly referred
to the "a-g" subject area requirements:
a)2 years of history/social science
b)4 years of college preparatory English or language instruction
c)3 years of college preparatory mathematics
d)2 years of laboratory science
e)2 years of the same language other than English
f)1 year visual and performing art
g)1 year college preparatory electives
CTE and "a-g" . According to a December 2010 report by the
California Department of Education, there are 8,389 high school
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career technical education (CTE) courses meeting "a-g" course
requirements. The report shows that since the 2001-02 year, the
number of CTE courses deemed "a-g" eligible has grown
dramatically, with the strongest growth in (F) Visual and
Performing Arts, (G) Electives, and (D) Laboratory Sciences.
Combined, approved courses in these areas total 7,982 (or 95%)
of the 8,389 approved courses.
Need for this bill . While the author notes the progress that
has been made, he states "? the numbers also illuminate serious
gaps in progress towards development of courses in critical
subject areas. For example, only 334 approved courses exist in
(E) Language other than English, 47 in (A) History Social
Sciences, only 18 in (B) English, and a mere 8 courses in (C)
Math." The author maintains that the concentration of approved
CTE courses in a few subject areas suggests that "hands-on,
career-oriented academic and technical learning opportunities
that meet "a-g" requirements have yet to become part of the core
set of learning options available for California high school
students." According to the author, "SB 611 would begin to
address this deficiency by establishing a robust, centralized
mechanism for high school teachers, university faculty and other
experts to develop and disseminate new, model courses that
provide students rigorous academic content that is linked to
real world applications and relevant to the needs of the
industries that California seeks to grow."
UCCII . UCCII was established in 2009-10 with $600,000 in
funding from the Career Technical Education Pathways and
Workforce Development Program (created by SB 70, Scott, Chapter
352, Statutes of 2005), to help high school faculty create "a-g"
approved courses and to prepare faculty groups as a cadre of
experts who can further the development of integrated courses.
The first UCCII, held in May 2010, focused on mathematics as
integrated with finance and business sectors. A total of 38
high school teachers participated in the institute. The fall
2010 institute focused on history/social studies and English in
conjunction with six media sectors, including arts, media, and
entertainment and health science and medical technology. In its
December 2010 annual report on the CTE Pathways Initiative, the
CCC Chancellor's Office noted that by 2011-12, UC expects the
number of "a-g" approved CTE courses will increase to 10,000,
which will be approximately 43% of all CTE courses currently
offered.
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Is statutory authorization necessary ? As noted above, UCCII is
operating as a pilot through a grant from funds made available
by the SB 70 Career Technical Education Pathways Initiative,
which are scheduled to sunset on June 30, 2014. Although the UC
could continue UCCII without benefit of legislation,
establishing the program in statute will, according to the
author's office, ensure that UC continues the program, improves
UC's ability to raise private funds, and creates impetus for
greater focus within UC.
Evaluation . While anecdotal evidence and participant surveys
attest to the program's value, to date there has not been a
formal evaluation of UCCII. The author may wish to consider
including an evaluation to the extent funding is provided in the
budget.
Related legislation . SB 275 (Hancock), pending in the Assembly,
proposes to consolidate funding for regional occupational
centers and programs, partnership academies, specialized
secondary programs, and agricultural vocational education
programs into a CTE block grant. AB 251 (Fuentes), pending in
the Assembly Education Committee, provides that a school
district with an integrated academic and workforce approach to
high school reform, or a work-based learning initiative eligible
to apply to receive state funding based on minimum weekly
attendance instead of average daily attendance. AB 790
(Furutani), pending in the Senate Education Committee,
establishes the Multiple Pathway Pilot Program to be
administered by the California Department of Education according
to specified requirements for the purpose of implementing
district-wide multiple pathway programs in all participating
school districts. AB 1304 (Block), pending in the Senate,
defines linked learning programs and authorizes the Commission
on Teacher Credentialing to convene a workgroup to develop
program standards for the issuance of a "recognition of study in
linked learning" as defined.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
California Chamber of Commerce
California Postsecondary Education Commission
California State PTA
California Teachers Association
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Children Now
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Unified School District
North State Building Industry Association
University of California
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sandra Fried / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960