AB 2072, as amended, Chang. High school diplomas: State Seal of STEM.
Existing law establishes the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma for the purpose of recognizing pupils who have mastered the high school curriculum. Existing law also establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.
This bill would establish a State Seal of STEM to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. The bill would establish criteria for the receipt of the State Seal of STEM, would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to prepare and deliver to participating school districts an appropriate insignia to be affixed to pupil diplomas or transcripts, and would require participating school districts to maintain appropriate records and affix the appropriate insignia to diplomas or transcripts of recipient pupils. The bill would not become operative until after data from the statewide administration of specified state science assessments are available. The bill’s provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2025.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Article 7 (commencing with Section 51470) is
2added to Chapter 3 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the 3Education Code, to read:
4
The State Seal of STEM is established to recognize
8high school graduates who have attained proficiency in fields of
9study within the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and
10mathematics (STEM). The State Seal of STEM shall be awarded
11by the Superintendent. School district participation in this program
12is voluntary.
The purposes of the State Seal of STEM are as follows:
14(a) To encourage pupils to study science, technology,
15engineering, and mathematics.
16(b) To certify achievement within the STEM fields.
17(c) To provide pupils with a tool to demonstrate STEM
18competency to employers.
19(d) To provide universities with a method to recognize and give
20academic credit to applicants seeking admission.
21(e) To prepare pupils with 21st century skills.
22(f) To engage pupils in STEM learning at an early age.
23(g) To prepare pupils for a job market increasingly in need of
24individuals with STEM skills.
The State Seal of STEM certifies that a graduating high
26school pupil has attained proficiency in STEM and meets all of
27the following criteria:
28(a) Attained a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for STEM
29courses taken in high school.
P3 1(b) Successfully completed four year-long courses, or the
2equivalent, in mathematics and four year-long courses, or the
3equivalent, in science while enrolled in high school. The
4requirement for completion of up to one of the year-long courses
5in mathematics may be satisfied by completion of a course or
6courses in computer science.
7(c) Has one of the following:
8(1) A score of 3 or higher on an advanced placement
9examination in science.
10(2) A score of 600 or higher on an SAT subject test in science.
11(3) A score of 4 or higher on an international baccalaureate
12
examination in science.
13(4) A grade of B or higher in a college-level science course
14taken through concurrent enrollment.
15(5) A score indicating that the pupil has met or exceeded
16standards on a state-standards-aligned assessment inbegin delete mathematics.end delete
17
begin insert science.end insert
18(d) Has one of the following:
19(1) A score of 3 or higher on an advanced placement
20examination in mathematics.
21(2) A score of 600 or higher on an SAT subject test in
22mathematics.
23(3) A score of 4 or higher on an international baccalaureate
24examination in mathematics.
25(4) A grade of B or higher in abegin delete college levelend deletebegin insert college-levelend insert
26 mathematics course taken through concurrent enrollment.
27(5) A score indicating that the pupil has met or exceeded
28standards on a state-standards-aligned assessment in mathematics.
The Superintendent shall do both of the following:
30(a) Prepare and deliver to participating school districts an
31appropriate insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript of
32the pupil indicating that the pupil has been awarded a State Seal
33of STEM by the Superintendent.
34(b) Provide other informationbegin delete itend deletebegin insert he or sheend insert deems necessary for
35school districts to successfully participate in the program.
A school district that participates in the program under
37this article shall do both of the following:
38(a) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify pupils who
39have earned a State Seal of STEM.
P4 1(b) Affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma or transcript
2of each pupil who earns a State Seal of STEM.
No fee shall be charged to a pupil to receive a State
4Seal of STEM.
This chapter shall not become operative until after data
6from the statewide administration of state science assessments
7aligned to the California Next Generation Science Standards are
8available. Data from a field test of a state science assessment does
9not satisfy this section.
This chapter shall become inoperative on July 31, 2024,
11and, as of January 1, 2025, is repealed, unless a later enacted
12statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2025,
13deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and
14is repealed.
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