California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2016

Introduced by Assembly Members Alejo, Jones-Sawyer, Chiu, and Achadjian

(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Bonta, Eduardo Garcia, Holden, and Nazarian)

(Principal coauthor: Senator Block)

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Ting and Williams)

February 16, 2016

An act to add Section 51226.7 to the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2016, as introduced, Alejo. Pupil instruction: ethnic studies.

Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to include, among other subjects, the social sciences. Existing law requires the State Board of Education, with the assistance of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to establish a list of textbooks and other instructional materials that highlight the contributions of minorities in the development of California and the United States. Existing law establishes the Instructional Quality Commission and requires the commission to, among other things, recommend curriculum frameworks to the state board.

This bill would require the Superintendent to oversee the development of, and the state board to adopt, a model curriculum to ensure quality courses in ethnic studies. The bill would require the Instructional Quality Commission to advise, assist, and make recommendations to the Superintendent regarding the development of the model curriculum. The bill would, beginning the school year following the adoption of the model curriculum, require each school district maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, that does not otherwise offer a standards-based ethnic studies curriculum, to offer, as an elective in the social sciences, a course of study in ethnic studies based on the model curriculum. By imposing new duties on school districts, the bill would impose 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:

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

(a) The State of California is committed to providing excellent
educational opportunities to all of its pupils.

(b) There are 92 languages other than English spoken throughout
the state, with the primary languages being Arabic, Armenian,
Cantonese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

(c) There is a growing body of academic research that shows
the importance of culturally meaningful and relevant curriculum.

(d) Based on the National Education Association (NEA)
publication, The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies,
the inclusion of ethnic studies in a curriculum has a positive impact
on pupils of color.

(e) Ethnic studies benefit pupils in observable ways, such as
pupils becoming more academically engaged, increasing their
performance on academic tests, improving their graduation rates,
and developing a sense of self-efficacy and personal empowerment.

(f) The state’s educational standards should be guided by core
values of equity, inclusiveness, and universally high expectations.

(g) The state is committed to its efforts to provide all pupils
with excellent educational opportunities, without regard to race,
gender, ethnicity, nationality, income, sexual orientation, or
disability.

(h) The state is committed to its obligation to ensure its youth
are college prepared and career ready, while graduating 100 percent
of its pupils.

(i) The implementation of various ethnic studies courses within
California’s curriculum that are A-G approved, with the objective
of preparing pupils to be global citizens with an appreciation for
the contributions of multiple cultures, will close the achievement
gap, reduce pupil truancy, increase pupil enrollment, reduce
dropout rates, and increase graduation rates.

(j) The state should support and work with the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing, California State University teaching
credential programs, and other relevant parties in establishing a
single subject ethnic studies credential. The state should also
support efforts in recruiting and retaining teachers who have
experience and educational background in the study and teaching
of ethnic studies.

SEC. 2.  

Section 51226.7 is added to the Education Code, to
read:

51226.7.  

(a) The Superintendent shall oversee the development
of, and the state board shall adopt, a model curriculum to ensure
quality courses of study in ethnic studies through partnerships with
universities with ethnic studies programs. The model curriculum
shall meet the A-G approval requirements of the Regents of the
University of California.

(b) On or before the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, the
Instructional Quality Commission shall advise, assist, and make
recommendations to the Superintendent regarding the development
of the model curriculum pursuant to subdivision (a).

(c) Beginning the school year following the adoption of the
model curriculum pursuant to subdivision (a), each school district
maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, that does not
otherwise offer a standards-based ethnic studies curriculum, shall
offer to all otherwise qualified pupils in each of those grades, as
an elective in the social sciences, a course of study in ethnic studies
based on the model curriculum.

SEC. 3.  

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.