BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Jack Scott, Chair
2005-2006 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 232
AUTHOR: Ducheny & Florez
INTRODUCED: February 14, 2007
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: March 28, 2007
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Beth Graybill
SUBJECT : Teacher Professional Development: Subject Matter
Projects
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the establishment of three new
California Subject Matter Projects (CSMP) and extends the
sunset on existing projects from June 30, 2007 to June 30,
2014.
BACKGROUND
Current law provides for the establishment and maintenance
of Subject Matter Projects for the purpose of developing
and enhancing teachers' subject matter knowledge in the
following six specified areas: writing, reading and
literature, mathematics, science, history-social science,
and world history and international studies.
Current law requires the Regents of the University of
California (UC) with the approval of an intersegmental
Concurrence Committee to establish and maintain the
projects with funds appropriated in the Budget Act.
Current law authorizes the UC to establish other subject
matter projects and prohibits funds allocated in the Budget
Act from being used for subject matter projects not
specified in law.
Current law makes the CSMP inoperative on June 30, 2007,
and is repealed on January 1, 2008.
ANALYSIS
This bill :
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1) Adds the following subject matter projects:
a) The California Arts Project.
b) The California Foreign Language Project.
c) The California Physical Education-Health
Project.
2) Extends the inoperative date of the projects to June
30, 2014, and extends the sunset date to January 1,
2015.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) What are the CSMP ? The CSMPs are an alliance of
statewide networks that deliver intensive,
discipline-based professional development in the six
core content areas authorized by law to teachers and
administrators. The programs support K-12
standards-aligned practice and infuse literacy
strategies for improving the academic skills of
English Learners as well as providing instructional
techniques to meet the needs of students with low
skills in reading, writing, math, and science.
In addition to the six projects authorized by law, the UC
maintains three additional subject matter projects in
art, foreign language, and physical education-health.
Together, the CSMP serves over 800 School districts in
close to 100 sites statewide on campuses of the UC,
California State University, and independent colleges
and universities. According to the UC, the projects
annually provide training to over 40,000 teachers,
administrators, and university faculty.
2) Background : Prior to 1988, the arts, foreign
language, and physical education/health projects were
authorized in statute and funding was provided for
them and the six other CSMPs in the annual Budget Act.
AB 1734 (Mazzoni), Chapter 33, Statutes of 1998, made
significant governance and programmatic changes and
eliminated three projects (arts, foreign language, and
physical education/health). AB 1734 also authorized
the UC to establish other CSMPs, with the condition
that the new projects would not receive funding in the
annual Budget Act.
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SB 611 (Ducheny), Chapter 857, Statutes of 2003, expressed
legislative intent that maintenance-level funding be
provided for projects in academic fields for which
there are State Board adopted content standards or in
fields that are seeking standards approval from the
State Board. Accordingly, the UC continued to operate
subject matter projects in the arts, foreign language,
and physical education/health projects.
The State Board has adopted K-12 Academic Content standards
in English language arts (1997), mathematics (1997),
science (1998), history/social science (1998), visual
and performing arts (2001), and physical education
(2005). The SBE is expected to adopt foreign language
standards in 2007.
3) Prior legislation : SB 1073 (Simitian, 2006)
authorized three additional CSMPs: arts, foreign
language, and physical education/health. This bill
was held in Assembly Appropriations. AB 108 (Mazzoni,
2000) would have also authorized these three
additional CSMPs. Governor Davis vetoed this bill with
the following message:
The UC currently provides support for the arts, foreign
language, and physical education projects. I believe
that highest priority for the use of state funds
should be to support the existing subject matter
projects aimed at improving student academic
performance in English, mathematics, science, and the
social sciences.
4) Need for the bill : The UC argues that extending the
sunset date and authorizing the additional projects
will help ensure that teachers have access to
professional development activities in the subject
areas established by the state adopted content
standards for pupils.
5) Fiscal impact : The 2006 Budget Act allocates $9.35
million in state and federal funding to support the
six existing CSMPs. Of this amount, $4.35 million is
federal No Child Left Behind Act, Title II funding for
Repairing, Training, Recruiting High Quality Teachers
and $5 million in state General Funds. By authorizing
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the arts, foreign language, and physical
education/health projects in statute, this bill will
allow these subject matter projects to be eligible for
funding in the annual Budget Act, which could create
cost pressure to increase funding levels to be on par
with the six existing projects.
SUPPORT
California Alliance for Arts Education
California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance
California Association of Teachers of English
California Language Teachers Association
California State PTA
OPPOSITION
None received.