BILL NUMBER: AB 2016	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


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.