BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1539
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1539 (Hagman)
As Amended May 27, 2014
Majority vote
EDUCATION 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Buchanan, Olsen, Chávez, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, |
| |Gonzalez, Nazarian, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Weber, Williams | |Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| | | |Holden, Jones, Linder, |
| | | |Pan, Quirk, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, |
| | | |Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Encourages the development of computer science content
standards. Specifically, this bill :
1)Encourages the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC), on or
before July 31, 2016, to develop and recommend to the State
Board of Education (SBE), computer science content standards,
pursuant to recommendations developed by a group of computer
science experts.
2)Encourages the IQC to consider existing computer science
standards, which include, but are not limited to, the national
K-12 computer science standards developed by the Computer
Science Teachers Association, and consider content standards
that include, but are not necessarily limited to, standards
for teaching coding.
3)Defines "coding" to mean the process of converting a program
design into an accurate and detailed representation of that
program in a suitable language.
4)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in
consultation with the IQC, to convene the group of computer
science experts and to ensure that the members of the group
include, but are not necessarily limited to, all of the
following:
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a) The SPI;
b) Teachers who teach computer science, including
mathematics and science teachers, in grades 7-12,
inclusive;
c) Schoolsite principals;
d) School district or county office of education
administrators;
e) University professors; and
f) Representatives of private sector business or industry.
5)Requires the SPI to ensure that one-half of the members of the
group are computer science teachers.
6)Provides that the content standards may be used by school
districts to develop computer science programs and course
assessments but are not mandatory.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Makes legislative findings recognizing that increasing the
integration of computers and computer technology into
California's economy has profound implications for
California's society and the state's educational policy.
2)Makes legislative findings that recognize the importance of
early exposure to basic computer education and computer
resources for all students to ensure academic and career
success.
3)Makes a legislative finding that it is imperative California
adopt a policy to ensure equitable access to technological
education programs.
4)Declares a policy for the State of California that all
students in grades 1-12 shall have equitable access to
educational programs designed to strengthen technological
skills, including, but not limited to, computer education
programs and that funds appropriated for educational these
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programs have the goal of ensuring equitable access to those
programs for all students.
5)Requires the SBE to adopt model academic content standards in
career technical education, English language arts and English
language development, health education, history and social
science, mathematics, model school library, physical
education, science, visual and performing arts, and world
languages.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1)General Fund administrative costs to the IQC of $300,000 if
the commission elects to develop computer science standards as
authorized. Computer science standards currently embedded in
the Career Technical Education Model Curriculum standards and
Model School Library standards may meet the needs of what is
intended by this legislation, in which case the above costs
would be substantially reduced.
2)Ongoing costs in the range of $20,000 to $100,000 to
California Department of Education to publish and edit updated
standards, costs could be offset through sales of materials.
3)General Fund/Proposition 98 (1988) cost pressure, likely in
the millions of dollars, to hire credentialed teachers to
teach computer science, provide equipment and materials, and
provide professional development. Local boards will also need
to take action to offer courses.
COMMENTS: California curriculum is based on academic content
standards that are developed by the Instructional Quality
Commission (IQC). The frameworks, also developed by the IQC and
approved by the SBE, are guidelines for implementing these
standards. The IQC is an 18-member commission consisting of one
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member of the Assembly, one member of the Senate, and 16 public
members. At least seven of the public members must have taught,
written, or lectured on the subject areas required for
graduation. The state suspended the review of frameworks and
the adoption of instructional materials until the 2015-16 school
year, though specific statutory exceptions have been made for
the review of the English language arts, mathematics, and
history and social science frameworks.
To date, the SBE has adopted academic content standards in
career technical education, English language arts and English
language development, health education, history and social
science, mathematics, model school library, physical education,
science, visual and performing arts, and world languages. These
standards define the knowledge, concepts, and skills that
students should acquire at each grade level within each subject
area. Each of the adopted content standards spans kindergarten
through grade 12, inclusive, with the exception of visual and
performing arts, which also includes prekindergarten.
This bill encourages the IQC to recommend to the SBE academic
content standards in computer science in consideration of
national computer science content standards. According to the
author, this is intended to encourage the IQC and SBE to look at
the standards developed by the Computer Science Teachers
Association. In 2013, the national Computer Science Teachers
Association created K-12 standards with the intention that state
and local governing bodies, such as California's SBE, would use
these standards to create their own state and local academic
standards.
Analysis Prepared by : Rick Pratt and Jill Rice / ED. / (916)
319-2087
FN: 0003672