BILL ANALYSIS Ķ
SB 1200
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 1200 (Hancock)
As Amended August 24, 2012
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE : 26-13
EDUCATION 7-4 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Brownley, Ammiano, |Ayes:|Gatto, Blumenfield, |
| |Buchanan, Butler, Carter, | |Bradford, Charles |
| |Eng, Williams | |Calderon, Campos, Davis, |
| | | |Fuentes, Hall, Hill, |
| | | |Cedillo, Mitchell, |
| | | |Solorio |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Norby, Grove, Halderman, |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, |
| |Wagner | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to recommend and the State Board of Education (SBE) to
approve, modifications to the common core academic content
standards in mathematics adopted by the SBE and modifies
existing deadlines relative to the revision and adoption of the
science content standards. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the SBE, if it modifies the common core academic
content standards in mathematics, to explain, in writing, to
the Governor and the Legislature the reasons for modifying the
standards, and requires the SPI's recommendations and the
SBE's actions to assist schools in the implementation of the
common core state standards.
2)Requires the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to consult a
group of experts in mathematics for purposes of developing
recommendations pursuant to this bill and requires the SPI to
ensure that the group of experts includes, but is not limited
to, individuals who are teachers of mathematics and English
language arts in elementary and secondary schools, schoolsite
principals, administrators of school districts or county
offices of education, and university professors, and requires
that no less than one-half of the members of the group be
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currently employed public school teachers.
3)Provides that the SPI and the SBE shall hold a minimum of two
public hearings pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act
in order for the public to provide input on the modifications
recommended.
4)Requires on or before March 30, 2013, the SPI to recommend
modifications to the mathematics standards to the SBE, and the
SBE to adopt, reject, or modify the recommendations by that
same date.
5)Stipulates that the modifications to the common core academic
content standards in mathematics shall ensure all of the
following:
a) The rigor of the state common core academic content
standards in mathematics is maintained so that all high
school graduates are prepared for college and careers, as
specified in the common core academic content standards;
b) All of the common core academic standards developed by
the specified consortium or interstate collaboration are
adopted;
c) One set of standards is adopted at a grade level;
d) The content standards for algebra I are based upon the
common core standards for mathematics;
e) Redundant mathematics standards are eliminated;
f) The implementation of standards is improved;
g) Any technical issues in the standards are resolved; and,
h) The modifications amount to no more than 15% of the
common core academic content standards.
6)Requires any modifications to the common core academic content
standards in mathematics made pursuant to this bill be
incorporated into the curriculum framework and evaluation
criteria for mathematics for the purpose of adopting
instructional materials in mathematics as provided and makes
this part of the bill operative only if AB 1246 (Brownley) of
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the current legislative session is enacted.
7)Authorizes the SPI to recommend and the SBE to adopt the
college and career readiness (CCR) anchor standards developed
by Common Core State Standards Initiative consortium and
authorizes the SBE to take action to resolve any technical
issues in the English language arts (ELA) common core state
standards.
8)Extends from March 30, 2013, to July 31, 2013, the deadline by
when the SPI is required to recommend revised science
standards to the State Board of Education SBE.
9)Extends from July 30, 2013, to November 30, 2013, the deadline
by when the SBE is required to adopt, reject, or modify the
recommended science content standards and hold a public
meeting for purposes of modifying the standards, if the SBE
modifies them.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, General Fund administrative costs, likely between
$50,000 and $150,000, to the California Department of Education
to complete the requirements of this bill. Actual costs will
depend on the amount of revisions to the common core standards
the SPI recommends to the SBE.
COMMENTS : This bill authorizes the SPI to make recommendations
for and the SBE to approve modifications to the recently-adopted
common core standards in ELA and mathematics.
Current law does not provide for a process for periodically
reviewing, updating, modifying or revising the academic content
standards. Although the ELA and math standards were recently
revised, the modification of these standards was accomplished
through legislation that directed a one-time review for the
adoption of the common core standards through a very specific
process. The adoption of these standards was driven by
California's attempt to compete for a federal Race to the Top
(RTTT) program grant in 2009-2010, and therefore was a one-time
activity and only focused on ELA and math.
Common core state standards: Legislation enacted for purposes
of satisfying part of the criteria for the RTTT program, SB 1 X5
(Steinberg), Chapter 2, Statutes of 2009-10, Fifth Extraordinary
Session, established the Standards Commission to develop and
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recommend to the SBE academic content standards in ELA and
mathematics by July 15, 2010. SB 1 X5 (Steinberg) required that
at least 85% of these standards be the common core academic
standards developed by the Common Core State Standards
Initiative consortium sponsored by the National Governors
Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers
(CCSSO) or any associated or related interstate collaboration
and required the SBE to adopt or reject the recommended
standards by August 2, 2010. Per the requirements of SB 1 X5
(Steinberg), the Standards Commission submitted its
recommendations to the SBE to adopt the common core state
standards with additional California-specific standards and
these recommendations were adopted by the SBE on August 2, 2010.
The problem: The author argues that the adoption of the common
core standards resulted in some challenges. As an example, the
author notes that "California adopted two sets of grade 8 math
standards: (1) the common core grade 8 standards and (2) a set
that combined elements of the common core grade 8 and high
school math standards with California's own algebra standards.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is based on the
premise that all students in grades 1 through 8 are taught and
assessed on the same set of standards."
The author further states, "Several implementation issues arise
by California adopting a different set of grade 8 math standards
from other participating states. For example, instructional
materials for use in California would need to be different from
those used by other states- the unique additional standards may
increase the costs of those materials for our local school
districts. In addition, assessment consortia will be developing
assessments aligned to the Common Core standards and not the
variation adopted in California. This may result in issues with
our algebra standards and curriculum not being aligned with our
assessment and accountability system."
Having two sets of grade eight math standards may result in
misalignment with any common assessments that may be adopted in
the future, and may also result in challenges in the practical
implementation of having two different sets of standards and
expectations for students in the same grade level. The
difficulties with having two sets of standards are widely
recognized. For example, SB 140 (Lowenthal), Chapter 623,
Statutes of 2011, which requires the development of a list of
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supplemental instructional materials to bridge the gap between
current instructional materials and the common core standards,
specifically excludes materials for 8th grade mathematics.
The second issue this bill seeks to resolve is to adopt the CCR
anchor standards that complement the grade-specific common core
content standards in ELA. The anchor standards were left out of
the original adoption of the common core, even though the
statute required the adoption of the common core standards in
their entirety. It is uncertain as to why the anchor standards
were not adopted. Some have argued that the Standards
Commission worked under a very short timeline and did not have
the time to consider the anchor standards.
Revising the common core standards: An argument can be made
that giving the authority to the SPI and SBE to modify the
common core standards may contradict prior legislative action
and intent to ensure that the recommendations of the Standards
Commission relative to the common core state standards would not
be modified by the SBE. The Legislature crafted such language
in SB 1 5X in response to previous SBE actions during the
original adoption of the content standards in the 1990s, when
the SBE substantially modified, and essentially re-wrote, the
math standards developed and recommended by the original
standards commission. This bill, however, provides for a very
narrow review of the standards that is limited to the identified
areas rather than authorizing a broad review of the common core
standards.
Science standards provisions: SB 300 (Hancock), Chapter 624,
Statutes of 2011, requires the SPI to recommend by March 30,
2013, and the SBE to adopt, reject or modify by July 30, 2013
revised science content standards based on the Next Generation
Science Standards (NGSS). This bill, as amended, includes
provisions extending these existing deadlines by four months.
According to the California Department of Education, the
consortium that is currently working on developing the NGSS is
behind schedule in its work and because the NGSS will be the
basis for the revision of California's science content
standards, the statutory deadlines established through SB 300
(Hancock), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2011, need to be adjusted so
as to ensure the SPI and the SBE have the statutory authority to
conduct the revision of the science standards when the NGSS are
made available.
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Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Aviņa / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0005534