Amended in Senate March 20, 2014

Senate Bill No. 1006

Introduced by Senator Wyland

February 13, 2014

An act begin insert to amend Sections 51225.3, 60850, and 60851 of, and end insert to add Section 51008.5 begin delete to end delete begin insert to, end insert the Education Code, relating to school curriculum.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 1006, as amended, Wyland. School curriculum: American history and begin delete government. end delete begin insert government: high school graduation course requirements: high school exit examination. end insert

Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to include courses in the social sciences for the purpose of, among other things, providing pupils with a foundation for understanding the history, resources, development, and government of California and the United States of America.

This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education to consider methods for enhancing pupil knowledge of, and pride in, our history and form of government and for increasing civic participation. The bill would set forth methods that the Superintendent and the state board may consider to accomplish these goals, which include, among other things, developing new curriculum frameworks and, if necessary, standards, expanding the time and grades in which American history and government are studied, and requiring a basic understanding of United States history in order to graduate from high school.

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Existing law requires each pupil completing grade 12 to satisfy certain requirements as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation from high school. These requirements include the successful passage of the high school exit examination and the completion of designated coursework in grades 9 to 12, inclusive. The coursework requirements include the completion of 3 courses, each course having a duration of one year, in social studies, including United States history and geography, world history, culture, and geography, a one-semester course in American government and civics, and a one-semester course in economics.

end insert begin insert

Commencing with the 2019-20 school year, this bill would increase this American government and civics course requirement to a one-year course. By increasing this course requirement to one year, the bill would impose additional duties on school districts and would impose a state-mandated local program.

end insert begin insert

Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, with the approval of the State Board of Education, to develop a high school exit examination in English language arts and mathematics in accordance with state academic content standards. Existing law requires, commencing with the 2003-04 school year and each school year thereafter, each pupil completing grade 12 to successfully pass the high school exit examination as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation or as a condition of graduation from high school. Existing law requires that each pupil take the high school exit examination in grade 10 beginning in the 2001-02 school year and allows each pupil to take the examination during each subsequent administration, until each section of the examination has been passed.

end insert begin insert

This bill would require the Superintendent, with the approval of the state board, 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 adopted by the state board, as specified. The bill would require the Superintendent to subject the United States history and government section to specified field testing and review requirements before adoption by the state board. The bill would require the state board, by January 1, 2017, to adopt a United States history and government section developed by the Superintendent for inclusion in the high school exit examination. The bill would require, commencing with the 2020-21 school year and each school year thereafter, each pupil completing grade 12 to, in addition to successfully passing the English language arts and mathematics sections of the high school exit examination, to successfully pass the United States history and government section adopted by the state board. The bill would require, commencing with the 2018-19 school year, each pupil to take the high school exit examination, including the United States history and government section, in grade 10 and would allow each pupil to take the examination during each subsequent administration, until each section of the examination has been passed. The bill would make conforming changes and other nonsubstantive changes.

end insert begin insert

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

end insert begin insert

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert .

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 51008.5 is added to the Education Code,
to read:

51008.5.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

(1) Over the last 20 years and more, high school pupils have
significantly less knowledge of American history and government
than previous generations.

(2) Pupils and young adults over this period know significantly
less about current events, and they subscribe at a significantly
lower rate to newspapers and news periodicals.

(3) Pupils and young adults have, over time, less faith and pride
in American government and its institutions.

(4) Pupils and young people vote at significantly lower rates
than their elders.

(b) The Superintendent and the state board shall consider
methods for accomplishing both of the following:

(1) Enhancing pupil knowledge of, and pride in, our history and
form of government.

(2) Increasing all levels of civic participation, from knowledge
of current events to regular voting in elections.

(c) To accomplish the goals set forth in subdivision (b), the
Superintendent and state board may consider the following
methods:

(1) Developing new curriculum frameworks and, if necessary,
standards that engage pupils in learning about American history
and government from oral histories to biographical sketches and
age-appropriate descriptions of heroic efforts on the part of
Americans to build our society and its institutions.

(2) Expanding the time devoted to the study of American history
and government and the grades in which that study is provided.

(3) Developing pride in American values, history, and
government through the comparative study of other cultures and
histories.

(4) Comparing the success of American society and government
in developing a society governed by the democratically devised
rule of law with societies that, although desiring to be so governed,
have struggled to reach this accomplishment.

(5) Incorporating into the curriculum, at age-appropriate levels,
the objective analysis of both historical and modern governmental
policies so that pupils may learn to understand the complexity of
many issues, to view those policies from different perspectives,
to consider evidence, and to reach their own conclusions.

(6) Comparing American and Western democracies and histories
of those in other regions of the world, and the role that American
democracy and society may play in modern history.

(7) Requiring basic understanding of United States history in
order to graduate from high school.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 51225.3 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert , as amended
by Section 2 of Chapter 324 of the Statutes of 2013, is amended
to read: end insert

51225.3.  

(a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while
in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of
graduation from high school:

(1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
otherwise specified:

(A) Three courses in English.

(B) Two courses in mathematics.

(C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
sciences.

(D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
one-semester course in American government and civics begin insert until the
end of the 2018-19 school year; commencing with the 2019-20
school year, a course in American government and civics end insert ; and a
one-semester course in economics.

(E) One course in visual or performing arts, foreign language,
or, commencing with the 2012-13 school year, career technical
education.

(i) For purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this
subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be
deemed a course in foreign language.

(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, “a course in career
technical education” means a course in a district-operated career
technical education program that is aligned to the career technical
model curriculum standards and framework adopted by the state
board, including courses through a regional occupational center
or program operated by a county superintendent of schools or
pursuant to a joint powers agreement.

(iii) This subparagraph does not require a school or school
district that currently does not offer career technical education
courses to start new career technical education programs for
purposes of this section.

(iv) If a school district or county office of education elects to
allow a career technical education course to satisfy the requirement
imposed by this subparagraph, the governing board of the school
district or county office of education, before offering that
alternative to pupils, shall notify parents, teachers, pupils, and the
public at a regularly scheduled meeting of the governing board of
all of the following:

(I) The intent to offer career technical education courses to fulfill
the graduation requirement specified in this subparagraph.

(II) The impact that offering career technical education courses,
pursuant to this subparagraph, will have on the availability of
courses that meet the eligibility requirements for admission to the
California State University and the University of California, and
whether the career technical education courses to be offered
pursuant to this subparagraph are approved to satisfy those
eligibility requirements. If a school district elects to allow a career
technical education course to satisfy the requirement imposed by
this subparagraph, the school district shall comply with subdivision
(m) of Section 48980.

(III) The distinction, if any, between the high school graduation
requirements of the school district or county office of education,
and the eligibility requirements for admission to the California
State University and the University of California.

(F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.

(2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing
board of the school district.

(b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents,
administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means
for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may
include practical demonstration of skills and competencies,
supervised work experience or other outside school experience,
career technical education classes offered in high schools, courses
offered by regional occupational centers or programs,
interdisciplinary study, independent study, and credit earned at a
postsecondary educational institution. Requirements for graduation
and specified alternative modes for completing the prescribed
course of study shall be made available to pupils, parents, and the
public.

(c) On or before July 1, 2017, the department shall submit a
comprehensive report to the appropriate policy committees of the
Legislature on the addition of career technical education courses
to satisfy the requirement specified in subparagraph (E) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, the
following information:

(1) A comparison of the pupil enrollment in career technical
education courses, foreign language courses, and visual and
performing arts courses for the 2005-06 to 2011-12 school years,
inclusive, to the pupil enrollment in career technical education
courses, foreign language courses, and visual and performing arts
courses for the 2012-13 to 2016-17 school years, inclusive.

(2) The reasons, reported by school districts, that pupils give
for choosing to enroll in a career technical education course to
satisfy the requirement specified in subparagraph (E) of paragraph
(1) of subdivision (a).

(3) The type and number of career technical education courses
that were conducted for the 2005-06 to 2011-12 school years,
inclusive, compared to the type and number of career technical
education courses that were conducted for the 2012-13 to 2016-17
school years, inclusive.

(4) The number of career technical education courses that
satisfied the subject matter requirements for admission to the
University of California or the California State University.

(5) The extent to which the career technical education courses
chosen by pupils are aligned with the California Career Technical
Education Standards, and prepare pupils for employment, advanced
training, and postsecondary education.

(6) The number of career technical education courses that also
satisfy the visual and performing arts requirement, and the number
of career technical education courses that also satisfy the foreign
language requirement.

(7) Annual pupil dropout and graduation rates for the 2011-12
to 2014-15 school years, inclusive.

(d) For purposes of completing the report described in
subdivision (c), the Superintendent may use existing state resources
and federal funds. If state or federal funds are not available or
sufficient, the Superintendent may apply for and accept grants,
and receive donations and other financial support from public or
private sources for purposes of this section.

(e) For purposes of completing the report described in
subdivision (c), the Superintendent may accept support, including,
but not limited to, financial and technical support, from high school
reform advocates, teachers, chamber organizations, industry
representatives, research centers, parents, and pupils.

(f) This section shall become inoperative on the earlier of the
following two dates:

(1) On July 1, immediately following the first fiscal year after
the enactment of the act that adds this paragraph in which the
number of career technical education courses that, as determined
by the department, satisfy the foreign language requirement for
admission to the California State University and the University of
California is at least twice the number of career technical education
courses that meet these admission requirements as of January 1,
2012. This section shall be repealed on the following January 1,
unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before
that date, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes
inoperative and is repealed. It is the intent of the Legislature that
new career technical education courses that satisfy the foreign
language requirement for admission to the California State
University and the University of California focus on world
languages aligned with career preparation, emphasizing real-world
application and technical content in related career and technical
education courses.

(2) On July 1, 2017, and, as of January 1, 2018, is repealed,
unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before
January 1, 2018, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes
inoperative and is repealed.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 3. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 51225.3 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert , as amended
by Section 3 of Chapter 324 of the Statutes of 2013, is amended
to read: end insert

51225.3.  

(a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while
in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of
graduation from high school:

(1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
otherwise specified:

(A) Three courses in English.

(B) Two courses in mathematics.

(C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
sciences.

(D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
one-semester course in American government and civics begin insert until the
end of the 2018-19 school year; commencing with the 2019-20
school year, a course in American government and civics end insert ; and a
one-semester course in economics.

(E) One course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.
For purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this
subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be
deemed a course in foreign language.

(F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.

(2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing
board of the school district.

(b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents,
administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means
for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may
include practical demonstration of skills and competencies,
supervised work experience or other outside school experience,
career technical education classes offered in high schools, courses
offered by regional occupational centers or programs,
interdisciplinary study, independent study, and credit earned at a
postsecondary educational institution. Requirements for graduation
and specified alternative modes for completing the prescribed
course of study shall be made available to pupils, parents, and the
public.

(c) If a pupil completed a career technical education course that
met the requirements of subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of
subdivision (a) of Section 51225.3, as amended by the act adding
this section, before the inoperative date of that section, that course
shall be deemed to fulfill the requirements of subparagraph (E) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of this section.

(d) This section shall become operative upon the date that
Section 51225.3, as amended by the act adding this section,
becomes inoperative.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. end insert begin insert 4. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 60850 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert is amended to
read: end insert

60850.  

(a) The Superintendent begin delete of Public Instruction end delete , with the
approval of the begin delete State Board of Education end delete begin insert state board end insert , shall develop
a high school exit examination in English language arts and
mathematics in accordance with the statewide academically
rigorous content standards adopted by the begin delete State Board of Education end delete
begin insert state board end insert pursuant to Section 60605. To facilitate the
development of the examination, the begin delete superintendent end delete begin insert Superintendent end insert
shall review any existing high school subject matter examinations
that are linked to, or can be aligned with, the statewide
academically rigorous content standards for English language arts
and mathematics adopted by the begin delete State Board of Education end delete begin insert state
board end insert . By October 1, 2000, the begin delete State Board of Education end delete begin insert state
board end insert shall adopt a high school exit examination that is aligned
with statewide academically rigorous content standards.

begin insert

(b) The Superintendent, with the approval of the state board,
shall 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 adopted by
the state board pursuant to Section 60605. Before the adoption by
the state board, the Superintendent shall subject the United States
history and government section to the field testing and review
requirements specified in subdivisions (d) and (e). By January 1,
2017, the state board shall adopt a United States history and
government section developed pursuant to this subdivision for
inclusion in the high school exit examination.

end insert begin delete

(b)

end delete

begin insert (c) end insert  The Superintendent begin delete of Public Instruction end delete , with the approval
of the begin delete State Board of Education, end delete begin insert state board, end insert shall establish a High
School Exit Examination Standards Panel to assist in the design
and composition of the exit examination and to ensure that the
examination is aligned with statewide academically rigorous
content standards. Members of the panel shall include, but are not
limited to, teachers, administrators, school board members, parents,
and the general public. Members of the panel shall serve without
compensation for a term of two years and shall be representative
of the state’s ethnic and cultural diversity and gender balance. The
begin delete superintendent end delete begin insert Superintendent end insert shall also make the best effort to
ensure representation of the state’s diversity relative to urban,
suburban, and rural areas. The begin delete State Department of Education end delete
begin insert department end insert shall provide staff to the panel.

begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert d) end insert  The Superintendent begin delete of Public Instruction end delete shall require that
the examination be field tested before actual implementation to
ensure that the examination is free from bias and that its content
is valid and reliable.

begin delete

(d)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert e) end insert  Before the begin delete State Board of Education end delete begin insert state board end insert adopts the
exit examination, the Superintendent begin delete of Public Instruction end delete shall
submit the examination to the Statewide Pupil Assessment Review
Panel established pursuant to Section 60606. The panel shall review
all items or questions to ensure that the content of the examination
complies with the requirements of Section 60614.

begin delete

(e)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert f) end insert  The exit examination prescribed in begin delete subdivision (a) end delete
begin insert subdivisions (a) and (b) end insert shall conform to the following standards
or it shall not be required as a condition of graduation:

(1) The examination may not be administered to a pupil who
did not receive adequate notice as provided for in paragraph begin delete (1) end delete
begin insert (2) end insert of subdivision begin delete (f) end delete begin insert (g) end insert regarding the test.

(2) The examination, regardless of federal financial participation,
shall comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. Sec.
2000d et seq.), its implementing regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 100),
and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C.
Sec. 1701).

(3) The examination shall have instructional and curricular
validity.

(4) The examination shall be scored as a criterion referenced
examination.

begin delete

(f)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert g) end insert  For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:

(1) “Accommodations” means any variation in the assessment
environment or process that does not fundamentally alter what the
test measures or affect the comparability of scores.
“Accommodations” may include variations in scheduling, setting,
aids, equipment, and presentation format.

(2) “Adequate notice” means that the pupil and his or her parent
or guardian have received written notice, at the commencement
of the pupil’s 9th grade, and each year thereafter through the annual
notification process established pursuant to Section 48980, or if a
transfer pupil, at the time the pupil transfers. A pupil who has taken
the exit examination in the 10th grade is deemed to have had
“adequate notice” as defined in this paragraph.

(3) “Curricular validity” means that the examination tests for
content found in the instructional textbooks. Fo begin delete r the end delete purposes of
this section, any textbook or other instructional material adopted
pursuant to this code and consistent with the state’s adopted
curriculum frameworks shall be deemed to satisfy this definition.

(4) “Instructional validity” means that the examination is
consistent with what is expected to be taught. For begin delete the end delete purposes of
this section, instruction that is consistent with the state’s adopted
curriculum frameworks for the subjects tested shall be deemed to
satisfy this definition.

(5) “Modification” means any variation in the assessment
environment or process that fundamentally alters what the test
measures or affects the comparability of scores.

begin delete

(g)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert h) end insert  The examination shall be offered to individuals with
exceptional needs, as defined in Section 56026, in accordance with
paragraph (17) of subsection (a) of Section 1412 of Title 20 of the
United States Code and Section 794 and following of Title 29 of
the United States Code. Individuals with exceptional needs shall
be administered the examination with appropriate accommodations,
where necessary.

begin delete

(h)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert i) end insert  Nothing in this chapter begin delete shall prohibit end delete begin insert prohibits end insert a school
district from requiring pupils to pass additional exit examinations
approved by the governing board of the school district as a
condition for graduation.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 5. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 60851 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert is amended to
read: end insert

60851.  

(a) Commencing with the 2003-04 school year and
each school year thereafter, each pupil completing grade 12 shall
successfully pass the high school exit examination as a condition
of receiving a diploma of graduation or a condition of graduation
from high school. begin insert Commencing with the 2020-21 school year and
each school year thereafter, each pupil completing grade 12 shall,
in addition to successfully passing the English language arts and
mathematics sections of the high school exit examination,
successfully pass the United States history and government section
of the high school exit examination adopted by the state board
pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 60850. end insert Funding for the
administration of the high school exit examination shall be
provided for in the annual Budget Act. The Superintendent shall
apportion funds appropriated for this purpose to enable school
districts to meet the requirements of this subdivision and
subdivisions (b), (c), and (d). The state board shall establish the
amount of funding to be apportioned per test administered, based
on a review of the cost per test.

(b) Each pupil shall take the high school exit examination in
grade 10 beginning in the 2001-02 school year and may take the
examination during each subsequent administration, until each
section of the examination has been passed. begin insert Commencing with the
2018-19 school year, each pupil shall take the high school exit
examination, including the United States history and government
section adopted by the state board pursuant to subdivision (b) of
Section 60850, in grade 10 and may take the examination during
each subsequent administration, until each section of the
examination has been passed. end insert

(c) (1) At the parent or guardian’s request, a school principal
shall submit a request for a waiver of the requirement to
successfully pass the high school exit examination to the governing
board of the school district for a pupil with a disability who has
taken the high school exit examination with modifications that
alter what the test measures and has received the equivalent of a
passing score on one begin delete or both end delete begin insert , two, or all end insert subject matter parts of
the high school exit examination. A governing board of a school
district may waive the requirement to successfully pass one begin delete or
both end delete begin insert , two, or all end insert subject matter parts of the high school exit
examination for a pupil with a disability if the principal certifies
to the governing board of the school district that the pupil has all
of the following:

(A)  An individualized education program adopted pursuant to
the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
Sec. 1400 et seq.) or a plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the
federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)) in place
that requires the accommodations or modifications to be provided
to the pupil when taking the high school exit examination.

(B)  Sufficient high school level coursework either satisfactorily
completed or in progress in a high school level curriculum
sufficient to have attained the skills and knowledge otherwise
needed to pass the high school exit examination.

(C)  An individual score report for the pupil showing that the
pupil has received the equivalent of a passing score on the high
school exit examination while using a modification that
fundamentally alters what the high school exit examination
measures as determined by the state board.

(2) A school district shall report to the state board, in a manner
and by a date determined by the Superintendent, the number and
characteristics of waivers reviewed, granted, and denied under this
subdivision and any additional information determined to be in
furtherance of this subdivision.

(d) The high school exit examination shall be offered in each
public school and state special school that provides instruction in
grades 10, 11, or 12, on the dates designated by the Superintendent.
An exit examination may not be administered on any date other
than those designated by the Superintendent as examination days
or makeup days.

(e) The results of the high school exit examination shall be
provided to each pupil taking the examination within eight weeks
of the examination administration and in time for the pupil to take
any section of the examination not passed at the next
administration. A pupil shall take again only those parts of the
examination he or she has not previously passed and begin delete may end delete begin insert shall end insert
not retake any portion of the exit examination that he or she has
previously passed.

(f) Supplemental instruction shall be provided to any pupil who
does not demonstrate sufficient progress toward passing the high
school exit examination. To the extent that school districts have
aligned their curriculum with the state academic content standards
adopted by the state board, the curriculum for supplemental
instruction shall reflect those standards and shall be designed to
assist the pupils to succeed on the high school exit examination.
This chapter does not require the provision of supplemental
services using resources that are not regularly available to a school
or school district, including summer school instruction provided
pursuant to Section 37252. In no event shall any action taken as a
result of this subdivision cause or require reimbursement by the
Commission on State Mandates. Sufficient progress shall be
determined on the basis of either of the following:

(1) The results of the assessments administered pursuant to
Article 4 (commencing with Section 60640) of Chapter 5 of Part
33 and the minimum levels of proficiency begin delete recommended end delete begin insert adopted end insert
by the state board pursuant to Section 60648.

(2) The grades of the pupil and other indicators of academic
achievement designated by the school district.

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 6. end insert   

end insert begin insert

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

end insert