BILL ANALYSIS �
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 552
Author: Calderon (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 8-1, 5/1/13
AYES: Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Hancock, Hueso, Jackson,
Monning
NOES: Huff
SUBJECT : Instruction in violence awareness
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill authorizes instruction in the areas of
social sciences in grades 7-12 to include instruction on
violence awareness, which may include a component drawn from
personal testimony in the form of oral or video histories of
individuals who were involved in violence awareness efforts that
exemplify the economic and cultural effects of violence
prevention efforts within a city, the state and country.
ANALYSIS :
Course of study
Existing law:
1. Requires the adopted course of study for grades 7-12,
inclusive, to include instruction in social sciences, drawing
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upon the disciplines of anthropology, economics, geography,
history, political science, psychology, and sociology,
designed to fit the maturity of the pupils.
2. Requires social studies instruction to provide a foundation
for understanding the history, resources, development, and
government of California and the U.S.; instruction in our
American legal system, the operation of the juvenile and
adult criminal justice systems, and the rights and duties of
citizens under the criminal and civil law and the State and
Federal Constitutions; the development of the American
economic system, including the role of the entrepreneur and
labor; the relations of persons to their human and natural
environment; eastern and western cultures and civilizations;
and human rights issues, with particular attention to the
study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and the
Holocaust, and contemporary issues.
3. Authorizes social science instruction to include instruction
on World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War (including
the "Secret War" in Laos), the role of Filipinos in World War
II, and the Bracero program.
Standards and Frameworks . Academic content standards define the
knowledge, concepts, and skills that pupils should acquire at
each grade level (the "what"). Curricular frameworks are the
blueprint for implementing the standards, and include criteria
by which instructional materials are evaluated (the "how").
The processes for reviewing frameworks and adopting
instructional materials have been suspended since July 28, 2009.
The State Board of Education (SBE) is specifically prohibited
from reviewing frameworks and adopting instructional materials
until the 2015-16 school year.
The history-social science framework was last adopted in 2005.
A review of this framework was underway and nearly complete when
the state suspended the process in July 2009, due to budget
constraints. Current law authorizes the SBE to consider the
adoption of a revised framework and evaluation criteria in
history-social science but only after the Department Education
has completed work on the development of frameworks for the
common core standards.
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This bill authorizes instruction in the areas of social sciences
in grades 7-12 to also include instruction on violence
awareness, which may include a component drawn from personal
testimony in the form of oral or video histories of individuals
who were involved in violence awareness efforts that exemplify
the economic and cultural effects of violence prevention efforts
within a city, the state and country.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local:
No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/3/13)
American Board of Behavioral Health Practice
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, California Chapters
Children's Defense Fund
Concept Healthcare
National Alliance of Professional Psychology Providers
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
Nicholas & Dorothy Cummings Foundation
Youth ALIVE!
Youth Justice Coalition
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "California
school aged children are exposed to violence in the media almost
every day. And there are other, less fortunate, children who
have been directly exposed to violence in their personal life.
One of the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish the
goal of providing California school aged children with a
comprehensive understanding of the issue of violence is to
create a basic curriculum from which teachers and students can
teach and learn from."
PQ:d 5/7/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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