BILL NUMBER: AB 899 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 6, 2013
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 25, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Weber
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
An act to amend Section 60811 of, and to add Section
60811.4 of t o, the
Education Code, relating to academic content standards.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 899, as amended, Weber. Academic content standards:
English language development standards: English learners:
mathematics: science. standards.
Existing
(1) Existing law requires each
school district that has one or more pupils who are English learners
and, to the extent required by federal law, each county office of
education and each charter school, to assess the English language
development of each of those pupils upon initial enrollment in order
to determine the level of proficiency of those pupils, and thereafter
to assess each of those pupils annually until the pupil is
redesignated as English proficient.
Existing law requires the State Board of Education to approve
standards for English language development for pupils whose primary
language is a language other than English. Existing law further
requires that these standards be comparable in rigor and specificity
to the statewide academically rigorous content standards for English
language arts.
This bill would instead require that the standards for English
language development for pupils whose primary language is a language
other than English be comparable in rigor and specificity to the
academic content standards to which they are aligned, including
specified standards for English language arts and mathematics and
specified science content standards.
Existing
(2) Existing law, which is to be
repealed on July 1, 2013, requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, in consultation with the state board, to update, revise,
and align the English language development standards adopted
pursuant to existing law to the state board-approved academic content
standards for English language arts, as provided.
This bill would require the Superintendent, on or before January
1, 2015, to recommend modifications to the English language
development standards to align with the state board-approved academic
content standards for mathematics, and would authorize
also require the Superintendent to recommend
modifications to the English language development standards to align
with the state board-approved science content standards, for adoption
to the state board. The bill would require the Superintendent
and state board, to hold a minimum of 2 public
meetings in order for the public to provide input regarding any
modifications to the English language development standards.
The bill would require the state board, on or before August 1,
2015, to adopt or reject the Superintendent's recommendations for the
alignment of the English language development standards with the
state board-approved academic content standards for mathematics and
science, as specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 60811 of the
Education Code is amended to read:
60811. The state board shall approve standards for English
language development for pupils whose primary language is a language
other than English. The standards shall be comparable in rigor and
specificity to the academic content standards to which they are
aligned, including the standards for English language arts
and mathematics adopted pursuant to Section 60605.8 and
the science content standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605.85
.
SECTION 1. SEC. 2. Section 60811.4
is added to the Education Code, to read:
60811.4. (a) On or before January 1, 2015, the Superintendent
shall recommend to the state board modifications to the English
language development standards, adopted pursuant to Section 60811, to
align with the academic content standards for mathematics adopted by
the state board pursuant to Section 60605.8. If the state board
modifies the English language development standards to align with the
academic content standards for mathematics, it shall explain, in
writing, to the Governor and the Legislature the reasons for the
modification. The Superintendent's recommendations and the state
board's actions shall assist schools in the implementation and
application of English language development standards in the
mathematics subject area.
(b) On or before January 1, 2015, the Superintendent may
shall recommend to the state board modifications
to the English language development standards, adopted pursuant to
Section 60811, to align with the science content standards adopted by
the state board pursuant to Section 60605.85. If the state board
modifies the English language development standards to align with the
science content standards, it shall explain, in writing, to the
Governor and the Legislature the reasons for the modification. The
Superintendent's recommendations and the state board's actions shall
assist schools in the implementation and application of English
language development standards in the science subject area.
(c) In carrying out subdivisions (a) and (b), the Superintendent
and the state board shall hold a minimum of two
public meetings pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act
(Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of
Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) in order for the public
to provide input regarding any modifications recommended pursuant to
this section.
(d) On or before August 1, 2015, the state board shall do both of
the following:
(1) Adopt or reject the Superintendent's recommendations for the
alignment of the English language development standards adopted
pursuant to Section 60811 with the state board-approved academic
content standards for mathematics adopted pursuant to Section
60605.8.
(2) Adopt or reject the Superintendent's recommendations for the
alignment of the English language development standards adopted
pursuant to Section 60811 with the state board-approved academic
content standards for science adopted pursuant to Section 60605.85.