California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1689

Introduced by Assembly Member Low

(Coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty)

January 21, 2016

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 1689, as introduced, Low. School curriculum: coursework for high school graduation: 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 2021-22 school year, and for the high school classes graduating in each subsequent school year, at least one of the courses completed by a pupil to satisfy the graduation requirements referenced above to have a service learning component. The bill would define “service learning” for this purpose.

The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop curriculum standards for 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 before March 1, 2018, and for the state board to adopt or reject curriculum standards that incorporate a service learning component into courses on or before July 1, 2018.

If the state board adopts these proposed curriculum standards, the bill would require the curriculum standards to be implemented by school districts, commencing with the 2018-19 school year, as a component of 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 impose 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:

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEC. 2.  

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

51221.1.  

(a) The Superintendent shall develop curriculum
standards for courses that incorporate a service learning component
in order to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision
(a) of Section 51225.3. In developing the curriculum standards
under this section, the Superintendent shall 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 persons the
Superintendent consults with pursuant to this section shall
represent, as much as feasible, the diverse regions and
socioeconomic communities of this state.

(b) (1) The Superintendent shall submit the proposed curriculum
standards developed under subdivision (a) to the state board for
its review on or before March 1, 2018. The state board shall adopt
or reject curriculum standards that incorporate a service learning
component into courses on or before July 1, 2018. If the state board
adopts the proposed curriculum standards, the curriculum standards
shall be implemented by school districts, commencing with the
2018-19 school year, as a component of courses in order to satisfy
the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section
51225.3.

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

SEC. 3.  

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

51225.3.  

(a) A pupil shall complete begin insert coursework in accordance
with end insert all of the following while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order
to receive a diploma of graduation from high school:

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

(A) Three courses in English.

(B) Two courses in mathematics. If the governing board of a
school district requires more than two courses in mathematics for
graduation, the governing board of the school district may award
a pupil up to one mathematics course credit pursuant to Section
51225.35.

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

(D) Three courses in social studies, including 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.

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

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

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

begin insert

(3) (A) Commencing with the high school class graduating
during the 2021-22 school year, and for the high school classes
graduating in each subsequent school year, at least one of the
courses completed by a pupil to satisfy the requirements of this
subdivision shall have a service learning component.

end insert begin insert

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

end insert begin insert

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

end insert begin insert

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

end insert

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

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

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

SEC. 4.  

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