SB 1008, as introduced, Wyland. Science education: science curriculum.
The California Constitution requires the Legislature to encourage by all suitable means the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral, and agricultural improvement. Under existing law, the Legislature finds and declares that improved science education in elementary and secondary schools contributes to improvements in pupil performance. Existing law provides for the establishment by the University of California, upon approval by the regents, of the California Science Project for purposes of providing science education to public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary school personnel located in rural, urban, and suburban areas throughout the state.
This bill would make specified findings and declarations, and would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education to consider ways to increase the number of pupils who go to college and graduate with degrees in the various scientific and engineering fields. The bill would require the Superintendent and the state board to direct the appropriate entity to revise the science teaching frameworks and standards, as specified, and to incorporate in the science curriculum applied mathematics, reading comprehension, expository writing, analytical, intellectual, and creative skills, and engineering elements.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares both of the
2following:
3(a) Science and technical innovation is critical for the future of
4California.
5(b) California is not producing enough scientists and engineers
6to meet the challenges that businesses located in this state will face
7in the global competition of the future.
Section 52952 is added to the Education Code, to read:
(a) The Superintendent and the state board shall
10consider ways to increase the number of pupils who go to college
11and graduate with degrees in the various scientific and engineering
12fields, including either of the following:
13(1) Recruiting more science teachers through incentives and
14public-private partnerships designed to encourage pupils to go to
15college, major in science and related fields, and enter teaching
16careers.
17(2) Encouraging businesses in the private sector to participate
18in educating pupils and in offering them exposure to possible
19careers in the science and engineering fields.
20(b) To increase the number
of pupils who go to college and
21graduate with degrees in the various scientific and engineering
22fields, the Superintendent and the state board shall direct the
23appropriate entity to do the following:
24(1) Revise the science teaching frameworks and standards, if
25necessary, to reflect the model curriculum developed by
26organizations of outstanding scientists, such as the National
27Academy of Sciences.
28(2) Incorporate in the science curriculum applied mathematics,
29reading comprehension, and expository writing in describing
30observations and experiments.
31(3) Incorporate in the science curriculum analytical, intellectual,
32and creative skills required to pose and investigate scientific
33questions.
P3 1(4) Incorporate in the science curriculum engineering elements
2in a
manner designed to engage pupils.
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