BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Gloria Romero, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 247
AUTHOR: Alquist
AMENDED: April 14, 2009
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: April 29, 2009
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: James Wilson
SUBJECT : Instructional Materials
SUMMARY
This bill allows school districts to use instructional
materials categorical funding to purchase those materials
in an electronic format, provided that each pupil is
provided with the state-adopted instructional materials to
use in class and at home, and provided that the electronic
formatted materials are accessible in their entirety at all
times.
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to SB 4 of the third extraordinary session,
Chapter 12 of 2009, from 2008-09 through 2012-13, school
districts may use funds allocated for instructional
materials for any educational purpose. Any instructional
materials for K-8 that are purchased by a local district
must continue to be adopted by the state board, materials
for grades 9 -12 must be aligned with state standards.
Materials purchased must also meet sufficiency
requirements, so that each pupil has sufficient textbooks
and instructional materials in the core curricular areas of
math, science, history / social science and English
language arts, and so that all pupils who are enrolled in
the same course have identical textbooks and instructional
materials.
ANALYSIS
This bill allows a school district governing board to use
funding received for the purchase of instructional
materials to purchase those materials in an electronic
format, provided that:
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1) The district provides each pupil with the
state-adopted instructional materials in an electronic
format to use in class and at home, and
2) The state-adopted instructional materials in an
electronic format are accessible in their entirety at
all times.
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STAFF COMMENTS
1) Related legislation. AB 314 (Brownley) would require
publishers or manufacturers of instructional materials
to furnish instructional materials in an electronic
format at a price that is less than the price charged
for the printed version and would require the
electronic version of any textbook to contain at least
the same content as the printed version. AB 314 is set
for hearing in the Assemble Education Committee on
April 29, 2009.
AB 1374 (Brownley) would allow a local governing board to
use instructional materials funding to purchase
technology-based instructional materials.
2) Budget flexibility . The categorical funding
flexibility provided in Chapter 12 of 2009 (SB 3X 4)
allows districts to use instructional materials
funding for any educational purpose. Therefore, at
least through the 2012-13 school year, districts
could use the funds to purchase instructional material
in electronic format provided that the districts meets
the other requirements of Chapter 12, including
sufficiency and assuring that all pupils who are
enrolled in the same course have the same
instructional materials. This bill also requires
districts to meet sufficiency requirements, but goes
further than current law by requiring that the
materials be accessible at all times.
SUPPORT
California Manufacturers and Technology Association
Los Angeles Unified School District
San Diego County Office of Education
Santa Clara County Office of Education
TechAmerica
OPPOSITION
None received.