California Assembly Bill AB137 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 137AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 19, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 6, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 10, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 14, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Buchanan JANUARY 16, 2013 An act to amend Section 33540 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 137, as amended, Buchanan. Pupil instruction: civics. Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission to review and revise, as necessary, the course requirements in the history-social science framework to ensure that minimum standards for courses in American government and civics include certain matters. This bill would additionally require the commission, when revising the history-social science framework, to ensure that  the course requirements include teaching pupils how to interact, in a practical manner, with state and local governmental agencies and representatives to solve problems and to petition for changes in laws and procedures, and that  these course requirements are  also  included in all history and social science course   courses  and grade levels, as appropriate. The commission would also be required, whenever the  history-social science  framework is revised, to receive input from civics learning experts  ,  for the purpose of integrating civics learning content, concepts, and skills with the standards established by the State Board of Education in core curriculum areas  at all appropriate grade levels  ,  as specified,  and to consider how civics and  learning   history  instruction include the application of that content. The bill would make a statement of legislative intent with regard to the subsequent history-social science framework. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 33540 of the Education Code is amended to read: 33540. (a) The state board and the department shall request that the commission review and revise, as necessary, the course requirements in the history-social science framework developed by the History-Social Science Curriculum Framework and Criteria Committee of the state board to ensure that minimum standards for courses in American government and civics include sufficient attention to teaching pupils how to interact, in a practical manner, with state and local governmental agencies and representatives to solve problems and to petition for changes in laws and procedures and that these course requirements are also included in all history and social science courses and grade levels, as appropriate. (b) Whenever the history-social science framework is revised as required by law, the commission shall do all of the following: (1) Receive input from civics learning experts, including civics education program providers, associations of civics educators, and organizations dedicated to research on civics learning, for the purpose of integrating civics learning content, concepts, and skills, at all appropriate grade levels, with the standards established by the state board in core curriculum areas, as specified in  Section   Sections  60605  and   60605.8 . (2) Consider how civics and history instruction, at all appropriate grade levels, includes, in addition to the acquisition of content knowledge, the application of that content to develop the competence and skills needed for civic engagement. (3) Ensure that the following historical documents are incorporated into the framework, as appropriate: (A) The Declaration of Independence. (B) The United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights. (C) The Federalist Papers. (D) The Emancipation Proclamation. (E) The Gettysburg Address. (F) George Washington's Farewell Address. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature, for purposes of only the history-social science framework that is revised subsequent to the effective date of the act amending this section, that the requirements imposed pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b) may be satisfied under the framework adoption procedures currently being utilized by the department as of January 1, 2014.