BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2862
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
2862 (O'Donnell)
As Amended May 27, 2016
Majority vote
------------------------------------------------------------------
|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Education |7-0 |O'Donnell, Olsen, | |
| | |Kim, McCarty, | |
| | |Santiago, Thurmond, | |
| | |Weber | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |20-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bloom, Bonilla, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, Eggman, | |
| | |Gallagher, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Roger | |
| | |Hernández, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Obernolte, | |
| | |Quirk, Santiago, | |
| | |Wagner, Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
------------------------------------------------------------------
AB 2862
Page 2
SUMMARY: Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to recommend to the State Board of Education (SBE)
revisions to the content standards in visual and performing arts
(VAPA), and authorizes the SBE to adopt, reject, or modify the
revised standards by January 1, 2019. Specifically, this bill:
1)Authorizes the SPI to recommend to the SBE revisions to the
visual and performing arts standards.
2)Requires that, on or before January 1, 2019, the SBE adopt,
reject, or modify any modifications proposed by the SPI.
3)Requires that if the SBE modifies these revised standards, it
explain, in writing, to the Governor and the Legislature the
reasons for modifying the standards.
4)Requires the SPI, in consultation with the SBE to select a
group of experts in VAPA for purposes of assisting the SPI in
developing recommendations on modifications to the standards.
Requires that a majority of this group are current classroom
teachers who have valid professional teaching credentials
under state law.
5)Requires that the National Core Arts Standards, developed by
the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards serve as the
basis for deliberations regarding revisions to the standards.
6)Requires the SPI to hold a minimum of two public hearings in
order for the public to provide input on the modifications,
prior to action by the SBE.
AB 2862
Page 3
7)Requires the public meetings to be held pursuant to the
Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, General Fund costs to the California Department of
Education (CDE) of approximately $660,000 to develop the content
standards.
Need for the bill. According to the author's office, "Extensive
research demonstrates the connection between visual and
performing arts education and student engagement. Arts
education contributes to higher test scores and reduces truancy
and dropout rates.
Adopted in 2001, California's visual and performing arts
standards are one of the oldest sets of state standards that
have not been revised, and are in urgent need of an update to
allow students to benefit from current curriculum, instruction,
and instructional materials. Since 2001 major changes have
occurred in teaching and learning.
Arts education provides key opportunities for critical thinking
and inquiry - hallmarks of the state's Common Core State
Standards - but our current arts curriculum is out of alignment
with these standards. This represents a tremendous missed
opportunity for students and teachers.
Ten percent of California's jobs are in the creative industry,
and 8% of the state's productivity is related to the arts. It
is in the economic interest of students and the state to
provide students the most current and relevant instruction so
that they are career-ready in the arts."
AB 2862
Page 4
Should VAPA be next? Apart from History-Social Science (for
which a new framework is under development), the VAPA standards
adopted in 2001 are the oldest set of state standards.
According to the author, California's 2001 standards are not
reflective of many changes in the field of VAPA, and create a
mixed message for educators in the field. The College Board
notes that while "arts educators commonly report expectations in
their districts that arts teaching and learning practices will
be aligned with the goals and objectives of the Common Core,"
California's standards are not aligned with the Common Core
state standards. The author states that teaching credential
candidates being trained in preparation programs are being
trained with the new National Core Arts Standards because they
are aligned to the Common Core state standards, but when hired
to teach in the public schools are expected to teach - and are
evaluated on the basis of - the state's outdated standards. In
addition, the VAPA curriculum framework is due to be revised in
2020, and an update to content standards is needed prior to the
framework revision, or the new framework will reflect outdated
standards.
VAPA instructional materials out-of-date. The state's current
VAPA standards date to 2001. Instructional materials were also
adopted that year. The VAPA framework was subsequently adopted
in 2004, but there was no instructional materials adoption. As
a result, the state-adopted instructional materials in this
content area are 15 years old, and are viewed as highly
out-of-date.
Process similar to SB 1200 for revising math and science
standards. The process proposed by this bill for the updating
of VAPA standards is very similar to the one required by SB 1200
(Hancock), Chapter 654, Statutes of 2012, for the revising of
standards in mathematics and science. In both of those content
areas, state standards were updated to align with national
AB 2862
Page 5
standards (Common Core State Standards in mathematics, and the
Next Generation Science Standards). That bill authorized the
SPI to consult with a group of experts and to recommend revised
standards to the SBE. The SBE was authorized to adopt, reject,
or modify the standards, and was required to provide a written
explanation for any modifications.
Analysis Prepared by:
Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0003329