Amended in Assembly May 5, 2015

Amended in Assembly March 26, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 524


Introduced by Assembly Member Low

February 23, 2015


An act to amend Section 51225.3 of, and to add Section 51221.1 to, the Education Code, relating to school curriculum.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 524, as amended, Low. School curriculum:begin delete social studies:end deletebegin insert coursework for high school graduationend insertbegin insert:end insert service learning.

(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law prescribes the course of study a pupil is required to complete while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school. These requirements include the completion of 3 courses in social studies, including one-year courses in United States history and geography and world history, culture, and geography, and one-semester courses in American government and economics.

This bill would express legislative findings and declarations relating to service learning. The bill would additionally require, commencing with the high school class graduating during the 2020-21 school year, and for the high school classes graduating in each subsequent school year, at least one of thebegin delete social studies classesend deletebegin insert coursesend insert completed by a pupil to satisfy the graduation requirements referenced above to have a service learning component.begin insert The bill would define “service learning” for this purpose.end insert

The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop curriculum standards forbegin delete social studiesend delete courses that incorporate a service learning component in order to satisfy the requirements of this bill. The bill would require the Superintendent to consult with leaders of community organizations, pupils, parents, classroom teachers, school administrators, postsecondary educators, representatives of business and industry, and other persons with knowledge or experience the Superintendent deems appropriate to the task of developing these curriculum standards. The bill would require the Superintendent to submit these proposed curriculum standards to the State Board of Education on or beforebegin delete July 1, 2016,end deletebegin insert March 1, 2017,end insert and for the state board to adoptbegin insert or rejectend insert curriculum standards that incorporate a service learning component intobegin delete social studiesend delete courses on or beforebegin delete Januaryend deletebegin insert Julyend insert 1, 2017.

begin deleteThe end deletebegin insertIf the state board adopts these proposed curriculum standards, the end insertbill would requirebegin delete theseend deletebegin insert theend insert curriculum standards to be implemented by school districts, commencing with the 2017-18 school year, as a component ofbegin delete social studiesend delete courses in order to satisfy the graduation requirements enacted by this bill. To the extent the implementation of these curriculum standards would impose new duties on school districts, this bill would constitute a state-mandated local program.

(2) 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.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) California has been a national leader in promoting service
4and volunteerism, including support for youth service and the
P3    1conservation corps, service learning, and statewide mentor
2initiatives.

3(b) Service learning is a powerful instructional strategy for
4improving the educational performance of pupils, along with
5 contributing to the development of character, values, self-esteem,
6civic responsibility, and knowledge of local community issues and
7concerns.

8(c) This act is based on the results of numerous research studies
9that identify the following benefits associated with pupils who
10engage in quality service learning programs infusing well-planned
11service activity into the school curriculum, including, but not
12necessarily limited to, all of the following:

13(1) Pupil academic achievement increases, as demonstrated by
14higher standardized test scores and by higher grade point averages.

15(2) Pupils are less likely to drop out of school.

16(3) Pupils are less likely to have discipline problems, or to
17engage in behaviors that lead to pregnancy or arrest.

18(4) Pupils are likely to maintain higher attendance rates in
19school.

20(5) Pupils are more likely to develop a sense of civic
21responsibility and an ethic of service in their communities.

22(6) Pupils report greater acceptance of cultural diversity and
23show increased awareness of cultural differences, including positive
24attitudes toward helping others.

25(7) Pupils show increases in measures of personal and social
26responsibility, perceive themselves to be more socially competent,
27and are more likely to increase their sense of self-esteem and
28self-efficacy.

29(d) This act is intended to promote volunteer service performed
30by pupils, since research has demonstrated many positive outcomes
31of pupil volunteer service, including, but not necessarily limited
32to, all of the following:

33(1) Senior pupils who are engaged in volunteer work, whether
34through school or on their own, are likely to have significantly
35higher civics assessment scale scores than pupils who did not
36participate in volunteer work as reported by the National
37Assessment of Educational Progress in 1998.

38(2) Community leaders report that service learning partnerships
39help build more positive community attitudes toward youth.

P4    1(3) Schools that support service learning and community service
2are more likely to have positive relationships with their community.

3

SEC. 2.  

Section 51221.1 is added to the Education Code, to
4read:

5

51221.1.  

(a) The Superintendent shall develop curriculum
6standards forbegin delete social studiesend delete courses that incorporate a service
7learning component in order to satisfy the requirements of
8begin delete subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1)end deletebegin insert paragraph (3)end insert of subdivision
9(a) of Section 51225.3. In developing the curriculum standards
10under this section, the Superintendent shall consult with leaders
11of community organizations, pupils, parents, classroom teachers,
12school administrators, postsecondary educators, representatives
13of business and industry, and other persons with knowledge or
14experience the Superintendent deems appropriate to the task of
15developing these curriculum standards. The persons the
16Superintendent consults with pursuant to this section shall
17represent, as much as feasible, the diverse regions and
18socioeconomic communities of this state.

19(b) begin insert(1)end insertbegin insertend insertThe Superintendent shall submit the proposed curriculum
20standards developed under subdivision (a) to the state board for
21its review on or beforebegin delete July 1, 2016.end deletebegin insert March 1, 2017.end insert The state
22board shall adoptbegin insert or rejectend insert curriculum standards that incorporate
23a service learning component intobegin delete social studiesend delete courses on or
24beforebegin delete Januaryend deletebegin insert Julyend insert 1, 2017.begin delete Theseend deletebegin insert If the state board adopts the
25proposed curriculum standards, theend insert
curriculum standards shall be
26implemented by school districts, commencing with the 2017-18
27school year, as a component ofbegin delete social studiesend delete courses in order to
28satisfy the requirements ofbegin delete subparagraph (D) ofend delete paragraphbegin delete (1)end deletebegin insert (3)end insert
29 of subdivision (a) of Section 51225.3.

begin insert

30(2) If the state board rejects the curriculum standards proposed
31under this subdivision, the state board shall submit a written
32explanation of the reasons why the proposed curriculum standards
33were rejected to the Superintendent, the Legislature, and the
34Governor.

end insert
35

SEC. 3.  

Section 51225.3 of the Education Code, as amended
36by Section 2 of Chapter 888 of the Statutes of 2014, is amended
37to read:

38

51225.3.  

(a) A pupil shall completebegin insert coursework in accordance
39withend insert
all of the following while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order
40to receive a diploma of graduation from high school:

P5    1(1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
2specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
3otherwise specified:

4(A) Three courses in English.

5(B) Two courses in mathematics. If the governing board of a
6school district requires more than two courses in mathematics for
7graduation, the governing board of the school district may award
8a pupil up to one mathematics course credit pursuant to Section
951225.35.

10(C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
11sciences.

12(D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
13history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
14one-semester course in American government and civics; and a
15one-semester course in economics.begin delete Commencing with the high
16school class graduating during the 2020-21 school year, and for
17the high school classes graduating in each subsequent school year,
18at least one of the classes completed by a pupil to satisfy the
19requirements of this subparagraph shall have a service learning
20component.end delete

21(E) One course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.
22For purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this
23subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be
24 deemed a course in foreign language.

25(F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
26exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.

27(2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing
28board of the school district.

begin insert

29(3) (A) Commencing with the high school class graduating
30during the 2020-21 school year, and for the high school classes
31graduating in each subsequent school year, at least one of the
32courses completed by a pupil to satisfy the requirements of this
33subdivision shall have a service learning component.

end insert
begin insert

34(B) For purposes of this subdivision, “service learning” is
35defined as follows:

end insert
begin insert

36(i) It is a method through which pupils or participants learn
37and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized
38service that: (I) is conducted in, and meets the needs of, a
39community; (II) is coordinated with a secondary school and with
40the community; and (III) helps foster civic responsibility.

end insert
begin insert

P6    1(ii) It is a method that: (I) is integrated into, and enhances, the
2standards-based academic curriculum of the pupils; and (II)
3provides structured time for the pupils or participants to reflect
4on the service experience.

end insert

5(b) The governing board of the school district, with the active
6involvement of parents, administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall
7adopt alternative means for pupils to complete the prescribed
8course of study that may include practical demonstration of skills
9and competencies, supervised work experience or other outside
10school experience, career technical education classes offered in
11 high schools, courses offered by regional occupational centers or
12programs, interdisciplinary study, independent study, and credit
13earned at a postsecondary educational institution. Requirements
14for graduation and specified alternative modes for completing the
15prescribed course of study shall be made available to pupils,
16parents, and the public.

17(c) If a pupil completed a career technical education course that
18met the requirements of subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of
19subdivision (a) of Section 51225.3, as amended by the act adding
20this section, before the inoperative date of that section, that course
21shall be deemed to fulfill the requirements of subparagraph (E) of
22paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of this section.

23(d) This section shall become operative upon the date that
24Section 51225.3, as amended by the act adding this section,
25becomes inoperative.

26

SEC. 4.  

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
27this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
28local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
29pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
304 of Title 2 of the Government Code.



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