BILL ANALYSIS
AB 836
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 836 (Torlakson)
As Amended September 4, 2009
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |50-27|(June 1, 2009) |SENATE: |24-13|(September 9, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY : Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
establish and convene a task force for education technology for
purposes of making preliminary recommendations on technology
literacy model standards for grades 7-12, inclusive, and to address
specified issues related to technology.
The Senate amendments:
1)Delete the specific due dates for the submission and
implementation of recommendations made by the task force and the
SPI, and instead provide specific time frames by when those
activities are to be completed.
2)Specify that the recommendations on technology literacy model
standards shall be for grades 7 to 12, inclusive.
3)Delete the requirement for the task force to develop
recommendations for a comprehensive statewide plan to increase and
enhance the level of technology used to deliver instruction in
California public schools and delete the requirement for the State
Board of Education (SBE) to adopt a statewide plan pursuant to
such recommendations.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill required the SPI to establish
and convene a task force for education technology for purposes of
making preliminary recommendations on technology literacy model
standards and recommendations for a comprehensive statewide plan to
increase and enhance the level of technology used to deliver
instruction in California public schools.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee,
the California Department of Education (CDE) would need two
consultants and one half of an analyst position to complete the work
AB 836
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of the task force, totaling costs of approximately $375,000.
Additionally, further downstream costs could also materialize
depending on the recommendations.
COMMENTS : According to information provided by the author, the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is currently
drafting a framework and test items for a 2012 test on technology
literacy to measure pupils' knowledge and skills in understanding
technology and technological tools. The National Assessment
Governing Board will begin randomly testing students across the
country in the 2011-2012 school year, but it is not certain as to
what grade will be tested. This technological literacy assessment
will be the country's first nationwide assessment of pupils'
technology literacy, however there is no clear or widely-known
definition of technology literacy. This bill provides a definition
for technology literacy and requires the development of model
standards in preparation for that assessment. The National
Assessment Governing Board awarded WestEd a contract to develop the
2012 NAEP Technological Literacy Framework that will include test
specifications for the 2012 NAEP assessment. This framework is
scheduled to be approved in late 2009 by the National Assessment
Governing Board.
As amended, this bill no longer requires the development and
adoption of a statewide plan for the expansion of the use of
technology in schools but rather requires the task force to address
issues of professional development, hardware, telecommunications
infrastructure, and funding as they relate to technology as part of
recommendations that are to be presented to the SBE and the
Legislature.
Previous legislation: SB 1330 (Torlakson) of 2008 requires the SPI
to convene a task force for the purpose of developing
recommendations for a comprehensive statewide plan to increase and
enhance the level of technology used to deliver instruction in
California public schools. SB 1330 was vetoed by Governor
Schwarzenegger with the following message:
"This bill is unnecessary since current law does not prohibit the
Superintendent of Public Instruction from convening an internal
advisory committee to update the statewide education technology plan
with approval of the State Board of Education. Increasing and
enhancing technology in our schools is important, but the provisions
in this can be accomplished without legislation."
AB 836
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Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi?a / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0003081