BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session AB 2290 (Santiago) - Pupil instruction: world languages: revision of content standards ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: June 22, 2016 |Policy Vote: ED. 9 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: This bill authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction (Superintendent) to recommend to the State Board of Education (Board) revisions to the World Language Content Standards for California Public Schools. By January 31, 2019, the Board is required to adopt, reject, or modify any revisions recommended by the Superintendent. This bill also requires the Instructional Quality Commission (Commission) to ensure that the world language content standards are incorporated into the corresponding framework and inform the evaluation criteria for purposes of adopting world language instructional materials. Fiscal AB 2290 (Santiago) Page 1 of ? Impact: The California Department of Education (CDE) anticipates costs of between $95,000 to $176,000 General Fund to recommend revisions to the world language content standards to the Board. These costs include funding to support an advisory committee with subject matter experts, a primary writer contract, and press editing. Cost pressure in the millions General Fund/Proposition 98 to make corresponding revisions to the world language curriculum framework and evaluation criteria for instructional materials. Significant cost pressures also related to the implementation of instructional materials and providing professional development to implement the revised content standards. Background: 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 world language content standards were last updated in 2009. The history-social science standards are the most out of date, as they were adopted in 1998. There is no statutory authority for the review or updating of standards. Specific authority, and one-time funding, has historically been provided to develop new standards in specific subjects. A schedule once existed for the review and update of frameworks and instructional materials in many subject areas, but those processes were suspended in 2009, due to budget constraints, through the 2015-16 fiscal year. During the suspension special authority and one-time funding has been provided to develop certain curriculum frameworks and adopt instructional materials. Proposed Law: This bill authorizes the Superintendent to recommend to the Board revisions to the World Language Content Standards for California Public Schools. By January 31, 2019, the Board is required to adopt, reject, or modify any revisions recommended by the Superintendent. If the Board makes modifications, the Board is required to explain, in writing, to the Governor and the Legislature the reasons for those changes. AB 2290 (Santiago) Page 2 of ? The Superintendent is required, in consultation with the Board, to select a group of subject matter experts, mostly teachers, to assist in the development of recommendations. The Superintendent is also required to hold a minimum of two public hearings to obtain public input. Finally, this bill requires that when the standards are adopted, the Commission ensure that the standards are incorporated into the corresponding World Language Curriculum Framework and inform the evaluation criteria for purposes of adopting world language instructional materials no later than July, 31, 2020. Related Legislation: AB 2862 (O'Donnell, 2016) authorizes the Superintendent to recommend to the Board revisions to the visual and performing arts standards and requires the Board to adopt, reject, or modify any revisions by January 1, 2019. AB 1539 (Hagman, Chapter 876, Statutes of 2014) requires the Commission and the Board to consider developing computer science content standards by July 31, 2019. Staff Comments: Revising academic content standards triggers the need to update the corresponding curriculum frameworks and evaluation criteria for the instructional materials adoption so that they are all in alignment. This bill specifically requires the Commission to ensure that the standards are incorporated into the corresponding World Language Curriculum Framework and evaluation criteria for the instruction materials adoption. Similarly, there would be a state and local cost pressure to provide and purchase instructional materials and to provide professional development to implement the new content standards. -- END -- AB 2290 (Santiago) Page 3 of ?