BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1912
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Date of Hearing: March 26, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Joan Buchanan, Chair
AB 1912 (Holden) - As Amended: March 18, 2014
SUBJECT : Pupil instruction: Election of President Barack Obama
SUMMARY : Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to
consider including specified curriculum related to the election
of President Barack Obama in 2008. Specifically, this bill :
1)Makes findings and declarations related to the historical
significance of the election of Barack Obama as the first
African American to be elected president of the United States.
2)Requires the SBE to consider including instruction on the
election of President Barack Obama and the significance of the
United States electing its first African American President,
in the history-social science curriculum framework, as
appropriate, in the next adoption cycle.
EXISTING LAW
1)Defines "curriculum framework" as an outline of the components
of a given course of study designed to provide state direction
to school districts in the provision of instructional
programs.
2)Permits the SBE to consider the adoption of revised framework
and evaluation criteria for instructional materials in
history-social science but prevents the California Department
of Education (CDE) from engaging in this work until after it
has completed work related to the development of curriculum
frameworks for the common core academic standards.
3)Requires a pupil to complete courses in specified course areas
including social science which includes the subjects of United
States history and geography; world history, culture, and
geography; a one-semester course in American government and
civics; and a one-semester course in economics in order to
receive a high school diploma.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : California curriculum is based on content standards
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that are developed by the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC)
(also referenced in statute as the "commission") and approved by
the SBE. The curriculum frameworks are guidelines for
implementing these 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-social science
standards were developed in 1998 and the History-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, though 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-social science, but prohibits
the CDE from conducting this work until after CDE has completed
the work related to the development of curriculum frameworks for
the common core content standards.
Because this bill requires the SBE to consider including this
topic, rather than mandate a particular topic of instruction,
this is consistent with the committee's past deference provided
to the IQC's expertise in content and curriculum rather than
developing content through statutory incorporation. However,
the committee may wish to consider whether this bill is
necessary. In the 2005 adopted and 2009 updated frameworks,
there is specific recognition given in Grade 11 United States
History to the recent presidencies, which includes the statement
"[t]o address recent history, teachers can provide an overview
of the significant developments of the last two decades,
surveying the presidencies of George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton,
George W. Bush, and Barack Obama." While there is no specific
mention of the historical significance of President Obama as the
first African American president, the frameworks already lend
themselves to a discussion of his presidency that may include
this curriculum topic.
Related legislation .
AB 2110 (Ting) requires the SBE to incorporate computer science
curriculum content into the mathematics, science, history-social
science, and language arts curriculum frameworks, as it deems
appropriate, when those frameworks are next revised.
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AB 1915 (Nazarian) requires instruction in human rights issues
to pay particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of
the Armenian Genocide.
SB 1006 (Wyland) requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) and the SBE to consider methods for enhancing
pupil knowledge of, and pride in, our history and form of
government and for increasing civic participation.
SB 1057 (Corbett) requires the SBE to adopt history-social
science standards in accordance with specified procedures.
SB 1380 (Wyland) requires the incorporation of materials related
to Operation Desert Storm and international conflicts related to
the War on Terror into the history-social science curriculum
frameworks, and would require the IQC to consider Operation
Desert Storm, international conflicts related to the War on
Terror, and the Armenian Genocide for inclusion in the next
revision of the history-social science curriculum framework.
Prior related legislation .
AB 123 (Bonta), Chapter 476, Statutes of 2013, requires
instruction on the contributions of Filipino Americans to the
farm labor movement in California. This measure passed out of
the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 6-0.
AB 137 (Buchanan), Chapter 225, Statutes of 2013, requires the
IQC to consult with a group of civic education experts for the
purpose of integrating civic content into existing courses and
subject areas. This measure passed out of the Assembly Education
Committee by a vote of 7-0.
AB 166 (Hernández), Chapter 135, Statutes of 2013, requires
instruction in economics provided in grades 7 through 12 to
include instruction related to personal finances. This measure
passed out of the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 6-0.
AB 391 (Wieckowski), proposes the Common Cents Curriculum Act of
2013, requiring the SPI and SBE to adopt a one semester course
in consumer education, include specified areas of content
related to financial literacy and requires financial literacy
instruction be encouraged in the next revision of the
history-social science frameworks. This bill died in the
Assembly Appropriations Committee, but was passed out of the
Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 6-0.
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AB 424 (Donnelly), Chapter 483, Statutes of 2013, encourages the
IQC to include the development of democracy, the history of the
development of the United States Constitution, and specified
historical documents in the history-social science framework.
This measure passed out of the Assembly Education Committee by a
vote of 7-0.
AB 700 (Gomez), Chapter 483, Statutes of 2013, requires the IQC
to include instruction in the social sciences in grade 8 and in
any grades 9 to 12, inclusive, and the one-semester course in
American government and civics that is required for high school
graduation, a voter education component providing instruction in
how to register and cast votes in local, state, and federal
elections, and how to use the voter information pamphlet and
other materials to become an informed voter. This measure passed
out of the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 7-0.
SB 521 (Wyland) (2013), requires the history-social science
framework, when revised, update the courses in American
government and civics to include the teaching of the comparative
differences between the rights of the citizens in America and
those in other countries, and the connection of civics and
American government to western civilizations. This bill died in
the Senate Education Committee.
SB 552 (Calderon), Chapter 497, Statutes of 2013, permits local
governing boards to provide instruction on violence awareness
and prevention within its adopted course of study. This measure
passed out of the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 7-0.
SB 993 (De León), Chapter 211, Statutes of 2012, authorizes
instruction in social science for grades 7-12 to include
information about the Bracero program. This measure was passed
by the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 7-2.
SB 1080 (Lieu) (2012) authorizes instruction provided in
economics to include instruction related to the understanding of
personal finances, including, but not limited to, mathematics,
budgeting, savings, credit, and identity theft. This bill died
in Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 199 (Ma & Cook), Chapter 607, Statutes of 2011, encourages
social studies instruction to include instruction on the role
and contributions of Filipino Americans in the U.S. army in
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World War II. This measure was passed by the Assembly Education
Committee by a vote of 7-0.
SB 48 (Leno), Chapter 81, Statutes of 2011, requires instruction
in social science to include the role and contributions of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. This measure
was passed by the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 7-4.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Advancement Project
California Urban Partnership
California Young Democrats
Mike A. Gipson, Councilmember, City of Carson
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Jill Rice / ED. / (916) 319-2087