BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Carol Liu, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 137
AUTHOR: Buchanan
AMENDED: May 6, 2013
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: June 12, 2013
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : History-social science framework: civics.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Instructional Quality Commission,
when revising the history-social science framework, to
receive input from civics learning experts and consider how
civics and history instruction includes the application of
that content.
BACKGROUND
Academic content standards define the knowledge, concepts,
and skills that pupils should acquire at each grade level
(the "what"). Curricular frameworks are the blueprint for
implementing the standards, and include criteria by which
instructional materials are evaluated (the "how").
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,
except as provided below.
(Education Code � 60200.7)
Notwithstanding the suspension, current law:
1) Requires the SBE to adopt revised frameworks that are
aligned to the common core standards in:
a) Mathematics by November 30, 2013.
b) English language arts by May 30, 2014. (EC
� 60207)
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2) Authorizes the SBE to adopt a revised framework for
history social science, but only after the California
Department of Education has completed work related to
the frameworks for the common core standards. (EC �
60200.8)
Civics is generally included in the history-social science
standards and framework, with several references to the
United States and California Constitutions and democracy.
Current law requires the SBE and the California Department
of Education (CDE) to request that the Instructional
Quality Commission (IQC) review and revise, as necessary,
the course requirements in the history-social science
framework to ensure that minimum standards for courses in
American government and civics include sufficient attention
to teaching students how to interact, in a practical
manner, with state and local governmental agencies and
representatives to solve problems and to petition for
changes in laws and procedures. When the history-social
science framework is revised, the IQC must ensure that the
following historical documents are incorporated into the
framework, as appropriate:
The Declaration of Independence.
The United States Constitution, including the Bill
of Rights.
The Federalist Papers.
The Emancipation Proclamation.
The Gettysburg Address.
George Washington's Farewell Address. (EC � 33540)
ANALYSIS
This bill requires the Instructional Quality Commission,
when revising the history-social science framework, to
receive input from civics learning experts and consider how
civics and history instruction includes the application of
that content. Specifically, this bill:
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1) Requires the Instructional Quality Commission,
whenever the history-social science framework is
revised, to do all of the following:
a) Receive input from civics learning
experts for the purpose of integrating civics
learning content, concepts and skills, at all
appropriate grade levels, with the standards in
core curriculum areas.
b) Consider how civics and history
instruction, at all appropriate grade levels,
includes, in addition to the acquisition of
content knowledge, the application of that
content to develop the competence and skills
needed for civic engagement.
2) Specifies that civics learning experts include civics
education program providers, associations of civics
educators, and organizations dedicated to research on
civics learning.
3) Requires the State Board of Education and California
Department of Education to request the Instructional
Quality Commission to ensure that course requirements
for American government and civics are included in all
history and social science courses and grade levels,
as appropriate.
4) States legislative intent that the requirements
imposed by this bill be satisfied through the existing
process to revise and update the history-social
science framework.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . According to the author, "While
the intent of any civic education is to provide
students with an understanding of our national and
state governments, civic education goes far beyond an
academic understanding of democracy. The ultimate
goal of any civic education program must be to
encourage individuals to actively engage in the
practice of democracy in the United States and other
countries. Civic education in our K-12 schools is a
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critical first step to ensure that the principles of
democracy continue."
2) History-social science framework . The most recent
version of the history-social science framework was
adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) in 2005.
A review of this framework was underway and nearly
complete when the state suspended the process due to
budget constraints in July 2009.
Current law prohibits the State Board of Education (SBE)
from revising curricular frameworks or criteria by
which instructional materials are evaluated until the
2015-16 school year, other than for the common core
standards in English language arts and mathematics and
the history-social science framework.
The Instructional Quality Commission is expected to
complete the process of updating the history-social
science framework in the Fall of 2017. This bill
states intent that the current history-social science
framework process satisfies the requirements of this
bill, ensuring that the review process would not be
restarted from the beginning (the review of this
framework was suspended prior to the 60-day comment
period and, once resumed, will include input from
civics learning experts as required by this bill).
3) Fiscal impact . According to the Assembly
Appropriations Committee analysis, to the extent the
requirements of this bill can be met through the
scheduled history-social science curriculum framework
review process, there will be minor, absorbable
General Fund costs to the California Department of
Education (CDE) to implement this measure. If these
requirements cannot be achieved within the existing
review process, there will likely be one-time General
Fund administrative costs to CDE between $75,000 and
$100,000.
4) Technical amendment needed . This bill requires the
Instructional Quality Commission to receive input from
civics learning experts for the purpose of integrating
civics instruction with the standards in core
curriculum areas, with a cross-reference to the
standards adopted by the SBE. Staff recommends an
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amendment to also reference the common core standards
that have been adopted by the SBE, which include
literacy standards in history-social science, science
and technical subjects. (On page 2, line 22, after
"60605" insert "and 60605.8.")
5) Related legislation . AB 123 (Bonta) requires the SBE
to ensure the state curriculum, frameworks and
evaluation criteria include instruction on the
contributions of immigrants, including Filipino
Americans, to the farm labor movement in the United
States. AB 123 is pending in the Senate.
AB 166 (Hernandez) requires the next revision of the
curricular frameworks for history-social science,
mathematics, and health to include financial literacy,
as specified. AB 166 is scheduled to be heard by this
Committee on June 12.
AB 391 (Wieckowski) requires the history-social science
curriculum framework, when it is revised, to ensure it
encourages instruction related to the understanding of
personal finances, including budgeting, savings,
credit and loans, identity theft, and paying for
postsecondary education. AB 391 also requires
information on budgeting, savings, loans, identity
theft/security, and planning for postsecondary
education to be included in a one semester
instructional program entitled consumer economics for
use in grades 7-12. AB 391 was held on the Assembly
Appropriations Committee's suspense file.
AB 424 (Donnelly) requires the Instructional Quality
Commission, when revising the history-social science
framework, to consider incorporating into the
framework the Magna Carta. Articles of Confederation,
and California Constitution. AB 424 also requires the
Commission to encourage instruction that promotes an
understanding of the governments of California and the
United States. AB 424 is pending in the Senate.
AB 700 (Gomez) requires the Instructional Quality
Commission, when revising the history-social science
framework, to include voter education information in
the high school American Government and civics
courses, including information on the importance of
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registering to vote in local, state, and federal
elections, and where how to access the voter
information pamphlet and other materials to become an
informed voter, to be included. AB 700 is pending in
the Senate.
SB 521 (Wyland) requires the SBE and CDE to request the
Instructional Quality Commission, when revising the
history-social science framework, to update the
courses in American Government and civics to include
the
comparative differences between the rights of the
citizens in American and those in other countries, and
the connection of civics and American government to
western civilizations. SB 521 is pending in this
Committee.
SB 552 (Calderon) authorizes social science
instruction in grades 7-12 to include instruction on
violence awareness. SB 552 is pending in the Assembly
Education Committee.
SB 696 (Block) requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction to report to the Legislature and recommend
to the SBE for adoption a project-based assessment to
measure the civics learning objectives contained in
the history-social science framework for grades 6-12.
SB 696 was held on the Senate Appropriations
Committee's suspense file.
SB 619 (Yee) requires the CDE, if private funds are
secured for this purpose, to develop and make
available online a state employee civics orientation
on federal and state government by January 1, 2015.
SB 619 was held on the Senate Appropriations
Committee's suspense file.
SUPPORT
Association of California School Administrators
California Chamber of Commerce
California Federation of Teachers
California Teachers Association
Sonoma County Bar Association
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OPPOSITION
None on file.