BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Gloria Romero, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: AB 2694
AUTHOR: Blumenfield
AMENDED: May 12, 2010
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: June 23, 2010
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : Instructional materials: technology.
KEY POLICY ISSUES
Should the definition of "supplementary instructional
materials" be expanded to include current, relevant
technology?
Should the Legislature statutorily authorize schools to
include technology-based materials when adopting
instructional materials?
SUMMARY
This bill expands the definition of "supplementary
instructional materials" to include current, relevant
technology, and authorizes schools to include relevant
technology-based materials when adopting instructional
materials.
BACKGROUND
Current law:
1) Defines "supplementary instructional materials" as
instructional materials designed to serve, but not be
limited to, one or more of the following purposes, for a
given subject, at a given grade level:
a) To provide more complete coverage of a
subject or subjects included in a given course.
b) To provide for meeting the various learning
ability levels of pupils in a given age group or
grade level.
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c) To provide for meeting the diverse
educational needs of pupils with a language
disability in a given age group or grade level.
d) To provide for meeting the diverse
educational needs of pupils reflective of a
condition of cultural pluralism.
(Education Code 60010)
2) Defines "technology-based materials" as basic or
supplemental instructional materials that are designed
for use by pupils and teachers as learning resources and
that require the availability of electronic equipment in
order to be used as a learning resource and specifies
that technology-based materials include, but are not
limited to, software programs, video disks, compact
disks, optical disks, video and audio tapes, lesson
plans, and data bases.
Provides that technology-based materials do not include the
electronic equipment required to make use of those
materials, unless that equipment is used by pupils and
teachers as a learning resource. (EC 60010)
3) Authorizes a local governing board of a school district
to use funds from the Instructional Materials Funding
Realignment Program to purchase State Board of
Education-adopted instructional materials for
kindergarten and grades 1-8, and state standards-aligned
materials for grades 9- 12, in an electronic or
hardbound format if it can ensure that each pupil will
be provided with a copy of the instructional materials
to use at school and at home, and specifies that
providing access to the materials at school and at home
does not require the local educational agency to
purchase two sets of materials. (EC 60422.1)
4) Authorizes a governing board, following certification
that each pupil has been provided with a
standards-aligned textbook or basic instructional
materials in the core curriculum areas, to use remaining
funds from the Instructional Materials Funding
Realignment Program for other stated purposes including
purchasing supplementary instructional materials and
technology-based materials. (EC 60422 & 60242)
ANALYSIS
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This bill expands the definition of "supplementary
instructional materials" to include current, relevant
technology, and authorizes schools to include relevant
technology-based materials when adopting instructional
materials. Specifically, this bill:
1) Adds to the definition of "supplementary instructional
materials" current, relevant technology that further
engages interactive learning in the classroom and
beyond.
2) Authorizes the governing board of a school district to
include relevant technology-based materials, when
adopting instructional materials, if the materials are
both available and comparable to other, equivalent
instructional materials.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill : According to the author, "this bill
was introduced to encourage schools to make a
conscientious effort at engaging all students in their
day-to-day instruction through the use of current,
relevant technology as supplemental instructional
materials when and where it is appropriate. AB
2694 aims to remind schools that technology can be a
life-line for engaging an otherwise struggling student.
It is not our intent to burden schools with mandates,
requirements, or costly upgrades; it is our intent to
ensure that our schools make an effort to incorporate
current, relevant technology when considering
supplemental instructional materials; not only for the
purposes of engaging all students but for preparing them
for the technology employed in today's world."
2) Permissive Education Code . This bill authorizes the
school districts to include relevant technology-based
materials when adopting instructional materials. The
Education Code is permissive, and as such, school
districts do not need statutory authority to include
technology-based materials when adopting instructional
materials.
3) Connecting the dots . Existing law defines
"instructional materials" to include technology-based
materials, and defines "technology-based materials" to
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include basic or supplemental instructional materials.
However, the definition of "supplementary instructional
materials" does not reference the use of technology.
4) Technical amendment . This bill authorizes school
districts to include relevant technology-based materials
when adopting instructional materials. Staff recommends
an amendment to cross-reference existing law that
defines "instructional materials" to include
technology-based materials (EC 60010).
5) Related legislation .
AB 1742 (Coto, 2010) clarifies that
instructional materials include technology-based
materials, with respect to the provision of
instructional materials to pupils enrolled in
non-public schools. AB 1742 is scheduled to be
heard by this Committee on June 23, 2010.
AB 314 (Brownley, 2010), among other
things, requires publishers to provide any
equipment or technology associated with the use of
instructional materials free of charge to the same
extent as they are provided to other states or
districts in the United States. AB 314 further
requires publishers to furnish instructional
materials in an electronic format that contains at
least the same content as the printed version at a
price that is less than the price charged for the
printed version and allows the electronic version
to be copy-protected. AB 314 is pending in the
Senate Appropriations Committee.
SUPPORT
California Federation of Teachers
California School Boards Association
OPPOSITION
None received.