BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2016|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2016
Author: Alejo (D), Chiu (D), Jones-Sawyer (D) and Achadjian
(R), et al.
Amended: 8/16/16 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 9-0, 6/22/16
AYES: Liu, Block, Hancock, Huff, Leyva, Mendoza, Monning, Pan,
Vidak
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-2, 8/11/16
AYES: Lara, Beall, Hill, McGuire, Mendoza
NOES: Bates, Nielsen
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 61-7, 6/2/16 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Pupil instruction: ethnic studies
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill requires the Instructional Quality Commission
(IQC) to develop, and the State Board of Education (SBE) to
adopt, a model curriculum in ethnic studies, as specified. The
bill also encourages school districts and charter schools to
offer an ethnic studies course based on the model curriculum to
students in grades 9-12.
ANALYSIS:
AB 2016
Page 2
Existing law:
1)Establishes the IQC, formerly known as the Curriculum
Commission, as an advisory body to the SBE. The IQC is an
advisory body to the SBE and is responsible for recommending
curriculum frameworks, developing criteria for the evaluation
of instructional materials, evaluate and recommend adoption of
instructional materials. (Education Code § 33530 and § 60204)
2)Prohibits the SBE from adopting instructional materials or
undertaking the work of the IQC until the 2015-16 school year.
(EC § 60200.7)
3)Specifically authorizes the SBE to consider the adoption of a
revised curriculum framework and evaluation criteria for
history-social science. (EC § 60200.8)
4)Requires IQC to consider incorporating into the history-social
science framework content on specific historical events,
including the Armenian, Cambodian, Darfur, and Rwandan
genocides and the Great Irish Famine of 1845 to 1850.
Existing law also encourages the California Department of
Education (CDE) to incorporate into curriculum resources for
teachers, age-appropriate materials on the Armenian,
Cambodian, Darfur, and Rwandan genocides. (EC § 51226.3)
5)Requires the IQC, whenever the history-social science
framework is revised, to do all of the following (as
appropriate and based on the subject matter of the course):
a) Receive input from civics learning experts for purposes
of integrating civics learning content, concepts and skills
with the standards.
b) Consider how civics and history instruction includes the
application of that content to develop the competence and
skills needed for civic engagement.
c) Ensure that voter education information is included in
the American government and civics curriculum at the high
school level.
d) Ensure that specified historical documents are
incorporated into the framework. (EC § 33540)
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6)States legislative intent that when the history-social science
framework is revised after January 1, 2015, the IQC consider
whether and how to incorporate the College, Career, and Civic
Life Framework for Social Studies State Standards into that
framework. (EC § 33540)
7)Requires the IQC, during the next revision of the
history-social science framework, to consider including and
recommending for adoption by the SBE, instruction on the
election of President Barack Obama and the significance of the
United States electing its first African American President.
(EC § 33543)
This bill:
1)Provides various legislative findings and declarations regarding
the importance and benefits of ethnic studies, as specified.
2)Requires the IQC to develop, and the SBE to adopt, modify, or
revise a model curriculum in ethnic studies to ensure quality
courses of study in ethnic studies.
3)Provides that the model curriculum shall be developed with
participation from faculty of ethnic studies programs at
universities and colleges with ethnic studies programs and a
group of representatives of local educational agencies (LEAs),
a majority of whom are K-12 teachers who have relevant
experience or education background in the study and teaching
of ethnic studies.
4)Requires the model curriculum to be written as a guide to allow
school districts to adapt their courses to reflect the pupil
demographics in their communities, and for the curriculum to
include examples of courses offered by LEAs that have been
approved as meeting the A-G admissions requirements of the
University of California and the California State University,
including, to the extent possible, course outlines for those
courses.
5)Requires the IQC to submit the model curriculum to the SBE on or
before December 31, 2019 and provide a minimum of 45 days for
public comment prior to submittal.
AB 2016
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6)Requires SBE to adopt the model curriculum on or before March 31,
2020.
7)Encourages school districts and charter schools for grades 9-12
that do not otherwise offer a standards-based ethnic studies
curriculum to offer a course of study in ethnic studies based
on the model curriculum beginning in the school year following
its adoption. Provides that this course shall be offered as
an elective in the social sciences or English language arts
and make the course available in at least one year during a
pupil's enrollment in grades 9-12.
8)Specifies the intent of the Legislature that LEAs submit course
outlines for ethnic studies for approval as A-G courses.
Comments
Need for the bill. According to the author's office, "given
California's annual increase in diversity, it is especially
important that students build knowledge of the various racial
and ethnic groups in our state. Expanding the high school
curriculum to include ethnic studies will help students relate
to historical events and have a better understanding of their
own history and history of other neighbors. Learning of the
struggles for equality will teach students what it means to be
an American." The author's office further indicates that
"developing ethnic studies programs in public high schools is an
integral part of cultivating a classroom environment that is
accepting of diverse cultures."
Current revision of the history-social science framework.
Academic content standards define the knowledge, concepts, and
skills that students should acquire at each grade level.
Curricular frameworks are the blueprint for implementing the
standards, and include criteria by which instructional materials
are evaluated. The history-social science framework was last
adopted in 2005. The revision to the history-social science
framework was suspended in July 2009, and subsequently resumed
in July 2014. The draft revision was released for field review
in September 2014 and generated extensive public comment. The
IQC also determined that more subject matter expertise was
needed for certain areas, and submitted a budget request for
$124,000 to hire experts through an interagency agreement.
These events caused significant delays in the production of the
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revised framework, which was originally scheduled for adoption
in May 2015. It is now expected to be adopted in the fall of
2016.
A schedule once existed for the revision and updating of
curricular frameworks. That schedule was suspended in 2009 when
the prohibition on that process was imposed. Current law
continues to reference an eight-year cycle for revisions to
frameworks and the adoption of instructional materials. It is
likely that the next revision of the history-social science
framework will occur in several years.
Similar measure vetoed. AB 101 (Alejo) of 2015 was
substantially similar to this bill and was vetoed by Governor
Brown, whose message read:
This bill would require the Superintendent of
Public Instruction to oversee the development of
a model curriculum in ethnic studies for adoption
by the State Board of Education.
This bill creates what is essentially a redundant
process. The Instructional Quality Commission is
in the midst of revising the History-Social
Science Framework, which includes guidance on
ethnic studies courses.
Creating yet another advisory body specific to
ethnic studies would be duplicative and undermine
our current curriculum process.
To address the veto message of AB 101, the author has introduced
this measure which now requires the IQC to develop the model
curriculum, rather than a separate advisory committee.
Is the bill necessary? Current law provides for the IQC to
advise on curriculum and instructional materials. In addition,
various Education Code provisions already call for the
incorporation of curriculum, textbooks and materials which
highlight the role and contribution of various ethnic groups in
California and United States history, and the existing history
social-science framework for grades K-12 identifies ethnic
studies as an elective course of study for grades 9-12.
Further, several school districts have already made completion
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of a course in ethnic studies a local graduation requirement,
including the Los Angeles Unified School District, Montebello
Unified School District, and El Rancho Unified School District.
San Francisco Unified School District has resolved to offer
ethnic studies courses at all high schools, and explore ways
create such a graduation requirement in the next five years. As
such, the Senate may wish to consider whether a state
prescribed model curriculum in ethnic studies as proposed by
this measure is necessary.
According to data reported by the CDE, 8,129 students were
enrolled in ethnic studies courses in the 2012-13 school year.
Of those, 4,379 students were enrolled in 435 social science
ethnic studies courses in 100 schools, and 3,750 students were
enrolled in 137 language arts (ethnic literature) courses in 49
schools. However, only 108 of the 435 social science courses
and 97 of the 137 language arts courses were identified as
approved A-G courses.
Model curriculum. The SPI is required to develop or revise a
model curriculum on the life and work of Cesar Chavez and submit
the model curriculum to the SBE for adoption. The SPI is
required to distribute the model curriculum to each school upon
adoption.
The Model Curriculum for Human Rights and Genocide, adopted by
the SBE, is to be made available to schools serving grades 7-12
when funding is available, and requires the Model Curriculum to
be available on the CDE's Web site. Ethnic studies courses are
taught in different disciplines such as history, social
sciences, and literature. For example, Montebello Unified
School District offers a history elective called "Mexican
American Studies" and an English/Language Arts elective called
"African American Literature" while the San Francisco Unified
School district offers a social studies elective called "Asian
American History."
This bill does not specify the types of courses that are to be
included in the model curriculum. Presumably, the advisory
committee that the bill proposes to establish would be tasked
with this effort which could be challenging given the various
disciplines and broad spectrum of courses to choose from.
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FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, the CDE
estimates one-time costs of about $763,000 over two fiscal years
($302,000 in the first year and $461,000 in the second year) to
develop the model curriculum as prescribed by this bill,
including required examples of courses. These costs would
support 2.0 positions, a writer contract, outside curriculum
experts, advisory committee meetings, and press editing.
There would also be local cost pressure to provide ethnic
courses based on the model curriculum as expressly encouraged by
this bill. To implement a new ethnic studies course, school
districts would have to purchase instructional materials and
either hire appropriate teachers or provide professional
development to existing teachers. These costs would not be
reimbursable by the state.
SUPPORT: (Verified8/12/16)
Superintendent of Public Instruction
American Association of Blacks in Higher Education
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Association of Raza Educators-Sacramento Chapter
California Faculty Association
California Immigrant Policy Center
California School Boards Association
California Teachers Association
League of California Cities Latino Caucus
Los Angeles LGBT Center
Los Angeles Unified School District
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
National Action Network San Diego
National Association for Ethnic Studies
San Francisco Unified School District
SIATech California
Letters from individuals
OPPOSITION: (Verified8/12/16)
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California Right to Life Committee
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 61-7, 6/2/16
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bloom,
Bonilla, Bonta, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau,
Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Daly, Dodd,
Eggman, Frazier, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto,
Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Roger Hernández,
Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder,
Lopez, Low, Maienschein, McCarty, Medina, Mullin, Nazarian,
O'Donnell, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago,
Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Weber, Wilk, Williams, Wood,
Rendon
NOES: Travis Allen, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Grove, Harper,
Jones, Mathis
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bigelow, Brough, Dahle, Hadley, Mayes,
Melendez, Obernolte, Olsen, Patterson, Steinorth, Wagner,
Waldron
Prepared by:Lenin DelCastillo / ED. / (916) 651-4105
8/16/16 17:33:31
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