BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 101
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
101 (Alejo, et al.)
As Amended September 1, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | | (June 3, |SENATE: |29-10 | (September 8, |
| |59-20 |2015) | | |2015) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY: Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI)
to oversee the development of a model curriculum in ethnic
studies, and establishes an advisory committee on ethnic studies
to make recommendations on the development of the curriculum.
The Senate amendments:
1)Delete the requirement that the SPI develop support systems
related to the model curriculum, and delete references to
frameworks.
2)Delete a requirement that the advisory committee advise the
State Board of Education (SBE) on programs, curriculum content,
and other issues related to ethnic studies.
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3)Delete a requirement that the SPI submit an implementation plan
to the SBE.
4)Require that the advisory committee cease to exist upon
completion of the model curriculum.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires local educational agencies (LEAs) to adopt a course of
study for grades 7 to 12 which includes English, mathematics,
science, history-social studies, and other subjects.
2)Establishes the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) and
requires, upon request by the SBE, that it make recommendations
on courses of study.
3)Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to develop
model curricula on a variety of topics, including the life of
Cesar Chavez, and human rights and genocide.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee,
anticipated costs to the California Department of Education of
about $476,000 in the first year and $313,000 in the second year
to develop the model curriculum and support the Ethnic Studies
Advisory Committee. This includes two full-time and two part-time
positions.
COMMENTS:
Research on academic value of ethnic studies. A review by the
National Education Association found that "there is considerable
research evidence that well-designed and well-taught ethnic
studies curricula have positive academic and social outcomes for
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students. Curricula are designed and taught somewhat differently
depending on the ethnic composition of the class or school and the
subsequent experiences students bring, but both students of color
and White students have been found to benefit from ethnic studies.
A recent analysis found "a consistent, significant, positive
relationship between [Mexican American Studies] participation and
student academic performance."
Trend toward local ethnic studies graduation requirements.
Several school districts have recently made completion of a course
in ethnic studies a local graduation requirement. Among them are
Los Angeles Unified School District (which also resolved that the
total number of credits required for graduation would not
increase), Montebello Unified School District, and El Rancho
Unified School District. San Francisco Unified School District
has resolved to offer ethnic studies courses at all high schools,
and explore creating requirement in the next five years.
Most ethnic studies courses reported as not meeting A-G
requirements. According to data reported by CDE, 8,129 students
were enrolled in ethnic studies courses in the 2012-13 school
year. Of those, 4,379 students were enrolled in 435 social
science ethnic studies courses in 100 schools, and 3,750 students
were enrolled in 137 language arts (ethnic literature) courses in
49 schools. Notably, only 108 of the 435 social science courses
and 97 of the 137 language arts courses were identified as
approved A-G courses.
Ethnic studies course outlined in draft History-Social Science
framework. The draft History-Social Science Framework developed
by the IQC, describes high school elective courses in ethnic
studies 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,
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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 think and feel about
themselves and their group as it can be represented by
literature, memoirs, art, and music.
Which courses would be developed? Ethnic studies courses are
taught in different disciplines (often history, social sciences,
and literature) and cover varied content (often ethnic-specific).
For example, according to school district Web sites, Montebello
Unified School District offers a history elective called "Mexican
American Studies" and an English/Language Arts elective called
"African American Literature." Oakland Unified School District
offers a history-social science elective course titled "African
American History" and Los Angeles Unified School District offers
an English/language arts course titled "Mexican American
Literature." San Francisco Unified School district offers a
social studies elective called "Asian American History," a
year-long course taught in Chinese titled "Asian American
Studies," as well as a social studies elective titled "Ethnic
Studies." This bill does not indicate the kinds of courses that
are to be contained in the model curriculum it requires, but it is
implied that this would be the job of the advisory committee to
determine.
Analysis Prepared by:
Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN:
0001934
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