Amended in Assembly April 22, 2014

Amended in Assembly April 8, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1750

Introduced by Assembly Member Alejo

February 14, 2014

An act to add and repeal Section begin delete 33543 end delete begin insert 33544 end insert of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1750, as amended, Alejo. Pupil instruction: ethnic studies: report.

Existing law requires a school district, as part of its adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to offer courses in specified areas of study, including social sciences. Existing law establishes the Instructional Quality Commission and requires the commission to, among other things, recommend curriculum frameworks to the State Board of Education.

This bill would require the commission to identify model programs, standards, and curricula relating to ethnic studies at the high school level. begin insert The bill would require the commission to consult with experts on ethnic studies, multiculturalism, or diversity, including, among others, representatives from the State Department of Education and classroom teachers who are currently teaching in California public high schools. end insert The bill would require the commission, on or before January 1, 2016, to prepare and submit a report that, among other things, identifies the best practices and standards for establishing and implementing ethnic studies in public high schools, to the Governor and the Legislature, and to make the report available on the State Department of Education’s Internet Web site. The bill would make the implementation of the bill’s provisions subject to the availability of funds to the commission for those purposes from any source, including state, federal, and other nonstate funding sources.

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 begin delete 33543 end delete begin insert 33544 end insert is added to the Education
Code, to read:

begin delete 33543. end delete
begin insert 33544. end insert   

(a) The commission shall identify model programs,
standards, and curricula relating to ethnic studies at the high school
level. The commission shall also identify factors to train teachers
to work effectively with diverse pupils and families and to
encourage respect for diversity in the classroom.

(b) The commission shall prepare a report that, at minimum,
does all of the following:

(1) Reviews the most current research on ethnic studies for
secondary education.

(2) Reviews and evaluates existing standards, curricula,
programs, and training regarding ethnic studies for secondary
education.

(3) Identifies the best practices and standards for establishing
and implementing ethnic studies in public high schools.

(4) Assesses the adequacy of current ethnic studies courses in
California public high schools.

(5) Makes recommendations for establishing a “California
Cultures” multicultural or ethnic studies course that can be
incorporated into existing high school curriculum.

(c) The commission shall complete and submit the report to the
Governor and the Legislature on or before January 1, 2016. The
report shall also be made available to the public on the
department’s Internet Web site.

(d)  begin insert (1) end insert begin insert   end insert The commission begin delete may end delete begin insert shall end insert consult with experts on
ethnic studies, multiculturalism, or diversity including, but not
limited to, all of the following:

begin delete

(1)

end delete

begin insert (A) end insert  Representatives from the department.

begin delete

(2)

end delete

begin insert (B) end insert  Representatives from the University of California.

begin delete

(3)

end delete

begin insert (C) end insert  Representatives from the California State University.

begin delete

(4)

end delete

begin insert (D) end insert  Academic faculty, researchers, and scientists with
backgrounds in ethnic studies, American studies, history, education,
psychology, or medicine.

begin delete

(5)

end delete

begin insert (E) end insert  Representatives from community-based organizations
concerned with pupil issues or civil rights.

begin delete

(6)

end delete

begin insert (F) end insert  Representatives from professional associations relating to
ethnic studies.

begin delete

(7) Educators in secondary education.

end delete begin insert

(G) Classroom teachers who are currently teaching in California
public high schools.

end insert begin delete

(8)

end delete

begin insert (H) end insert  Public school board members with expertise in multicultural
or ethnic studies.

begin insert

(2) In choosing experts with which to consult, the commission
is encouraged to ensure that current classroom teachers in public
high schools are principally and meaningfully consulted.

end insert

(e) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (d), this act shall not
apply to the University of California, except to the extent that the
Regents of the University of California, by appropriate resolution,
make this section applicable.

(f) (1) The report to be submitted pursuant to this section shall
be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
section is repealed on January 1, 2019.

(g) This section shall be implemented only to the extent that
funds are available to the commission for purposes of this section
from any source, including, but not limited to, state funding, federal
funding, and other nonstate funding sources.