BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 652 Page 1 Date of Hearing: June 17, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION Patrick O'Donnell, Chair SB 652 (Allen) - As Amended April 6, 2015 SENATE VOTE: 38-0 SUBJECT: Instructional materials: revised curriculum frameworks: science. SUMMARY: Delays by one year the date by which the State Board of Education (SBE) is required to consider the adoption of a revised framework for science education. Specifically, this bill: 1)Changes the date by which the SBE must consider adoption of the revised framework for science from January 31, 2016 to January 31, 2017. 2)Updates a reference to the section which authorized the adoption of new standards in science. EXISTING LAW: SB 652 Page 2 1)Requires the SBE to consider, by January 31, 2016, the adoption of a revised framework for science based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that were adopted by the SBE. Requires the SBE to ensure, in adopting the revised framework: a) The inclusion of English language development strategies that are aligned to the English Language Development standards b) The inclusion of strategies to address the needs of pupils with disabilities 1)Requires the SBE to adopt English language development standards that are equal in rigor to the content standards in mathematics and science. 2)Establishes the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC), formerly called the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission, as an advisory body to the State Board of Education on matters related to curriculum, instructional materials, and content standards. FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs. COMMENTS: SB 652 Page 3 Need for the bill. The author's office states: "The revision of the science framework is underway, but development of the draft has required more time than originally projected. The Science Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee began its work in September 2014, followed by meetings in October and November. Meetings originally scheduled for December 2014 and February 2015 were rescheduled. As the committee got deeper into the work of developing what is essentially a brand-new framework, based on entirely new content standards, it became clear that there would be difficulties in meeting the original timeline approved by the SBE. The contracted writers for the project had to complete extensive revisions of early drafts based on the guidance of the committee resulting from its public meetings. This resulted in significant improvements to the draft document, but meant that the work could not be completed according to the original timeline." Current status of science framework adoption. In 2009, during the state's fiscal emergency, work on framework revisions and adoptions of instructional materials was suspended by law until the 2013-14 school year. That suspension was later extended until the 2015-16 school year. The NGSS were adopted by the SBE in September, 2013, with some minor changes. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), the Science Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee is currently drafting the revised science framework, and is expected to present the draft to the IQC in September 2015. The IQC then must make the draft available for field review for 60 days, and make and subsequent edits. The CDE anticipates full development of the revised framework and adoption by the SBE by January 2017, as required by this bill. Next Generation Science Standards. The NGSS were developed by a consortium of states, managed by Achieve, Inc., and are based on SB 652 Page 4 the Framework for K-12 Science Education developed by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. California was a lead state partner in the effort. According to the CDE: "The NGSS describe the key scientific ideas and practices that all students should learn by the time they graduate from high school. The NGSS detail performance expectations for kindergarten through grades 8 and high school. The NGSS are not curriculum. How students reach those performance expectations are left to teacher's expertise." Current schedule for framework revision. Curriculum frameworks are revised and adopted on an eight-year cycle, and instructional materials adoptions take place after new frameworks are adopted. Standards adoptions generally precede the development of the frameworks. According to the CDE, the next frameworks set for revision are as follows: 2016: History-Social Science, Science 2018: Health 2019: World Languages 2020: Math, Visual and Performing Arts 2021: Physical Education 2022: English Language Arts/English Language Development REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: SB 652 Page 5 Support Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson (sponsor) Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by:Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087