BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1172
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 1172 (Steinberg)
As Amended August 18, 2014
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :35-0
EDUCATION 6-0 HEALTH 16-0
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|Ayes:|Buchanan, Olsen, |Ayes:|Maienschein, Bonilla, |
| |Gonzalez, Nazarian, | |Bonta, Chesbro, Gomez, |
| |Weber, Williams | |Gonzalez, Roger |
| | | |Hern�ndez, Lowenthal, |
| | | |Mansoor, Nazarian, |
| | | |Waldron, Patterson, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, |
| | | |Wagner, Wieckowski |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, | | |
| |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian | | |
| |Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, | | |
| |Holden, Jones, Linder, | | |
| |Pan, Quirk, | | |
| |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, | | |
| |Weber | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Deletes the existing vision screening requirements and
instead, requires, during the kindergarten year or upon first
enrollment or entry in a California school district of a pupil
at an elementary school, and in grades 2, 5, and 8, the pupil's
vision to be appraised by the school nurse or other authorized
person. Specifically, this bill :
1)Specifies that a pupil whose first enrollment or entry occurs
in grade 4 or 7 shall not be required to be appraised in the
year immediately following the pupil's first enrollment or
SB 1172
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entry.
2)Requires the appraisal to include tests for visual acuity,
including near vision, and color vision; however, color vision
shall be appraised once and only on male pupils, and the
results of the appraisal shall be entered in the health record
of the pupil; and, color vision appraisal need not begin until
the male pupil has reached the first grade.
3)Requires continual and regular observation of the pupil's
eyes, appearance, behavior, visual performance, and perception
that may indicate vision difficulties to be done by the school
nurse and the classroom teacher.
4)Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to adopt
guidelines for implementation, including training requirements
and a method of testing for near vision.
5)Makes a Legislative finding that access to vision care has
been expanded with implementation of the federal Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act; and, expresses legislative
intent that families be encouraged to utilize the vision care
benefits in order to identify vision difficulties that
interfere with reading and learning, and that vision screening
is performed by appropriately trained professionals.
6)Adds double jointing language to avoid chaptering out
provisions contained in AB 1840 (Campos) of the current
legislative session.
EXISTING LAW requires upon first enrollment of a child at a
California elementary school, and at least every third year
thereafter until the child has completed the eighth grade, the
child's vision shall be appraised by the school nurse or other
authorized person.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1)Minor/absorbable costs to CDE to update the existing vision
screening guide.
2)Unknown, potentially significant reimbursable state mandated
costs for school districts to administer additional vision
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screenings and to expand the scope of the screenings to
include near vision.
According to the Commission on State Mandates (CSM), there are
no pending test claims nor is there a past mandate
determination on the current vision screening requirements.
This bill requires additional screenings and expands the scope
of screenings. If a test claim is submitted, the CSM would
need to determine if the requirements of the bill constitute a
higher level of service. For illustration, if one-third of
the nearly 1,000 school districts claimed the $1,000 minimum
mandate, state costs could be approximately $300,000.
COMMENTS : This bill moves up the timeframe for vision screening
in schools so students are tested in either kindergarten or
first grade (whichever year they first enroll) and again in
second grade. The bill does not require additional years of
testing, but simply moves the third grade screening to second
grade. This bill also requires tests for near vision, which is
currently recommended but not required as an additional
procedure in the CDE's Guide for Vision Testing in California
Public Schools. CDE's guidance specifically recommends and
describes a Hyperopia test, which is used for assessing
near-distance vision at least once, preferably in kindergarten
or first grade. This bill requires the CDE to adopt guidelines
to implement this bill, including a method of testing for near
vision.
Eye Observation: School nurses and classroom teachers are
currently required to observe student's eyes, visual
performance, and perception. This bill adds the requirement
that nurses and teachers also observe the appearance and
behavior of student's eyes on a continual basis, which is
recommended in existing CDE guidance. Further, this bill
requires the CDE to adopt guidelines to implement this bill,
including training requirements.
According to the author, "Currently school nurses only screen
students for distance vision. Senator Steinberg believes that
statutory authority is necessary to allow them to be trained to
screen for near vision. In addition, SB 1172 ensures that there
is uniformity of training and methodology by requiring the
California Department of Education (CDE), to adopt guidelines to
implement the near vision screening.
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"The author believes that near vision deficiencies may be
interfering with a child's ability to read. Research has shown
third grade reading scores are highly correlated with later
academic success. Some research indicates that reading
proficiency at the end of third grade marks the transition for
'learning to read' to 'reading to learn.' While the primary
factors that led to low-level of reading skills among low-income
children were socioeconomic factors and the studies found that
preschool programs reversed this trend, the lack of health care
was also identified as a factor. Lack of health care could
result in undiagnosed vision problems."
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0004755