BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1539
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1539 (Hagman)
As Amended August 19, 2014
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |78-0 |(May 29, 2014) |SENATE: |30-0 |(August 21, |
| | | | | |2014) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY : Requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC)
and the State Board of Education (SBE) to consider developing
computer science content standards. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the IQC, on or before July 31, 2019, to consider
developing and recommending to the SBE, computer science
content standards, for kindergarten and grades 1 through grade
12, inclusive, pursuant to recommendations developed by a
group of computer science experts.
2)Requires the IQC to consider existing computer science
standards, which include, but are not limited to, the national
K-12 computer science standards developed by the Computer
Science Teachers Association, and consider content standards
that include, but are not necessarily limited to, standards
for teaching coding.
3)Defines "coding" to mean the process of converting a program
design into an accurate and detailed representation of that
program in a suitable language.
4)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in
consultation with the SBE, to consider convening a group of
computer science experts and to ensure that the members of the
group include, but are not necessarily limited to, all of the
following:
a) Teachers who teach computer science, including
mathematics and science teachers, in kindergarten and
grades 1 to 12, inclusive;
b) Schoolsite principals;
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c) School district or county office of education
administrators;
d) University professors; and
e) Representatives of private sector business or industry.
5)Requires the SPI to ensure that one-half of the members of the
group are computer science teachers.
6)Provides that the content standards may be used by school
districts to develop computer science programs and course
assessments but are not mandatory.
7)Makes the operation of this section subject to an
appropriation being made for purposes of this section in the
annual Budget Act or another statute.
The Senate Amendments :
1)Change the date by which the IQC must consider developing and
recommending computer science standards from July 31, 2016, to
July 31, 2019.
2)Change the language that encourages the IQC, SBE, and SPI, as
applicable, to language that requires these entities to
consider specified actions.
3)Expands the group of computer science experts to teachers who
teach computer science, including mathematics and science
teachers, in kindergarten and grades 1 to 6, inclusive.
4)Makes the operation of this section subject to an
appropriation being made for purposes of this section in the
annual Budget Act or another statute.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Makes legislative findings recognizing that increasing the
integration of computers and computer technology into
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California's economy has profound implications for
California's society and the state's educational policy.
2)Makes legislative findings that recognize the importance of
early exposure to basic computer education and computer
resources for all students to ensure academic and career
success.
3)Makes a legislative finding that it is imperative California
adopt a policy to ensure equitable access to technological
education programs.
4)Declares a policy for the State of California that all
students in grades 1 to 12 shall have equitable access to
educational programs designed to strengthen technological
skills, including, but not limited to, computer education
programs and that funds appropriated for educational these
programs have the goal of ensuring equitable access to those
programs for all students.
5)Requires the SBE to adopt model academic content standards in
career technical education, English language arts and English
language development, health education, history and social
science, mathematics, model school library, physical
education, science, visual and performing arts, and world
languages.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, this 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:
1)Standards development: Significant costs to the California
Department of Education (CDE) 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 total approximately $550,000 (General
Fund).
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2)Frameworks: Potentially substantial cost pressure to create
computer science curricular frameworks.
3)Implementation: Offering computer science courses is
optional, and schools would be responsible for any costs
related to electing to offer them.
COMMENTS : California curriculum is based on academic content
standards that are developed by the IQC and adopted by the SBE.
To date, the SBE has adopted academic content standards in
career technical education, English language arts and English
language development, health education, history and social
science, mathematics, model school library, physical education,
science, visual and performing arts, and world languages. These
standards define the knowledge, concepts, and skills that
students should acquire at each grade level within each subject
area. Each of the adopted content standards spans kindergarten
through grade 12, inclusive, with the exception of visual and
performing arts, which also includes prekindergarten.
This bill requires the IQC to consider developing and
recommending academic content standards in computer science in
consideration of national computer science content standards.
According to the author, this is intended to encourage the IQC
and SBE to look at the standards developed by the Computer
Science Teachers Association. In 2013, the national Computer
Science Teachers Association created K-12 standards with the
intention that state and local governing bodies, such as
California's SBE, would use these standards to create their own
state and local academic standards.
Analysis Prepared by : Jill Rice / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0005041