BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Carol Liu, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 696
AUTHOR: Block
AMENDED: April 8, 2013
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: April 10, 2013
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : Project-based assessment: civics.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to make recommendations regarding a project-based
assessment to measure the civics learning objectives
through the Academic Performance Index.
BACKGROUND
Course of study
Current law prescribes that the adopted course of study for
grades 1-12 includes, among other subjects, social sciences
that is to be drawn upon the disciplines of anthropology,
economics, geography, history, political science,
psychology, and sociology, designed to fit the maturity of
the students. (Education Code � 51210 and � 51220)
Instruction for grades 1-6 must provide a foundation for
understanding:
The history, resources, development, and government
of California and the United States.
The development of the American economic system
including the role of the entrepreneur and labor.
The relations of person to their human and natural
environment.
Eastern and western cultures and civilizations.
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Contemporary issues.
The wise use of natural resources. (EC � 51210)
Instruction for grades 7-12 must provide a foundation for
understanding:
The history, resources, development and government
of California and the United States.
The 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.
Human rights issues, with particular attention to
the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and
the Holocaust, and contemporary issues. (EC � 51220)
Standards and Framework
Civics are generally included in the history-social science
standards and framework, with several references to the
United States and California Constitutions and democracy.
Current law requires the State Board of Education (SBE) and
the California Department of Education (CDE) to request
that the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) review and
revise, as necessary, the course requirements in the
history-social science framework to ensure that minimum
standards for courses in American government and civics
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include sufficient attention to teaching students how to
interact, in a practical manner, with state and local
governmental agencies and representatives to solve problems
and to petition for changes in laws and procedures. When
the history-social science framework is revised, the IQC
must ensure that the following historical documents are
incorporated into the framework, as appropriate:
The Declaration of Independence.
The United States Constitution, including the Bill
of Rights.
The Federalist Papers.
The Emancipation Proclamation.
The Gettysburg Address.
George Washington's Farewell Address. (EC � 33540)
Current law authorizes the SBE to consider the adoption of
a revised framework and evaluation criteria in
history-social science but only after the CDE has completed
work on the development of frameworks for the common core
standards. (EC � 60200.8)
High school graduation requirements
Current law requires students to complete specified courses
while in grades 9-12 in order to receive a high school
diploma. Among other courses, students must complete three
courses in social studies, including:
United States history and geography (two
semesters).
World history, culture, and geography (two
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semesters).
A one-semester course in American government and
civics.
A one-semester course in economics. (EC � 51225.3)
Current law also requires students to complete a course
that meets or exceeds the rigor of Algebra I prior to
receiving a high school diploma. (EC � 51224.5)
Recommendations for new assessment and accountability
systems
Current law requires the SPI to report to the Legislature
and recommend to the State Board of Education for adoption,
by October 1, 2013, a method for increasing the emphasis on
student mastery of standards in science and social science
through the system of public school accountability or by
other means. (EC � 52052.9)
Current law requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) to develop recommendations, by November
1, 2012, for the reauthorization of the statewide student
assessment program, including among other numerous items to
be considered, the assessment of science and history-social
science in all grade levels at or above grade 4. (EC �
60604.5)
ANALYSIS
This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to make recommendations regarding a project-based
assessment to measure the civics learning objectives
through the Academic Performance Index. Specifically, this
bill:
1) Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI), by July 1, 2014, to report to the Legislature,
a project-based assessment to measure, through the
school accountability system, the civics learning
objectives in the statutory course of study.
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2) Requires the SPI to recommend the measurement through
the accountability system to the State Board of
Education for adoption, by July 1, 2014.
3) Requires the civics learning objectives to include:
a) An understanding of the relevance of public
policy.
b) The structure of the federal, state, and
local governments.
c) Both the California and United States
Constitutions.
d) Requires the project-based assessment to use
an approach that
engages students in learning essential knowledge
and skills through a student-influenced inquiry
process structured around complex, authentic
questions and carefully designed projects and
tasks.
e) Sunsets the requirement for this report on July 1,
2019.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . According to the author, "This
bill seeks to ensure that students have acquired a
grounding and appreciation for the processes of state,
local, and national government so that they can fully
engage as citizens. In January 2012, the Obama
Administration released Advancing Civic Learning and
Engagement in Democracy: A Road Map and Call to Action
in its efforts to encourage and promote civic learning
and engagement citing civics education as a factor in
ensuring successful, engaged citizens. The National
Assessments in Civics results show students are
dismally informed about their government and
democracy."
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2) Multiple reports . Current law requires the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to report
to the Legislature and recommend to the State Board of
Education (SBE), by October 1, 2013, methods for
increasing the emphasis on mastery of standards in
science and social science through the accountability
system (currently the Academic Performance Index
(API)) or by other means. The API is currently
heavily weighted to assessments in English language
arts and mathematics. The recommendations are to
identify ways to increase the weight given to science
and social science, with the goal of an increased
emphasis on instruction in those subjects.
This bill requires the SPI to report and make
recommendations relative to measuring the mastery of
civics two years after the report and recommendations
regarding science and social science. Civics is
generally included in the history-social science
standards and framework, with several references to
the United States and California Constitutions and
democracy.
Further, current legislation, AB 137 (Buchanan) requires
the Instructional Quality Commission to ensure that
the civics learning content, concepts, and skills to
be taught include, but not be limited to, a basic
understanding of the responsibilities and operation of
the three branches of state and federal government,
the importance of civic engagement, and the
competencies needed to become effective and
responsible residents and citizens in the 21st
century.
Staff recommends an amendment to clarify that the measure
of civics mastery may be through the accountability
system or by other means.
3) Course of study . Current law prescribes that the
adopted course of study for grades 1-12 include
specific areas of study. This appears to require
every school to offer courses in every subject listed
yet it is staff's understanding that not every school
offers courses in driver's education or health, for
example. Staff recommends an amendment to strike
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reference to the adopted course of study and instead
reference the history-social science framework to
ensure inclusion of specific elements of civics in
instructional materials.
4) Related legislation . AB 137 (Buchanan) requires,
during the revision of the history-social science
framework, the Instructional Quality Commission to (a)
receive input from experts for the purpose of
integrating civics learning content, concepts, and
skills, at each grade level, and (b) ensure that the
civics learning content, concepts, and skills to be
taught include, but not be limited to, a basic
understanding of the responsibilities and operation of
the three branches of state and federal government,
the importance of civic engagement, and the
competencies needed to become effective and
responsible residents and citizens in the 21st
century. AB 137 is scheduled to be heard in the
Assembly Education Committee on April 17, 2013.
SB 512 (Wyland) requires the SPI, with the approval of the
State Board of Education, to develop an additional
section to be included in the high school exit
examination that tests United States history and
government in accordance with the statewide
academically rigorous content standards for
history-social science. SB 512 includes passage of
this new portion of the exit exam as a graduation
requirement beginning in the 2019-20 school year. SB
512 is scheduled to be heard in this Committee on
May 1.
SB 521 (Wyland) adds the procedures, the comparative
differences between the rights of citizens in America
and those in other countries, and the connection of
civics and American government to western
civilizations to the list of topics that are to be
given sufficient attention in American government and
civics courses. SB 521 is scheduled to be heard in
this Committee on April 24.
AB 424 (Donnelly) requires instruction in the social
sciences to include the development of democracy and
the history of the development of the United States
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Constitution and requires specified historical
documents be included in the history-social science
framework. AB 424 failed passage in the Assembly
Education Committee on a 2-5 vote on April 3, 2013.
AB 700 (Gomez) adds to the adopted course of study a voter
education component providing instruction in how to
register and cast votes in local, state, and federal
elections, and how to use the voter information
pamphlet and other materials to become an informed
voter. AB 700 includes passage of this new element of
the required one-semester course in American
government and civics as a graduation requirement
beginning in the 2014-15 school year. AB 700 is
scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Education
Committee on April 17, 2013.
SUPPORT
California Chamber of Commerce
California Council for the Social Studies
California Geographic Alliance
An individual
OPPOSITION
None on file.