Amended in Assembly April 7, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 220


Introduced by Assembly Member Holden

February 3, 2015


An act to amend Section 51224.5 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 220, as amended, Holden. Pupil instruction: mathematics: algebra.

Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to include courses in mathematics, including algebra. Existing law requires a pupil to complete 2 courses in mathematics in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school, and provides that at least one of these courses, or a combination of the 2 courses, shall meet or exceed the rigor of the content standards for Algebra I, as adopted by the State Board of Education. Existing law exempts a pupil in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, from the requirement that he or she complete a course that meets or exceeds the rigor of the content standards for Algebra I, as adopted by the state board, if that pupil, before enrolling in grade 9, completes coursework in algebra that meets or exceeds the rigor of the content standards for Algebra I, as adopted by the state board.

This billbegin delete would delete the requirement that at least one of the mathematics courses, or a combination of 2 of the mathematics courses, required for graduation shall meet or exceed the rigor of the content standards for Algebra I. The billend delete would instead require, before a pupil receives a diploma of graduation from high school, that a pupil completebegin delete a course inend deletebegin insert at least one course, or a combination of the 2 courses required for graduation, that meets or exceeds the rigor ofend insert Algebra I or Mathematics I,begin delete or a course of equal rigor,end delete that is aligned to thebegin insert mathematicsend insert content standards adopted by the state board. The bill would provide that a pupil who completes courseworkbegin delete in algebra before the 2017-18 school yearend delete that meets or exceeds the content standards for Algebra I adopted by the state board shall be deemed to have satisfied thebegin delete Algebra I or Mathematics Iend delete graduation requirement. The bill would also exempt from the Algebra I or Mathematics I graduation requirement those pupils who completed a course in Algebra I or Mathematics I, orbegin delete a courseend deletebegin insert mathematics coursesend insert of equal rigor, thatbegin delete isend deletebegin insert areend insert aligned to content standards adopted by the state board, before enrollment in grade 9.

To the extent that the bill would impose new duties on school districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 51224.5 of the Education Code is
2amended to read:

3

51224.5.  

(a) The adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12,
4inclusive, shall include algebra as part of the mathematics area of
5study pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 51220.

6(b) Before receiving a diploma of graduation from high school,
7a pupil shall completebegin delete a course inend deletebegin insert at least one course, or a
8combination of the two courses required for graduation pursuant
9to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section
1051225.3, that meets or exceeds the rigor ofend insert
Algebra I or
11Mathematics I,begin delete or a course of equal rigor,end delete that is aligned to the
12content standards adopted by the statebegin delete board.end deletebegin insert board pursuant to
13Sections 60605.8 and 60605.11.end insert

P3    1(c) A pupil who, before enrollment in grade 9, completes a
2course in Algebra I or Mathematics I, orbegin delete a courseend deletebegin insert mathematics
3coursesend insert
of equal rigor, that is aligned to the content standards
4adopted by the state board, is exempt from subdivision (b), but is
5not exempt from the requirement that the pupil complete two
6courses in mathematics while enrolled in grades 9 to 12, inclusive,
7as specified in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision
8(a) of Section 51225.3.

9(d) A pupil whobegin delete completes coursework in algebra before the
102017-18 school yearend delete
begin insert has completed a course or coursesend insert thatbegin delete meetsend delete
11begin insert meetend insert orbegin delete exceedsend deletebegin insert exceedend insert the content standards for Algebra I adopted
12by the state board pursuant to Section 60605, as that section read
13on June 30, 2011, shall be deemed to have satisfied the graduation
14requirement specified in subdivision (b).

15

SEC. 2.  

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
16this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
17local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
18pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
194 of Title 2 of the Government Code.



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