BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 2862
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|Author: |O'Donnell |
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|Version: |May 27, 2016 Hearing |
| |Date: June 15, 2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Lynn Lorber |
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Subject: Pupil instruction: visual and performing arts:
revision of content standards
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to recommend to the State Board of Education (SBE)
revisions to the visual and performing arts content standards by
January 1, 2019.
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.
Standards in several subject areas were adopted by the SBE
beginning in the late 1990s. There is no statutory authority
for the review or updating of standards. A schedule once
existed for the review and update of frameworks and
instructional materials in many subject areas, but those
processes were suspended on July 28, 2009, due to budget
constraints. Specific authority has since been provided to
develop new standards in specific subjects (statutory authority
was also provided to develop frameworks and instructional
materials in some of these subjects).
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The SBE has adopted, or is scheduled to adopt, the following
standards:
1) The California Common Core Standards in English language
arts and mathematics were adopted on August 2, 2010.
(Education Code § 60605.8)
2) English language development standards that are aligned
with the common core standards in English language arts in
November 7, 2012.
(Former EC § 60811.3)
3) A modification of the previously adopted common core
standards in mathematics in January 2013. (EC § 60605.11)
4) Revised Career Technical Education Model Curriculum
Standards on January 16, 2013. (EC § 51226)
5) The Next Generation Science Standards on September 4,
2013.
(Former EC § 60605.85)
6) English language development standards that are aligned
with the common core standards in mathematics and science.
The resource, Integrating the CA ELD Standards into K-12
Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning, was released
in December 2015. (EC § 60811.4)
7) The Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) is required
to consider developing and recommending to the State Board
of Education (SBE) standards in computer science by July
31, 2019. (EC § 60605.4)
ANALYSIS
This bill authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
recommend to the State Board of Education revisions to the
visual and performing arts content standards by January 1, 2019.
Specifically, this bill:
1) Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI)
to recommend to the SBE revisions to the world language
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content standards that were adopted by the SBE.
2) Requires the SBE, by January 1, 2019, to adopt, reject, or
modify and revisions recommended by the SPI.
3) Requires the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to select a
group of experts in visual and performing arts for purposes
of assisting the SPI in developing recommendations for
revisions to the standards. This bill requires a majority
of this group of experts to be current public school
elementary or secondary classroom teachers who have a valid
California professional teaching credential.
4) Requires the National Core Arts Standards developed by the
National Coalition for Core Arts Standards to serve as the
basis for deliberations regarding revisions to the visual
and performing arts content standards.
5) Requires the SPI to hold a minimum of two public hearings
in order for the public to provide input on the recommended
revisions, and requires the SBE to adopt, reject, or modify
those recommendations at a subsequent public meeting.
6) Requires the SBE, if it modifies any revisions recommended
to these content standards, to explain in writing to the
Governor and the Legislature the reasons for modifying the
recommended revised content standards.
7) Requires the public hearings and meetings to be held
pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill. According to the author, "Extensive
research demonstrates that 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 provide key
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opportunities for critical thinking and inquiry - hallmarks
of the state's common core standards - but our current arts
curriculum is out of alignment with these standards. This
represents a tremendous missed opportunity for students and
teachers."
2) Comprehensive approach stalled. There is no statutory
authority for the regular review or updating of standards.
Statutory authority has been provided to develop new
standards in specific subjects, such as the California
common core standards in English language arts and
mathematics, and the Next Generation Science standards.
The Legislature has made several unsuccessful attempts to
require updates to the standards in additional subject
areas. AB 740 (Weber, 2015) requires the Superintendent of
Public Instruction to recommend to the State Board of
Education (SBE) a schedule for the regular update of
academic content standards. AB 740 stalled in the Senate
Appropriations Committee due to a disagreement with the
Administration over which entity should update the
standards, a panel of subject matter experts for each
standard or the Instructional Quality Commission. AB 740
provides a comprehensive and thoughtful approach to the
revision of all standards and frameworks, a better approach
than one-off measures that address one subject area at a
time.
3) How old are the standards? The most recent adoption of
content standards (original or updated version of the
standard) in each subject area, and date of adoption by the
SBE, is as follows:
a) Next Generation Science, September 2013.
b) Common core standards for Mathematics, adopted
August 2010 and modified January 2013.
c) Career Technical Education, January 2013.
d) English language development, November 2012.
e) Common core standards in English language arts,
August 2010.
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f) World Language, January 2009.
g) Health, March 2008.
h) Physical Education, January 2005.
i) Visual and Performing Arts, January 2001.
j) History-Social Science, October 1998.
This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to select a group of subject matter experts to assist
the SPI in developing recommendations for updates to the
standard, which is generally consistent with the process
utilized in the past for the initial adoption of standards,
as well as the process for the adoption of the California
common core standards (convening a panel of subject matter
experts).
4) Which standards have priority? There is no established
schedule for the revision to academic content standards and
as such, the Legislature has acted in a piecemeal approach
to require the development, update or revision to standards
(the common core standards in mathematics and English
language arts, and the Next Generation Science standards).
The Legislature also acted to require the Instructional
Quality Commission to consider developing and recommending
to the State Board of Education (SBE) standards in computer
science by July 31, 2019.
Absent a schedule, should there be a priority for the revision
of the standards in certain subject areas, such as those
that are high school graduation requirements? As an
example, history-social science is the oldest standard,
with the last adoption in 1998. This bill authorizes the
revision of standards for visual and performing arts by
January 1, 2019, and AB 2290 (Santiago, 2016) authorizes
the revision of standards for world languages by January
31, 2019. Completion of one course in visual or performing
arts, foreign language, or career technical education is a
high school graduation requirement. Is it appropriate to
authorize the revision to standards in two subject areas,
for which high school graduation requirements exist, prior
to the existing requirement for consideration of the
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development of new standards in computer science?
5) Fiscal impact. According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee's analysis, this bill would impose General Fund
costs to the California Department of Education of
approximately $660,000 to develop the content standards.
6) Related legislation. AB 2290 (Santiago) authorizes the
Superintendent of Public Instruction to recommend to the
State Board of Education revisions to the world language
content standards by January 31, 2019. AB 2290 is
scheduled to be heard by this Committee on June 15.
AB 740 (Weber, 2015) requires the SPI, by January 1, 2017, to
recommend to the SBE a schedule for the regular update of
academic content standards. AB 740 grants the SBE the
authority to convene academic content standards advisory
committees to update the standards, and requires that the
SBE adopt or reject them. AB 740 is pending in the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
SB 725 (Hancock, 2015) required the SBE to adopt content
standards in visual and performing arts by June 30, 2017.
SB 725 was pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee
when it was amended to address a different topic.
AB 711 (Santiago, 2015) requires the State Board of
Education (SBE) to adopt world languages content standards
that are in accordance with the World-Readiness Standards
for Learning Languages by June 1, 2017. AB 711 was held in
the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
7) Prior legislation. SB 1057 (Corbett, 2014) required the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to recommended
history-social science content standards to the SBE on or
before March 30, 2018, and requires the SBE to adopt,
reject, or modify the history-social science content
standards by July 30, 2018. SB 1057 was vetoed by the
Governor, whose veto message read:
I agree that providing up to date instructional
guidance to educators for use in their classrooms
is important. This is precisely why the State
Board of Education is currently updating the
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history-social science framework which is on
track to be adopted next spring. I am concerned
that this bill may slow progress that is already
underway, and does not include a role for the
Instructional Quality Commission.
AB 1033 (Feuer, 2011) established a content standards
review commission, if the SPI and the SBE jointly found a
need to revise or modify the academic content standards. AB
1033 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 97 (Torlakson, 2010) established the Academic Content
Standards Commission for Science and History-Social Science
to review and update the standards. AB 97 was vetoed by
the Governor, whose veto message read:
Given California's participation in the Common
Core initiative and the anticipated
reauthorization of the federal Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, this bill is premature.
This bill could create an unnecessary,
duplicative process in the development of content
standards and in the integration of those
standards into the state's assessment system.
AB 1454 (Richardson, 2007) required the SPI to convene
content standards review panels in English language arts
and mathematics and repealed the authority of the SBE to
modify proposed academic content standards. AB 1454 was
held in this Committee.
AB 1100 (Mullin, 2005) authorized the SPI to appoint a
content standards review panel in each subject area two
years prior to the curriculum framework adoption for each
subject area, and specifying that the panel review and
revise the content standards. This bill was held in the
Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2744 (Goldberg, 2004) established a process for the
updating of academic content standards by requiring the SPI
to convene content standards review panels in each subject
area and requiring the SBE to adopt or reject the
recommendations of each panel. AB 2744 was vetoed by the
Governor; staff is unable to locate the veto message.
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AB 642 (Mullin, 2003) required the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) to periodically review and update
academic content standards for the State Board of Education
(SBE) to adopt or reject. AB 642 was vetoed by the
Governor; staff is unable to locate the veto message.
SB 1367 (Karnette, 2002) required the SBE to periodically
review and update core curriculum content standards. SB
1367 was vetoed by the Governor; staff is unable to locate
the veto message.
SUPPORT
Association of California School Administrators
California Alliance for Arts Education
California Arts Education Association
California Association for Bilingual Education
California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance
California Dance Education Association
California Educational Theatre Association
California Federation of Teachers
California Music Educators Association
California State PTA
California Teachers Association
Common Sense Kids Action
National Association for Music Education
National Association of Music Merchants
San Diego Unified School District
OPPOSITION
None received.
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