BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Carol Liu, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 700
AUTHOR: Gomez
AMENDED: May 24, 2013
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: June 19, 2013
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : History-social science framework: voter
education.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Instructional Quality Commission,
when revising the history-social science framework, to
ensure that voter education information is included in the
American government and civics curriculum at the high
school level.
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
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� 60207)
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 State Board of Education (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must ensure that the following historical documents are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:
1) The Declaration of Independence.
2) The United States Constitution, including the Bill of
Rights.
3) The Federalist Papers.
4) The Emancipation Proclamation.
5) The Gettysburg Address.
6) George Washington's Farewell Address. (EC � 33540)
ANALYSIS
This bill requires the IQC, when revising the
history-social science framework, to ensure that voter
education information is included in the American
government and civics curriculum at the high school level.
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Specifically, this bill:
1) Requires the IQC, when revising the history-social
science framework, to ensure that voter education
information is included in the American government and
civics curriculum at the high school level including:
a) Information on the importance of
registering to vote in local, state, and federal
elections.
b) Where and how to access the voter
information pamphlet and other materials to
become an informed voter.
2) Provides that this bill is not to be construed as
requiring the IQC to meet specifically to implement
this bill, and that any revisions to the
history-social science framework are to be implemented
within the existing framework revision process.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . According to the author,
"Currently California education code requires all high
school graduates to efficiently pass a course in
United States government. While the content of the
material addresses
voting and the importance of voting, the content fails
to go into detail about
the voting process, including how to research
propositions, how to find
further candidate information and voting rights."
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
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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
provides that it is to be implemented through the
current process to revise the history-social science
framework, 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).
3) Already in the framework ? The current history-social
science framework, as well as the now-suspended update
of the history-social science framework, includes the
basics of representative democracy, the importance of
the right to vote, and issues regarding campaigns for
elected office. However, the history-social science
framework does not appear to include specific details
relative to conducting research about propositions or
candidates for elected office.
4) Fiscal impact . According to the Assembly
Appropriations Committee analysis, this bill would
impose minor, absorbable General Fund costs to the
California Department of Education to the extent the
requirements of this bill are already included in the
scheduled history-social science curriculum framework
review process.
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 scheduled to be heard in this
Committee on June 19.
AB 137 (Buchanan) requires the Instructional Quality
Commission, when revising the history-social science
framework, to receive input from civics
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learning experts and consider how civics and history
instruction includes the application of that content.
AB 137 is pending in the Senate Appropriations
Committee.
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 pending in the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
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 requires the Instructional Quality Commission,
when revising the history-social science framework, to
consider incorporating specified historical documents
in the updated framework. AB 424 is scheduled to be
heard in this Committee on June 19.
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
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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.
SUPPORT
California School Boards Association
California School Employees Association
Latino Democrats of Santa Cruz County
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
School for Integrated Academics and Technologies
OPPOSITION
None on file.