California Senate Bill SB318 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: SB 318AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 23, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Senator Morrell  (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members   Brown   and Obernolte  )  FEBRUARY 23, 2015 An act to add and repeal Section 33134  to   of  the Education Code, relating to education technology, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 318, as amended, Morrell. Education technology and digital resources training pilot program. (1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. This bill would appropriate, for the 2015-16 fiscal year, $1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to be allocated to  specified   applicant  local educational agencies for the purpose of implementing a pilot program  in the County of San Bernardino County  to train kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, teachers to more effectively utilize technology and digital resources within their instructional day, while also measuring and teaching the critical 21st century skills pupils need to succeed on California's next-generation online assessments, as well as to prepare pupils for college and career objectives, thereby making an appropriation. The bill would require the Superintendent to develop an application process for the allocation of funds appropriated for the implementation of the pilot program  to be limited   that gives priority  to  applicant  local educational agencies  servicing the County of San Bernardino.   that serve a large percentage of pupils eligible for free or reduced   -price meals.  The bill would authorize any local educational agency  servicing the County of San Bernardino   in the state  to apply to the Superintendent for funding to implement the pilot program, as specified. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2020.  (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the county of San Bernardino.   (3)   (2)  Funds appropriated by this bill would be applied toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 33134 is added to the Education Code, to read: 33134. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, for the 2015-16 fiscal year, one million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be appropriated from the General Fund to the Superintendent to be allocated to local educational agencies  servicing the County of San Bernardino  who apply for the purpose of implementing a pilot program to train kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, teachers to more effectively utilize technology and digital resources within their instructional day, while also measuring and teaching the critical 21st century skills pupils need to succeed on California's next-generation online assessments, as well as to prepare pupils for college and career objectives. (b) (1) The Superintendent shall develop an application process for the allocation of funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a)  limited   that gives priority  to  applicant  local educational agencies  servicing the County of San Bernardino.   that serve a large percentage of pupils eligible for free or reduced-price meals.  (2) Any local educational agency  servicing the county of San Bernardino   in the state  may apply for funding from the Superintendent to implement the pilot program described in subdivision (a), and subject to the requirements of subdivision (c). (c) (1) The pilot program shall  be operated in the County of San Bernardino County and  focus on teachers working with underserved populations. (2) The pilot program  shall   may  include the ability to measure 21st century skills of teachers and pupils using the international standards defined by the International Society for Technology in Education. The skills to be measured  shall   may  include, but  shall  not be limited to, all of the following: (A) Creativity and innovation. (B) Communication and collaboration. (C) Research and information fluency. (D) Critical thinking and problem solving. (E) Digital citizenship. (F) Technology operations and concepts. (3) The pilot program shall provide professional development for teachers to ensure that  these   21st century  skills are  met  developed  and that assistance is provided when these skills are not  met.   developed.  (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2020, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends that date.  SEC. 2.   The Legislature finds and declares that this act, which is applicable only to the County of San Bernardino, is necessary because this act will serve as a pilot program for training kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, teachers to, among other things, more effectively utilize technology and digital resources within their instructional day.   SEC. 3.   The Legislature finds and declares that a special law is necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the need to enact this act on a trial basis only, applied to one appropriately large and diverse county, before extending the act to every county in the state.