BILL ANALYSIS
AB 836
Page 1
GOVERNOR'S VETO
AB 836 (Torlakson)
As Amended September 4, 2009
2/3 vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |50-27|(June 1, 2009) |SENATE: |24-13|(September 9, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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|ASSEMBLY: |51-26|(September 10, | | | |
| | |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.
AB 836
Page 2
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 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.
AB 836
Page 3
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."
GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE :
"Earlier this year, I issued an Executive Order directing the
State's Chief Information Officer (CIO) to establish the
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Digital Literacy
Council for the purposes of developing a California Action Plan
for ICT Digital Literacy. The CIO is charged with working with
stakeholders in both the education and technology fields to
develop a plan to incorporate digital literacy in our schools
and workforce. This bill would require the Superintendent of
Public Instruction (SPI) to establish a task force for education
technology, funded by private donations. The SPI does not need
additional statutory authority to convene an internal task force
for this purpose. Therefore, this bill is unnecessary."
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi?a / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0003371