BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 101
Page 1
GOVERNOR'S VETO
AB
101 (Alejo, et al.)
As Enrolled September 14, 2015
2/3 vote
--------------------------------------------------------------------
|ASSEMBLY: |59-20 |(June 3, 2015) |SENATE: |29-10 |(September 8, |
| | | | | |2015) |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
|ASSEMBLY: |61-15 |(September 9, | | | |
| | |2015) | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
AB 101
Page 2
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 advises the
State Board of Education (SBE) on programs, curriculum
content, and other issues related to ethnic studies.
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
AB 101
Page 3
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
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.
AB 101
Page 4
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,
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.
AB 101
Page 5
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
websites, 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.
GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE:
This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to oversee the development of a model curriculum in ethnic
studies for adoption by the State Board of Education.
This bill creates what is essentially a redundant process. The
Instructional Quality Commission is in the midst of revising the
History-Social Science Framework, which includes guidance on
ethnic studies courses.
Creating yet another advisory body specific to ethnic studies
would be duplicative and undermine our current curriculum
AB 101
Page 6
process.
Analysis Prepared by:
Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN:
0002481