BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 789|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 789
Author: Price (D)
Amended: 4/14/11
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 7-3, 4/6/11
AYES: Lowenthal, Alquist, Hancock, Liu, Price, Simitian,
Vargas
NOES: Runner, Blakeslee, Huff
NO VOTE RECORDED: Vacancy
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 6-2, 1/19/12
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Lieu, Pavley, Price, Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Emmerson
NO VOTE RECORDED: Runner
SUBJECT : Public School Performance Accountability
Program:
Creative and Innovative Education Index
SOURCE : California Alliance for Arts Education
DIGEST : This bill establishes the Advisory Committee on
Creative and Innovative Education for the purpose of
developing an Index of Creative and Innovative Education
and making related recommendations to the Superintendent of
Public Instruction.
ANALYSIS :
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Existing Law
1.Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
develop an Academic Performance Index (API), which
measures the performance of schools and the academic
performance of pupils.
2.Requires the SPI to establish an advisory committee to
advise the SPI and the State Board of Education on (SBE)
all appropriate matters relative to the creation of the
API and the implementation of an accountability system.
3.Requires the SPI and the SBE, in consultation with the
advisory committee, by July 1, 2013, to make
recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor on,
among other things, the establishment of a methodology
for generating a measurement of group and academic
performance growth by using individual pupil results form
a longitudinally valid achievement assessment system.
This bill:
1.Requires the advisory committee to consult, as
appropriate, with individuals who are experts or have
experience in innovation in the fields of business,
science, technology, mathematics, engineering, and arts
education on the development of a voluntary Creative and
Innovative Education Index, to be based in part on the
creative opportunities in each participating school, as
specified.
2.Requires the advisory committee to make recommendations
by June 1, 2013, to the SPI on the extent to which this
index should be part of the state's accountability system
and methods to foster creative and innovative education
in the public schools.
Comments
This bill is modeled after 2009 Massachusetts legislation
that established a special commission to develop a
"Creative Challenge Index" for the Commonwealth that will
provide an easy-to-understand rating of schools based on
the creative and innovative activities they offer. Schools
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that provide many opportunities for creative work in the
arts, music, drama, and dance would rank higher on the
index compared with schools that provide fewer such
opportunities. Advocates of the Massachusetts effort hope
the index will (1) inspire teachers of science, history,
math, English and other core subjects to design lesson
plans that fit into existing curriculum and require
creative student work and (2) encourage schools to
establish and maintain activities such as arts education,
debate clubs, science fairs, theater performance, or film
making.
What will the index tell us ? Although this bill is focused
on the establishment of the advisory committee to consider
the extent to which this index should be part of the
state's accountability system, the long-term vision is to
establish and implement an index that will rate
participating public schools based on activities and
practices that teach, encourage, and foster creativity in
pupils. Unlike the Academic Performance Index (API), which
provides parents and the public information about school
achievement, the CIE Index would provide additional
information about the school as a whole, particularly with
regard to courses and after-school clubs and activities
such as debate clubs, science fairs, or arts education that
can help students develop creative and innovative
approaches to problem solving.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13
2013-14 Fund
API advisory up to $25 up to $25
General
committee duties
New duties
Potentially significant cost General
pressure
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SUPPORT : (Verified 1/25/12)
California Alliance for Arts Education (source)
Alameda County Office of Education Alliance for Arts
Learning Leadership
Arts for LA
California Art Education Association
California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance
California Association of Museums
Californians Together
KSWD-FM Los Angeles
Leap
Music Center of Los Angeles County
Performing Arts Workshop
Theatre Bay Area
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the sponsor of the
bill, the California Alliance for Arts Education, although
81 percent of American corporate leaders indicate
creativity is an essential skill for the 21st century
workforce, current measures of school success do not tell
us how well schools are preparing students to develop
creativity - the ability to generate ideas and then
critically evaluate their potential.
CPM:cm 1/25/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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