BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 897
PageA
Date of Hearing: June 25, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Joan Buchanan, Chair
SB 897 (Steinberg) - As Amended: April 3, 2014
SENATE VOTE : 33-0
SUBJECT : Educational Programs: California Career Pathways
Trust: American government and civics in adult education
SUMMARY : Requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC)
to consider whether and how to incorporate a specified social
studies framework into California's history-social science
framework, requires specified adult education courses and
classes to distribute information and include instruction on
government and civic education, and codifies the existing
California Career Pathways Trust Program. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Requires, when California's history-social science framework
is revised as required by law, the IQC to consider whether and
how to incorporate the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3)
Framework for Social Studies State Standards into California's
history-social science framework.
2)Requires adult education courses in elementary and secondary
basic skills and classes for immigrants, provided pursuant to
the plans developed by regional consortia under the Adult
Education Consortium Program, to distribute basic information
on American government and civics that includes, but is not
limited to, instruction on all of the following:
a) Federal, state, and local government;
b) The three branches of government;
c) The importance of civic engagement; and
SB 897
PageB
d) Registering to vote.
3)Specifies that the requirement to distribute basic information
on American government and civics in adult education courses
applies to any funding for the regional consortia provided in
the 2015-16 fiscal year (FY), or other legislation that takes
effect on or after January 1, 2015.
4)Expresses the intent of the Legislature that, consistent with
the requirements for a diploma of graduation from high school
and the course of study for training in citizenship, students
enrolled in courses and classes within the Adult Education
Consortium Program, in which instruction in American
government and civics is appropriate, shall receive
instruction in American government and civics.
5)Codifies the existing California Career Pathways Trust
Program.
6)Amends the definition of "business entities" as used in the
section governing the California Career Pathways Trust, to
include public sector entities.
7)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
consult with representatives of the public sector in
considering grant applications for the California Career
Pathways Trust.
8)Makes technical and non-substantive changes to these sections.
EXISTING LAW
1)Authorizes the California Career Pathways Trust Program as a
one-time grant program pursuant to Chapter 48, Statutes of
2013, Education Trailer Bill.
2)Requires local governing boards to adopt a course of study for
grades 7 to 12, as applicable to the grades served, which
SB 897
PageC
includes Social Studies instruction that draws upon specified
disciplines and provides specified content.
3)Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to review and
adopt curriculum frameworks in specified areas of instruction,
including Social Studies, every eight years.
4)Establishes the Adult Education Consortium Program, which
provides $25 million in planning grants for California
Community Colleges (CCC) and K-12 school districts to form
regional consortia for the purposes of creating and
implementing a plan to better provide adults in its region
with the following programs:
a) Elementary and secondary basic skills, including classes
required for a high school diploma or high school
equivalency certificate;
b) Classes and courses for immigrants eligible for
educational services in citizenship and English as a second
language, and workforce preparation classes in basic
skills;
c) Education programs for adults with disabilities;
d) Short-term career technical education programs with high
employment potential; and
e) Programs for apprentices.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, this bill will have the following fiscal effects:
1)Codify California Career Pathways Trust Program: Substantial
ongoing cost pressure to continue permanent funding for a
program that has received a one-time Budget Act appropriation
SB 897
PageD
of $250 million.
2)Distribute information: Potentially significant costs to the
CCCs and school districts to distribute basic civics
information to students in every adult education course for
elementary and secondary basic skills, classes for immigrants
in citizenship, English as Second Language (ESL) classes, and
workforce preparation classes.
3)C3 framework: Very minor costs for the IQC to consider whether
and how to incorporate the C3 framework into California's
history-social science framework during its next regular
revision. If that consideration results in substantive changes
to the current revision, which will not be completed before
this bill takes effect, it could drive new California
Department of Education (CDE) costs of $75,000. If the
requirements are interpreted to apply to future revisions
(sometime after the revision already near completion), costs
will likely be very minor.
COMMENTS :
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social
Studies State Standards
According to the National Council for the Social Studies, the
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social
Studies State Standards (C3 Framework) is the result of a three
year state-led collaborative effort, and was developed to serve
two audiences: 1) for states to upgrade their state social
studies standards and for practitioners, including local school
districts, schools, teachers; and 2) curriculum writers, to
strengthen their social studies programs.<1> Developed by the
Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) in response to
the advent of the development and mass adoption of the Common
Core State Standards for English language arts and mathematics,
state and local agencies expressed a need to the CCSSO for
assistance as they looked to upgrade existing social studies
standards. The CCSSO responded by assisting the National
Council for the Social Studies in developing the C3 Framework.
---------------------------
<1>http://www.socialstudies.org/c3 . Accessed on June 15, 2014.
SB 897
PageE
The C3 Framework focuses primarily on inquiry and concepts and
guides the content necessary for a rigorous social studies
program.
The C3 Framework is not actually a set of standards; instead, it
is a framework that can accommodate specific content standards
chosen by California. California's existing History-Social
Science Standards are long lists of discrete topics to cover;
the C3 Framework moves toward shorter, more coherent, and more
demanding standards, similar to the structure of California's
Common Core State Standards in English language arts and
mathematics and California's Next Generation Science Standards.
The C3 framework has separate provisions for the distinct
disciplines of economics, geography, history, and civics, but
integrates these disciplines into one coherent framework. The
C3 is generally consistent with existing best practices in
social studies education; it is not a radical reform. The C3
Framework encourages instruction that includes interactive and
intellectually demanding practices by teachers.
By requiring the IQC to consider whether and how to use the C3
Framework when revising the history social science frameworks,
this bill ensures consistency with the practices and concepts
that are woven throughout the California's Common Core standards
and the Next Generation Science Standards and reflects this
Committee's recent emphasis on and encouragement of meaningful
civic education. Staff recommends similarly requiring the IQC
to consider incorporating the C3 Framework into the
history-social science standards when those standards are next
revised. This ensures that any changes made to the framework
will be considered when and if the underlying standards are next
revised. Staff also recommends amendments that will bring the
language of this bill into alignment with AB 1599, the education
omnibus bill, to ensure neither bill unintentionally chapters
out the other.
Civic Education for Adult Pupils. Adult education is provided
by a number of delivery systems, including school districts,
community colleges, public libraries, nonprofit and faith-based
organizations, prisons, and county offices of education. In
2008-09, adult education programs enrolled 1.2 million adult
SB 897
PageF
learners in almost 300 adult schools throughout California.
Adult schools offer a number of programs, including Adult Basic
Education; ESL; High School Diploma or Adult Secondary
Education, including General Education Development (GED)
certification; and Citizenship Preparation.
The Governor, in his FY 2013-14 budget, proposed $30 million for
planning grants to enable CCCs and K-12 school districts to
collaborate and develop a regional plan to better coordinate the
provision of adult education in the five subject areas. The
final budget provided $25 million for this purpose through the
Adult Education Consortium Program. The consortia are in its
first year of a two year planning process. The intent of the
Governor is to provide some level of additional funding in FY
2015-16 to provide adult education services through the regional
consortia. This bill requires the courses in elementary and
secondary basic skills, including classes for a high school
diploma or a GED; and courses for immigrants, including
citizenship and English as a second language, and workforce
preparation classes in basic skills; to distribute basic
information on American government and civics, including
information of all levels (federal, state, and local) of
government, the three branches of government, the importance of
civic engagement, and registering to vote. The bill specifies
that this requirement begins in FY 2015-16, if funds are
provided for regional consortia, or pursuant to other
legislation that takes effect on or after January 1, 2015. The
adult education courses in the specified subject areas may
already encompass some level of American government and civics.
This bill simply requires information to be distributed.
The author states that American government and civics education
will "empower adult education students to participate in our
democracy. They will learn about the power structure of this
state and how to participate."
California Career Pathways Trust Program
The CDE, in administering the California Career Pathways Trust
Program, summarizes this program as follows:
Funds in the amount of $250 million will be made
available to school districts, county superintendents
of school, charter schools, and community college
districts in the form of one-time competitive grants.
Grants will be made available for kindergarten through
grade fourteen career pathways programs that
SB 897
PageG
accomplish the following:
1) Fund specialists in work-based learning, as defined
in Section 51760.1 of the Education Code, to convene,
connect, measure, or broker efforts to establish or
enhance a locally defined career pathways program that
connects school districts, county superintendents of
schools, charter schools, and community colleges with
business entities.
2) Establish regional collaborative relationships and
partnerships with business entities, community
organizations, and local institutions of postsecondary
education.
3) Develop and integrate standards-based academics with
a career-relevant, sequenced curriculum following
industry-themed pathways that are aligned to high-need,
high-growth, or emerging regional economic sectors.
4) Provide articulated pathways to postsecondary
education aligned with regional economies.
5) Leverage and build on any of the following:
a) Existing structures, requirements, and
resources of the Carl D. Perkins, California
Partnership Academies, and regional occupational
programs, including staff knowledge, community
relationships, and course development.
b) Matching resources and in-kind contributions
from public, private, and philanthropic sources.
c) The California Community Colleges Economic and
Workforce Development Program and its sector
strategies and deputy sector navigators.
SB 897
PageH
d) Participation in the local California
Community Colleges Skills Panel.
The contents of this bill, with a few additional provisions, are
contained in SB 858, Chapter 32, Statutes of 2014, the education
trailer bill that was passed by the Legislature on June 15,
2014, and signed by the Governor on June 20, 2014. Because this
bill is now duplicative of existing law, staff recommends
deleting this section of the bill.
Related Legislation
SB 858 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review)(2014),
establishes the California Career Pathways Trust, and requires
the CDE, contingent upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act,
to administer the California Career Pathways Trust as a
competitive grant program for kindergarten to grade 14,
inclusive. The bill requires grant recipients to fulfill
specified requirements and conditions, and imposes restrictions
on the use of funds, including prohibiting the use of funds to
supplant other funds from state, federal, or other sources, as
specified. The bill requires the SPI to consider specified
priorities when approving an application for funds.
Previous Legislation
AB 86, Chapter 48, Statutes of 2013, education trailer bill,
created the California Career Pathways Trust. Currently this
program exists only in the budget language, and not in Education
Code.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California School Boards Association
California School Employees Association
Education Trust West
Students First
The State Bar of California
United Ways of California
Opposition
California Right to Life Committee, Inc.
SB 897
PageI
Analysis Prepared by : Jill Rice and Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. /
(916) 319-2087