BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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                                    THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 137
          Author:   Buchanan (D)
          Amended:  6/19/13 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE  :  9-0, 6/12/13
          AYES:  Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Hancock, Hueso, Huff,  
            Monning, Torres

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  75-0, 5/9/13 (Consent) - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    History-social science framework:  civics

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill requires the Instructional Quality  
          Commission (IQC), 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, as specified.

           ANALYSIS  :    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 processes for reviewing frameworks and adopting  
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          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. 

          Notwithstanding the suspension, existing 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.

          1.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.
           
          Civics is generally included in the history-social science  
          standards and framework, with several references to the United  
          States and California Constitutions and democracy.  

          Existing law requires the SBE and the California Department of  
          Education (CDE) to request that the 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. 
           
           This bill requires the IQC, when revising the history-social  
          science framework, to receive input from civics learning experts  







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          and consider how civics and history instruction includes the  
          application of that content.  Specifically, this bill:

          1.Requires the IQC, 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.  

          1.Specifies that civics learning experts include civics  
            education program providers, associations of civics educators,  
            and organizations dedicated to research on civics learning.

          2.Requires the SBE and CDE to request the IQC to ensure that  
            course requirements for American government and civics are  
            included in all history and social science courses and grade  
            levels, as appropriate. 

          3.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. 

           Comments
          
           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 critical first step to ensure that the principles of  
          democracy continue."

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No







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          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 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.    

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  8/14/13)

          Association of California School Administrators
          California Chamber of Commerce
          California Council for Social Studies
          California Federation of Teachers
          California Teachers Association
          Los Angeles County Office of Education
          Sonoma County Bar Association


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  75-0, 5/9/13
          AYES:  Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,  
            Blumenfield, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown,  
            Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway,  
            Cooley, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier,  
            Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray,  
            Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández, Jones,  
            Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mansoor,  
            Medina, Melendez, Mitchell, Morrell, Mullin, Muratsuchi,  
            Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, V. Manuel  
            Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas, Skinner, Stone,  
            Ting, Torres, Wagner, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams,  
            Yamada, John A. Pérez
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Donnelly, Holden, Logue, Waldron, Vacancy


          PQ:nl  8/14/13   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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