BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Jack Scott, Chair
2005-2006 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 756
AUTHOR: Goldberg
AMENDED: April 7, 2005
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: June 29, 2005
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:James Wilson
SUBJECT : Instructional Materials
SUMMARY
This bill prohibits the adoption of any instructional
materials exceeding 200 pages in length by the State Board
of Education or any local governing board.
BACKGROUND
Current law requires the State Board of Education to adopt
textbooks in core subject areas for use in Kindergarten and
grades 1 through 8. Core subjects include language arts,
mathematics, history and social science, and science.
Local school boards are authorized to adopt materials for
use in grades 9 through 12.
ANALYSIS
This bill:
1) Prohibits the State Board of Education and local
school district governing boards from adopting
instructional materials that exceed 200 pages in
length.
2) Declares that the Legislature "encourages the use of
technology and multimedia materials in order to
comply" with the page limitation imposed by this bill
and "reduce the cost and weight of textbooks."
STAFF COMMENTS
Weight standards. Chapter 1096 of 2002 (AB 2532, Rod
Pacheco) required the State Board of Education to adopt
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maximum weight standards for textbooks used by pupils in
elementary and secondary schools. The weight standards
were required to take into consideration the health risks
to pupils who transport textbooks to and from school each
day. The State Board referred the issue to the Curriculum
Commission who examined research and options and presented
the Board with recommendations which were approved by the
Board at its May 2004 meeting.
The initial version of the report on textbook weight
demonstrated that the combined weight of instructional
materials in the four core areas exceed the maximum
recommended weight for students to carry on a regular
basis.
The Board concluded that setting an absolute weight cap
alone is not the answer to the complicated issue of student
burdens. Putting strict caps on textbook weight raises new
problems of cost, durability, and accessibility for local
districts and may, in fact, hinder the ability of students
to gain access to high quality materials. Instead, the
Board required publishers to provide local districts with
options for lighter weight materials, such as split
volumes, electronic editions, or classroom sets. Many of
these options already exist, but by disseminating
information about these alternatives to districts, and by
requiring publishers to provide this option, then
districts, which are in the best position to judge the
needs of their students, can choose the solutions that are
best suited to their particular situation.
Based on a study of current textbooks conducted by the
Department of Education and the recommendations of the
Curriculum Commission, the State Board adopted the
following threshold weights for requiring a lighter-weight
option. Any textbooks that are over the recommended weight
for the appropriate grade level will have to be accompanied
by a lighter-weight option that districts would have the
option to purchase for their students.
Grades K-4: Three Pounds
Grades 5-8: Four Pounds
Grades 9-12: Five Pounds
Since the evaluation criteria for instructional materials
are adopted 30 months before the State Board takes action
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on a given adoption, these threshold weights will take
effect beginning with the 2007 K-8 Mathematics Primary
Adoption.
SUPPORT
None received
OPPOSITION
Association of American Publishers
California Business for Education Excellence
Governor's Secretary for Education
Letters from Individuals.