BILL NUMBER: SB 958 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 18, 2012
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2012
AMENDED IN SENATE FEBRUARY 27, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Senator Rubio
JANUARY 10, 2012
An act to add Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 37800)
to Part 22 of Division 3 of Title 2 of Section 33308.3
to the Education Code, relating to schools.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 958, as amended, Rubio. Schools: well-equipped classrooms
: guidelines .
(1) Existing
Existing law requires the governing board of a school
district to determine whether each pupil in each school in the
district has sufficient textbooks or instructional materials, or
both, that are aligned to the content standards adopted by the State
Board of Education.
Existing law requires the State Department of Education to
establish standards for use by school districts to ensure that the
design and construction of school facilities are educationally
appropriate and promote school safety.
Existing law requires a school district to have a current 3- to
5-year education technology plan as a precondition to receiving a
technology grant administered by the department. Existing law
requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop
guidelines and criteria for inclusion in the required education
technology plan and to ensure that each school district has access to
technical assistance and an approved online technology plan builder
that the department determines is in compliance with state and
federal requirements.
This bill would require the department to develop, and the state
board to adopt, for each grade and subject, guidelines for a
well-equipped classroom. The bill would require the guidelines to
reflect the materials and physical environment required for a
classroom to be in alignment with the common core standards. The bill
would require the department to post the guidelines on its Internet
Web site.
This bill would require the State Board of Education, by January
31, 2014, to establish definitions for well-equipped classrooms,
which would reflect the materials and environment that are required
for a classroom to be in alignment with the common core standards and
would require the state board to update the definitions every 2
years. The bill would require the governing board of a school
district and a county board of education to complete a thorough
survey of each of their classrooms to determine whether the
classrooms can be certified as being well-equipped classrooms. The
bill would require a governing board of a school district and a
county board of education to report the results of the survey to the
department and include those results on the Internet Web site of the
school district or county office of education. The bill would require
the governing board of a school district and the county board of
education to certify at least a designated percentage of the
classrooms under their jurisdiction as well-equipped in accordance
with a prescribed schedule. The bill would require the department
annually to review and audit the certifications to ensure compliance
with requirements. The bill would require the department to notify
parents of pupils enrolled in a noncompliant school or school
district of the noncompliance within 2 weeks of the department's
determination of noncompliance.
Because the bill would establish new duties for school districts
and county offices of education, it would constitute a state-mandated
local program.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes no .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 33308.3 is added to the
Education Code , to read:
33308.3. The department shall develop, and the state board shall
adopt, for each grade and subject, guidelines for a well-equipped
classroom. The guidelines shall reflect the materials and physical
environment required for a classroom to be in alignment with the
common core standards. The department shall post the guidelines on
its Internet Web site.
SECTION 1. Chapter 7 (commencing with Section
37800) is added to Part 22 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education
Code, to read:
CHAPTER 7. WELL-EQUIPPED CLASSROOMS
37800. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(a) "Certified" means a formal assurance by a governing body.
(b) "Classroom" means any single location in which pupils are
taught, including any physical location or through a digital learning
environment supported by a school or district.
(c) "Governing body" means the governing board of a school
district and a county board of education.
37805. (a) A well-equipped classroom shall reflect the materials
and environment that are required for a classroom to be in alignment
with the common core standards. The state board shall adopt
regulations defining well-equipped classrooms for each subject and
grade. The definition of a well-equipped classroom shall include all
items that are used for instructional purposes in an appropriate
learning environment and detail the specific supports required in
each separate learning environment to maximize pupil learning and
provide appropriate support to teachers in the delivery of
instruction.
(b) Before adopting the regulations, the state board shall survey
a wide range of instructional personnel from each subject and grade
and shall hold at least two public hearings. The state board shall
adopt initial regulations by January 31, 2014, and shall update the
regulations every two years. Before each update, the state board
shall survey a wide range of instructional personnel from each
subject and grade and shall hold at least two public hearings.
(c) The definition of a well-equipped classroom shall include all
expendable and nonexpendable items that are used for instructional
purposes in an appropriate learning environment and a detailed list
that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following classroom
supports specific to each subject and grade:
(1) Instructional materials, including any textbooks, workbooks,
pupil handouts, and other direct instructional support aligned to
state and local standards.
(2) Technology, including hardware and software, designed to
deliver instructional support specific to state standards or
classroom objectives.
(3) Supplemental resources, including classroom materials that
assist teachers in differentiating learning and diversifying delivery
through tactical, auditory, visual, and kinesthetic senses.
(4) Appropriate physical room condition, including furniture,
paint, desks, lighting, acoustics, climate control, indoor air
quality, and other materials intended to support a clean, healthy,
and comfortable learning environment for pupils.
(5) Supplemental pupil supplies for independent or classroom work,
including paper, notebooks, folders, pencils, and other related
materials.
(6) Schedules for the replacement of resources, timelines for the
return of certification reviews, and other implementation matters
pertaining to this chapter.
37810. (a) By August 15, 2014, and two weeks before the first day
of regular instruction of each school year, a governing body shall
complete a thorough survey of each of its classrooms to determine
whether the classrooms can be certified as being well-equipped
classrooms and shall review the findings of the survey and certify
individual classrooms by subject, grade, and school.
(b) A governing body shall report the results of the survey,
including a list of well-equipped classrooms and the overall
percentage of the number of well-equipped classrooms, to the
department and include those results on the Internet Web site of the
school district or county office of education in a format that is
readily accessible to parents and community members. If a school
district or county office of education does not have an Internet Web
site, the school district or county office shall use other means to
ensure that the results are made available to the parents and
community members.
37815. (a) The governing body shall ensure that each school under
its jurisdiction meets or exceeds the following requirements:
(1) By August 15, 2014, at least 35 percent of classrooms in a
school shall be certified as well-equipped classrooms.
(2) By August 15, 2015, at least 70 percent of classrooms in a
school shall be certified as well-equipped classrooms.
(3) By August 15, 2016, 100 percent of classrooms in a school
shall be certified as well-equipped classrooms.
(b) When the state board updates the regulations defining a
well-equipped classroom, a governing body shall have one year to
certify classrooms based on updated regulations.
(c) If the updated definitions of a well-equipped classroom
adopted by the state board create a significant fiscal burden to
certify classrooms within two years, the state board may extend the
timeline for classrooms to become certified as being well-equipped
classrooms in any one grade or subject.
37820. The department annually shall review and audit the results
of surveys reported by governing bodies to ensure compliance with
Section 37815 and the definitions of well-equipped classrooms. Within
two weeks of its determination of noncompliance, the department
shall notify parents of pupils enrolled in a noncompliant school or
school district of the noncompliance.
SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.