BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION Alan Lowenthal, Chair 2011-2012 Regular Session BILL NO: SB 1540 AUTHOR: Hancock INTRODUCED: February 24, 2012 FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: March 28, 2012 URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: Lynn Lorber SUBJECT : History-Social Science Framework. SUMMARY This bill requires the State Board of Education to consider, by June 30, 2014, the adoption of a history-social science framework. BACKGROUND Academic content standards define the knowledge, concepts, and skills that pupils should acquire at each grade level. Curricular frameworks are the blueprint for implementing the standards, and include criteria by which instructional materials are evaluated. The history-social science framework was last adopted in 2005. A review of this framework was underway and nearly complete when the state suspended the process due to budget constraints. The processes for reviewing frameworks and adopting instructional materials have been suspended since July 28, 2009. The State Board of Education (SBE) is specifically prohibited from reviewing frameworks and adopting instructional materials until the 2015-16 school year. (Education Code § 60200.7) The SBE adopted common core standards in English language arts and mathematics on August 2, 2010. Recently enacted legislation requires the SBE to adopt revised curriculum frameworks and criteria by which instructional materials will be evaluated that are aligned to the common core standards for mathematics by May 30, 2013 and English language arts by May 30, 2014. The prohibition on SB 1540 Page 2 reviewing frameworks and developing evaluation criteria for all other subjects remains intact. (EC § 60207) ANALYSIS This bill: 1) Requires the State Board of Education to consider, by June 30, 2014, the adoption of a revised curriculum framework and evaluation criteria for instructional materials in history-social science. 2) States that this adoption is in order to expedite the time and to maximize the cost of the adoption process. STAFF COMMENTS 1) Need for the bill . According to the author, "The History Social Science Standards have not been updated since 1998. The last Framework as adopted in 2003. However, the most recent History Social Science Framework process was almost complete when flexibility was instituted. SB 1540 would allow the Superintendent of Public Instruction to update and present the draft to the State Board of Education for consideration/approval. The adoption of the History Social Science Framework does not require districts to purchase new instructional materials. If a district purchases supplemental materials, the existence of the Framework would be helpful in the review of available materials." 2) Update of History-Social Science framework was underway . The Curriculum Commission approved the draft update of this framework for field review on July 17, 2009. However, suspension of the framework and instructional material processes was implemented beginning July 28, 2009, meaning that no actual field review or online survey has occurred for this framework. According to the California Department of Education (CDE) the revision of the history-social science framework can be completed for approximately $30,000. Many stakeholders and ethnic groups support the resumption of this process because the updated frameworks are a culmination of months of research and negotiations. The updated framework includes SB 1540 Page 3 information relative to the role of Sikhs and Korean Americans, among others. 3) Timeline . This bill requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to consider adopting the history-social science framework and evaluation criteria by June 30, 2014. Some have questioned the need for such a long timeline. The CDE indicates that, while the framework and evaluation criteria are nearly completed, two 60-day review periods are required before adoption may be considered by the SBE. Additionally, the CDE is currently undertaking the implementation of the Common Core Standards, including the development of the framework for the common core standards in English language arts and mathematics as required by current law. 4) Fiscal impact . According to the CDE, this bill could be implemented for approximately $30,000. 5) Technical amendment needed . On page 2, line 12, strike "maximize" and insert "minimize." 6) Related legislation . SB 1080 (Lieu) provides that instruction in economics may include instruction related to personal finances and would require the California Department of Education to develop a personal finances curriculum in the next adoption cycle of the mathematics and history-social science curriculum frameworks. SB 1080 is scheduled to be heard in this Committee on March 28, 2012. SB 993 (De Leon) authorizes instruction in social science for grades 7-12 to include information about the Bracero program. SB 993 is pending in this Committee. SB 994 (Vargas) states legislative intent relative to expanding instruction in California Latino history. SB 994 is pending in the Senate Rules Committee. SB 1325 (Wyland) requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the SBE to consider methods for enhancing pupil knowledge of, and pride in, our history and form of government and for increasing civic participation, including developing new curriculum frameworks and standards, if necessary. SB SB 1540 Page 4 1325 is pending in the Senate Rules Committee. AB 580 (Davis) requires instruction on the role and contributions of people of all races, colors, genders, sexual orientations, national origins, religions and marital status to include updated references. AB 580 is pending in the Senate Rules Committee. AB 1756 (Knight) authorizes schools to elect not to provide social science instruction on the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. AB 1756 is pending in the Assembly Education Committee. AB 2546 (Donnelly) recasts existing provisions relative to instruction on the role and contributions of people with specified characteristics to exclude mention of sexual orientation, and instead require, among other things, the study of a person in social science instruction to be accurate and based solely on historical significance rather than membership in a protected class. AB 2546 is pending in the Assembly Education Committee. 7) Prior legislation . SB 48 (Leno, Chapter 81, 2011) requires instruction in social science to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. SB 300 (Hancock, Chapter 624, 2011), at one time included provisions relative to the completion of the history-social science framework. The final version of SB 300 requires the SBE to adopt revised standards in science. SB 1278 (Wyland, 2010) would have required the SBE to adopt a revised framework and evaluation criteria for history-social science in 2011. SB 1278 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. AB 2069 (Carter, 2010) would have required the SBE to adopt a revised framework and evaluation criteria for history-social science by July 1, 2011. AB 2069 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. SUPPORT SB 1540 Page 5 California Council for the Social Studies Sikh Coalition Sikh Council of Central California Sikh Temple Sacramento Superintendent of Public Instruction OPPOSITION None on file.