BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1539|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1539
Author: Hagman (R), et al.
Amended: 8/19/14 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 6-0, 6/25/14
AYES: Liu, Wyland, Correa, Hancock, Huff, Monning
NO VOTE RECORDED: Block
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 5-0, 8/14/14
AYES: De Le�n, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
NO VOTE RECORDED: Walters, Gaines
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 5/29/14 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Computer science standards
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Instructional Quality
Commission (IQC) to consider developing and recommending
computer science content standards by July 31, 2019, as
specified.
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Establishes the Academic Content Standards Commission for the
purpose of developing the common core standards in English
language arts and mathematics. These standards were adopted
by the State Board of Education (SBE) on August 2, 2010. The
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SBE adopted revised frameworks for common core mathematics on
November 6, 2013, and is required to adopt revised frameworks
in common core English language arts by July 30, 2014.
2.Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
recommend modifications to the common core standards in
mathematics by consulting with a group of experts in
mathematics. The SBE adopted modified mathematics standards
in January 2013.
3.Requires the SPI to update, revise and align the English
language development standards to the common core standards in
English language arts. The SPI was required to convene a
group of experts to complete this work, and the SBE adopted
these standards on November 7, 2012. The SPI is required to
convene a group of experts to also modify the English language
development standards, by January 1, 2015, to link with the
common core standards in mathematics and updated science
standards.
4.Requires the SPI to convene a group of science experts to
recommend science standards using the Next Generation Science
Standards. The SBE adopted these standards on September 4,
2013, and is required to consider the adoption of a revised
framework and evaluation criteria by January 31, 2016.
This bill:
1.Requires the IQC to consider developing and recommending to
the SBE, by July 31, 2019, computer science content standards
pursuant to recommendations developed by a group of computer
science experts.
2.Requires the IQC to consider:
A. Existing computer science content standards including
the national K-12 computer science content standards
developed by the Computer Science Teachers Association.
B. Content standards that include, but are not limited to,
standards for teaching coding. This bill defines "coding"
as the process of converting a program design into an
accurate and detailed representation of that program in a
suitable language.
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1.Requires the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to consider
convening the group of experts in computer science, and
requires the SPI to ensure that the members of the group
include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
A. Teachers who teach computer science in grades
Kindergarten through 12, including mathematics and science
teachers.
B. Schoolsite principals.
C. School district or county office of education
administrators.
D. University professors.
E. Representatives of private sector business or industry.
1.Requires the SPI, in consultation with the SBE, to ensure that
one-half of the members are teachers.
2.Authorizes the computer science content standards to be used
by school districts to develop computer science programs and
course assessments, and specifies that the standards are not
mandatory.
3.Provides that the implementation of this bill is contingent
upon the annual Budget Act or another statute.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, if a budget
appropriation is made for this purpose, the bill requires the
IQC to "consider" developing computer science content standards
and recommending them to the SBE. If the IQC decides to do so,
the costs and costs pressure are:
Standards development: Significant costs to the California
Department of Education to convene computer science experts,
contract for content writers, and staff the IQC throughout the
two-year development of computer science content standards for
grades K-12. Costs over the two-year adoption period will
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total approximately $550,000 (General Fund).
Frameworks: Potentially substantial cost pressure to create
computer science curricular frameworks.
Implementation: Offering computer science courses is
optional, and schools would be responsible for any costs
related to electing to offer them.
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/19/14)
Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and
Schools
California Chamber of Commerce
California Educational Technology Professionals Association
California School Boards Association
California Teachers Association
Children Now
Code.org
Computer Science Teachers Association
Computing in the Core
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Microsoft
TechNet
The Internet Association
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 5/29/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian
Calderon, Campos, Chau, Ch�vez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,
Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox,
Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon,
Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Roger Hern�ndez, Holden,
Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal,
Maienschein, Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi,
Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, John A.
P�rez, V. Manuel P�rez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon,
Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner,
Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, Atkins
NO VOTE RECORDED: Harkey, Vacancy
PQ:nl 8/19/14 Senate Floor Analyses
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SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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