BILL ANALYSIS
AJR 39
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AJR 39 (Torlakson)
As Amended April 26, 2010
Majority vote
EDUCATION 9-0
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|Ayes:|Brownley, Nestande, | | |
| |Ammiano, Arambula, | | |
| |Carter, Eng, Miller, | | |
| |Norby, Torlakson | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Calls upon the National Governors Association (NGA)
and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to
develop common core state standards in the core academic
disciplines of English-language arts, mathematics,
history-social science, and science, and to replicate the
process used to develop English-language arts (ELA) and
mathematics common core state standards to develop common core
state standards for social studies and science. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Makes findings and declarations relative to the common core
state standards initiative as an opportunity for states to
collectively drive education reform toward graduating pupils
from high school ready for college, work and success in the
global economy.
2)Makes findings and declarations relative to science and social
science education and the importance of ensuring pupils have
the knowledge of history, geography, economics, and
government, and the understanding of the physical world,
including biology, chemistry, geology, astronomy and physics
and a grasp of the scientific method of discovery.
3)Resolves that the NGA and the CCSSO also examine the viability
of developing common standards in other subject areas
including, but not limited to, foreign language, arts,
physical education, and career technical education (CTE).
EXISTING LAW :
AJR 39
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1)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), the
State Board of Education (SBE), and any other entity
designated by the Governor to participate in the Common Core
State Standards Initiative Consortium (CCSSIC) sponsored by
the NGA and the CCSSO, or any associated or related interstate
collaboration to develop common high-quality standards or
assessments.
2)Establishes the Academic Content Standards Commission, as
specified, to develop academic content standards in language
arts and mathematics and present recommended academic content
standards to the SBE by July 15, 2010, requires that at least
85% of the new standards include the common core academic
standards developed by the CCSSIC or any associated or related
interstate collaboration to jointly develop common
high-quality standards or assessments aligned with the common
set of standards, and requires the SBE to adopt or reject the
recommended standards by August 2, 2010.
FISCAL EFFECT : This resolution is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS : California has adopted content standards in the areas
of reading/language arts, math, history/social science, science,
visual and performing arts, career technical education, physical
education, health education, and most recently world languages.
The CCSSI is an effort to establish a single set of content
standards for English-language arts (ELA) and math that states
can share and voluntarily adopt. The CCSSO and the NGA Center
for Best Practices have coordinated the effort and the process
of developing common core standards in consultation with
teachers, parents, experts and administrators. 48 states, two
territories and the District of Columbia joined the CCSSI and
committed to developing a common core of state standards in ELA
and math for kindergarten and grades 1-12, inclusive (K-12).
Legislation enacted for purposes of satisfying some of the
criteria for the Race to the Top (RTTT) program, namely, SB 1 X5
(Steinberg), Chapter 2, Statutes of 2009-10, Fifth Extraordinary
Session, establishes the Academic Content Standards Commission
to develop academic content standards in ELA and math and to
present recommended academic content standards to the SBE by
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July 15, 2010. SB 1 X5 (Steinberg) requires that at least 85%
of these standards be comprised of the common core academic
standards developed by the CCSSIC or any associated or related
interstate collaboration to jointly develop common high-quality
standards or assessments aligned with the common set of
standards. In March of this year, the draft common core state
standards in ELA and math for K-12 were released for public
comment. The draft ELA standards set requirements for ELA but
also for reading, writing, speaking, listening and language in
history, social studies and science. However, supporters of
history-social science and science would argue that important
literature is left out of the history-social studies and science
exemplars in the draft ELA standards and that it is important to
have common core state standards in social studies and science
in preparing all students for college and careers.
According to the NGA and the CCSSO, "These English language arts
and mathematics standards represent a set of expectations for
student knowledge and skills that will result in high school
graduates who are prepared for success in college and careers."
Furthermore, the NGA and the CCSSO note that the standards are
research and evidence based, aligned with college and work
expectations, rigorous, and internationally benchmarked.
According to the NGA and the CCSSO, the final common core state
standards are expected to be finalized in late spring of this
year.
This resolution calls on the NGA and the CCSSO to replicate the
process used to develop ELA and math standards to also develop
common core state standards for social studies and science. The
existing work of the CCSSIC, similar to our assessment and
accountability system, has focused solely on reading and math.
This heavy emphasis on these two subjects has often led to a
reduced focus on equally important subjects such as science,
foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts,
history, and geography, which the federal No Child Left Behind
Act (NCLB) considers "core academic subjects." This resolution
seeks to ensure that efforts to create common core state
standards take into account subjects other than ELA and math and
calls on the NGO and the CCSSO to develop common core state
standards in social science and science and it further calls on
these organizations to examine the viability of developing
common core state standards in foreign language, the arts,
physical education and CTE. This resolution emphasizes the
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importance of each of these subjects in ensuring pupils have
access to a comprehensive and well-rounded curriculum.
Information on the CCSSIC Internet Web site stipulates that,
"English-language arts and math were the first subjects chosen
for the common core state standards because these two subjects
are skills, upon which students build skill sets in other
subject areas. They are also the subjects most frequently
assessed for accountability purposes." Information on the
CCSSIC Web site further points out, "Of course, other subject
areas are critical to young people's education and their success
in college and careers. Once the English-language arts and math
standards are developed, CCSSO and NGA Center, on behalf of the
states, plan to develop a common core of standards in science
and potentially additional subject areas." No further
information is available regarding a specific plan for the
development of common core state standards in science or social
studies as part of the CCSSIC.
The author states, "Each new generation of students needs to be
equipped with the knowledge of mathematics, English-language
arts, history, geography, economics and government, skills
needed to make informed decisions about complex public issues,
attitudes that support democratic practices, commitment to
engage in civic life, a strong understanding of the physical
world, including biology, chemistry, geology, astronomy and
physics, and a firm grasp of the scientific method of
discovery."
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avina / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0004263