BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2862
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
2862 (O'Donnell)
As Amended August 19, 2016
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |80-0 |(June 1, 2016) |SENATE: | 39-0 | (August 23, |
| | | | | |2016) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY: Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI), in consultation with the Instructional Quality Commission
(IQC), to recommend to the State Board of Education (SBE)
revisions to the visual and performing arts (VAPA) standards and
requires the SBE to adopt, reject, or modify any revisions by
January 31, 2019.
The Senate amendments:
1)Require that the IQC consult with the SPI on the selection of
subject matter experts, holding public hearings, and
recommending revised standards to the SBE.
2)Specify dance, theatre, music, and visual arts as the subjects
in which standards are to be revised.
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3)Require that, by November 30, 2018, the SPI present to the SBE
the revised standards.
4)Change from January 1, 2019, to January 31, 2019, the date by
which the SBE is required adopt, reject, or modify any
revisions to the VAPA standards recommended by the SPI.
5)Require that, if the SBE modifies standards it provide written
reasons for the revisions in a public meeting, and requires
that the standards be adopted at a subsequent meeting, no
later than March 31, 2019.
6)Require that if the SBE rejects the standards it transmit a
written explanation to the SPI, the Governor, and the
appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature.
7)Require the SBE, once the standards are adopted, to consider
the adoption of an aligned curriculum framework and evaluation
criteria for instructional materials by July 31, 2020.
8)Authorize the SBE to adopt instructional materials for grades
one to eight which are aligned to the revised VAPA standards
by November 30, 2021.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee:
1)Costs to the California Department of Education (CDE) of
approximately $660,000 General Fund if the SPI chooses to
recommend to the SBE revisions to the standards. These costs
are attributable to selecting and consulting with a group of
subject matter experts in developing the standards and for
expert writer contracts.
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2)Cost pressure in the millions General Fund/Proposition 98 of
1988 to make corresponding revisions to the visual and
performing arts curriculum framework and evaluation criteria
for instructional materials. Cost pressure also related to
the implementation of instructional materials and providing
professional development to implement the revised standards.
COMMENTS:
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 (or had a framework revision), 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."
VAPA standards the oldest set not revised in some manner. Apart
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from History-Social Science (for which a new framework was
recently adopted), 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.
Process similar to SB 1200 (Hancock), Chapter 654, Statutes of
2012, 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, for the revising of
standards in mathematics and science. In both of those content
areas, state standards were updated to align with national
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. One difference between this
bill and prior standards revision bills is the role of the IQC.
In this bill the IQC is required to consult with the SPI through
several steps of the revision process.
Analysis Prepared by:
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Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN:
0004814