BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1750
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1750 (Alejo)
As Amended May 23, 2014
Majority vote
EDUCATION 5-1 APPROPRIATIONS 13-4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Buchanan, Olsen, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, |
| |Gonzalez, Nazarian, | |Bradford, |
| |Williams | |Ian Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Eggman, Gomez, Holden, |
| | | |Linder, Pan, Quirk, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Weber |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Chávez |Nays:|Bigelow, Donnelly, Jones, |
| | | |Wagner |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to
identify model programs, standards, and curricula relating to
ethnic studies at the high school level and makes related
changes. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the IQC to also identify factors to train teachers to
work effectively with diverse pupils and families and to
encourage respect for diversity in the classroom.
2)Requires the IQC to prepare and submit a report, no later than
January 1, 2017, that does all of the following:
a) Reviews the most current research on ethnic studies for
secondary education;
b) Reviews and evaluates existing standards, curricula,
programs, and training related to ethnic studies;
c) Identifies the best practices and standards for
establishing and implementing an ethnic studies program;
d) Assesses the current ethnic studies courses in
California's high schools; and
e) Makes recommendations for establishing an ethnic studies
AB 1750
Page 2
course that can be incorporated into existing high school
curriculum.
3)Authorizes the IQC to consult with experts on ethnic studies,
multiculturalism, or diversity including, but not limited to,
all of the following:
a) Representative from the California Department of
Education (CDE);
b) Representatives from the University of California and
the California State University;
c) Academic faculty, researchers, and scientists with
backgrounds in ethnic studies, American studies, history,
education, psychology, or medicine;
d) Representatives from community-based organizations
concerned with pupil issues or civil rights;
e) Representatives from professional associations relating
to ethnic studies;
f) Classroom teachers who are currently teaching in
California public high schools; and
g) Public school board members with expertise in
multicultural or ethnic studies.
4)Encourages the IQC, in choosing experts with which to consult,
to ensure that current classroom teachers in public high
schools are principally and meaningfully consulted.
5)Specifies that these requirements do not apply to the
University of California except to the extent that the
University of California Regents make them applicable.
6)States that its provisions shall be implemented only to the
extent that funds are available to the IQC for these purposes
from any source, including, but not limited to, state funding,
federal funding, and other non-state funding sources.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) to adopt a course
AB 1750
Page 3
of study for grades 7-12 that includes English, social
sciences, foreign language, physical education, mathematics,
visual and performing arts, applied arts, career technical
education, and automobile education.
2)Establishes the IQC and specifies this body shall recommend
curriculum frameworks to the State Board of Education (SBE),
develop criteria for evaluating instructional materials, study
and evaluate instructional materials, recommend instructional
materials to the SBE, recommend policies and activities to the
SBE that will assist the CDE and LEAs in the use of the
curriculum framework and other available model curriculum
materials, and advise and make recommendations to the SBE as
to the policies and activities that are needed to implement
the state's academic content standards.
3)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the CDE
to develop model curriculum for consumer economics, driver's
education, gang violence suppression, and energy.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1) General Fund costs in the range of $250,000 to $300,000
for CDE to prepare the report, including research, review
and evaluation of existing standards, curricula, programs
and training, and identification of best practices, as well
as other administrative functions and requirements. These
costs assume two years of work.
2) General Fund and Proposition 98 (1988) cost pressure,
potentially in the millions, to the extent high schools
elect to create new courses based on the recommendations in
the report. There are 1,305 high schools in California.
Currently, districts have the ability to offer ethnic
studies courses at their discretion. Should the districts
decide to offer additional ethnic studies courses based on
the report, they would incur the costs for developing new
courses, staffing the positions, monitoring the courses,
and purchasing curriculum.
COMMENTS : California's curriculum is based on content standards
that are developed by the IQC and approved by the SBE. The
curriculum frameworks are guidelines for implementing these
AB 1750
Page 4
standards. The IQC is an 18-member commission consisting of one
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 history and social science standards were developed in 1998,
and history and social science framework was last revised in
2005. A review and update of this framework was underway and
nearly complete when the state suspended the process on July 28,
2009, due to fiscal constraints. The SBE is specifically
prohibited from reviewing frameworks and adopting instructional
materials until the 2015-16 school year. SB 1540 (Hancock),
Chapter 288, Statutes of 2012, authorizes the SBE to consider
the adoption of a revised curriculum framework and evaluation
criteria for instructional materials in history and social
science, but prohibits the CDE from conducting any such work
until after CDE has completed work related to the development of
curriculum frameworks for the common core content standards,
which is anticipated to be 2015. In these existing and draft
framework for history and social science, there is an identified
elective course for grade nine that explores ethnic studies.
The course is described as follows:
Ethnic Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study
that encompasses many subject areas including
history, literature, economics, sociology, and
political science, among others. In this course,
students focus on an in-depth comparative study of
the history, politics, culture, contributions,
challenges, and current status of ethnic groups in
the United States. It is also important for students
to learn the national origins of ethnic groups and
their transnational linkages. In Ethnic Studies,
students examine the process of racial and ethnic
formation of ethnic minorities in a variety of
contexts: political, legal, social, historical,
economic, and cultural. The course concentrates, to
a great extent, on the experiences of various ethnic
minorities in the United States and the ways in which
their experiences were impacted by the issues of
race, ethnicity, class, gender, and the interaction
among different ethnic groups. Students will also
address how individuals within specific ethnic groups
AB 1750
Page 5
think and feel about themselves and their group as it
can be represented by literature, memoirs, art, and
music. To understand ethnic identity in their local
communities, students can volunteer with local
community organizations and centers that serve
specific ethnic populations.
According to the data collected by the CDE, in the 2011-12
school year, 100 schools, in 61 different districts, enrolled
6,162 students in ethnic studies courses.
Analysis Prepared by : Rick Pratt/Jill Rice / ED. / (916)
319-2087
FN: 0003770