California Assembly Bill AB1033 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1033AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 31, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Feuer FEBRUARY 18, 2011 An act  to add Sections 60605.10 and 60605.11 to the Education Code,  relating to academic content standards. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1033, as amended, Feuer. Academic content standards.  Existing   (1)     Existing  law requires the State Board of Education to adopt statewide content and performance standards in the core curriculum areas of reading, writing, mathematics, history/social science, and science, as specified. Existing law authorizes the state board to modify any proposed content standards or performance standards prior to adoption, and to adopt content and performance standards in individual core curriculum areas as those standards are submitted to the state board.  This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to permit the Superintendent of Public Instruction to recommend to the state board a process for the ongoing update of content standards in the areas of science, history/social science, and other subjects.   Existing law requires the state board also to adopt standards for school library services, visual and performing arts, physical education, foreign languages, and English language development. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to coordinate the development of model curriculum standards for the course of study required for high school graduation and for a career technical education course of study necessary to assist school districts with complying with existing law.   This bill would authorize the Superintendent to recommend to the state board a schedule for reviewing and modifying the standards described above and to recommend modifications to those standards. The bill would authorize the state board to approve or modify the schedule recommended by the Superintendent and to modify the standards. If the state board modifies the standards, the bill would require the state board to explain, in writing, to the Governor and the Legislature the reasons for making modifications. The bill would require the state board to ensure that the rigor of the standards is maintained. The bill would make implementation of these provisions contingent on an appropriation of funding for that purpose in the annual Budget Act.   (2) Existing law establishes the Academic Content Standards Commission and requires the commission to develop internationally benchmarked academic content standards, at least 85% of which are required to be the common core academic standards developed by the Common Core State Standards Initiative consortium or another specified interstate collaboration. Existing law requires the commission to present its recommended academic content standards to the state board and requires the state board by August 2, 2010, to either adopt the standards proposed by the commission or reject them.   This bill would require the Superintendent to recommend to the state board, and the state board to approve, modifications to the state-adopted common core standards. If the state board modifies those standards, the bill would require the state board to explain, in writing, to the Governor and the Legislature the reasons for making those modifications. The bill would require the state board to ensure the rigor of the state common core standards is maintained and that all of the common core standards developed by the consortium or interstate collaboration be adopted. The bill would require that modifications, including additions and revisions, amount to no more than 15% of the common core standards adopted by the state board.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 60605.10 is added to the   Education Code  , to read:   60605.10. (a) The Superintendent may recommend to the state board a schedule for reviewing the standards adopted pursuant to Sections 18101, 51226, 60605, 60605.1, 60605.2, 60605.3, and 60811 and may recommend modifications to those standards. The state board may approve or modify the schedule recommended by the Superintendent and may modify the standards. If the state board modifies the standards, it shall explain, in writing, to the Governor and the Legislature the reasons for making those modifications. (b) The recommendations of the Superintendent and modifications made by the state board shall ensure that the rigor of the standards listed in subdivision (a) is maintained. (c) Implementation of this section is contingent on an appropriation of funding for that purpose in the annual Budget Act.   SEC. 2.   Section 60605.11 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   60605.11. (a) The Superintendent may recommend to the state board, and the state board may approve, modifications to the common core standards adopted by the state board pursuant to Section 60605.8. If the state board modifies the common core standards recommended by the Academic Content Standards Commission, it shall explain, in writing, to the Governor and the Legislature the reasons for making those modifications. (b) The recommendations of the Superintendent and modifications of the common core standards that are approved by the state board shall ensure all of the following: (1) The rigor of the state common core standards is maintained so that all high school graduates are prepared for college and careers, as specified in the common core standards. (2) All of the common core standards developed by the consortium or interstate collaboration set forth in Section 60605.7 are adopted. (3) Modifications, including additions and revisions, amount to no more than 15 percent of the common core standards adopted by the state board.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to permit the Superintendent of Public Instruction to recommend to the State Board of Education a process for the ongoing update of content standards in the areas of science, history/social science, and other subjects.