Bill Text: CA AB1689 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: School curriculum: coursework for high school graduation: service learning.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Failed) 2016-11-30 - From committee without further action. [AB1689 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB1689-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 1689 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Low
(Coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty)
JANUARY 21, 2016
An act to amend Section 51225.3 of, and to add Section 51221.1 to,
the Education Code, relating to school curriculum.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1689, as introduced, Low. School curriculum: coursework for
high school graduation: service learning.
(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.
Existing law prescribes the course of study a pupil is required to
complete while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a
diploma of graduation from high school. These requirements include
the completion of 3 courses in social studies, including one-year
courses in United States history and geography and world history,
culture, and geography, and one-semester courses in American
government and economics.
This bill would express legislative findings and declarations
relating to service learning. The bill would additionally require,
commencing with the high school class graduating during the 2021-22
school year, and for the high school classes graduating in each
subsequent school year, at least one of the courses completed by a
pupil to satisfy the graduation requirements referenced above to have
a service learning component. The bill would define "service
learning" for this purpose.
The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
develop curriculum standards for courses that incorporate a service
learning component in order to satisfy the requirements of this bill.
The bill would require the Superintendent to consult with leaders of
community organizations, pupils, parents, classroom teachers, school
administrators, postsecondary educators, representatives of business
and industry, and other persons with knowledge or experience the
Superintendent deems appropriate to the task of developing these
curriculum standards. The bill would require the Superintendent to
submit these proposed curriculum standards to the State Board of
Education on or before March 1, 2018, and for the state board to
adopt or reject curriculum standards that incorporate a service
learning component into courses on or before July 1, 2018.
If the state board adopts these proposed curriculum standards, the
bill would require the curriculum standards to be implemented by
school districts, commencing with the 2018-19 school year, as a
component of courses in order to satisfy the graduation requirements
enacted by this bill. To the extent the implementation of these
curriculum standards would impose new duties on school districts,
this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) California has been a national leader in promoting service and
volunteerism, including support for youth service and the
conservation corps, service learning, and statewide mentor
initiatives.
(b) Service learning is a powerful instructional strategy for
improving the educational performance of pupils, along with
contributing to the development of character, values, self-esteem,
civic responsibility, and knowledge of local community issues and
concerns.
(c) This act is based on the results of numerous research studies
that identify the following benefits associated with pupils who
engage in quality service learning programs infusing well-planned
service activity into the school curriculum, including, but not
necessarily limited to, all of the following:
(1) Pupil academic achievement increases, as demonstrated by
higher standardized test scores and by higher grade point averages.
(2) Pupils are less likely to drop out of school.
(3) Pupils are less likely to have discipline problems, or to
engage in behaviors that lead to pregnancy or arrest.
(4) Pupils are likely to maintain higher attendance rates in
school.
(5) Pupils are more likely to develop a sense of civic
responsibility and an ethic of service in their communities.
(6) Pupils report greater acceptance of cultural diversity and
show increased awareness of cultural differences, including positive
attitudes toward helping others.
(7) Pupils show increases in measures of personal and social
responsibility, perceive themselves to be more socially competent,
and are more likely to increase their sense of self-esteem and
self-efficacy.
(d) This act is intended to promote volunteer service performed by
pupils, since research has demonstrated many positive outcomes of
pupil volunteer service, including, but not necessarily limited to,
all of the following:
(1) Senior pupils who are engaged in volunteer work, whether
through school or on their own, are likely to have significantly
higher civics assessment scale scores than pupils who did not
participate in volunteer work as reported by the National Assessment
of Educational Progress in 1998.
(2) Community leaders report that service learning partnerships
help build more positive community attitudes toward youth.
(3) Schools that support service learning and community service
are more likely to have positive relationships with their community.
SEC. 2. Section 51221.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:
51221.1. (a) The Superintendent shall develop curriculum
standards for courses that incorporate a service learning component
in order to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision
(a) of Section 51225.3. In developing the curriculum standards under
this section, the Superintendent shall consult with leaders of
community organizations, pupils, parents, classroom teachers, school
administrators, postsecondary educators, representatives of business
and industry, and other persons with knowledge or experience the
Superintendent deems appropriate to the task of developing these
curriculum standards. The persons the Superintendent consults with
pursuant to this section shall represent, as much as feasible, the
diverse regions and socioeconomic communities of this state.
(b) (1) The Superintendent shall submit the proposed curriculum
standards developed under subdivision (a) to the state board for its
review on or before March 1, 2018. The state board shall adopt or
reject curriculum standards that incorporate a service learning
component into courses on or before July 1, 2018. If the state board
adopts the proposed curriculum standards, the curriculum standards
shall be implemented by school districts, commencing with the 2018-19
school year, as a component of courses in order to satisfy the
requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 51225.3.
(2) If the state board rejects the curriculum standards proposed
under this subdivision, the state board shall submit a written
explanation of the reasons why the proposed curriculum standards were
rejected to the Superintendent, the Legislature, and the Governor.
SEC. 3. Section 51225.3 of the Education Code, as amended by
Section 2 of Chapter 888 of the Statutes of 2014, is amended to read:
51225.3. (a) A pupil shall complete coursework in accordance
with all of the following while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive,
in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school:
(1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
otherwise specified:
(A) Three courses in English.
(B) Two courses in mathematics. If the governing board of a school
district requires more than two courses in mathematics for
graduation, the governing board of the school district may award a
pupil up to one mathematics course credit pursuant to Section
51225.35.
(C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
sciences.
(D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
one-semester course in American government and civics; and a
one-semester course in economics.
(E) One course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.
For purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this
subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be deemed a
course in foreign language.
(F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.
(2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing board
of the school district.
(3) (A) Commencing with the high school class graduating during
the 2021-22 school year, and for the high school classes graduating
in each subsequent school year, at least one of the courses completed
by a pupil to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision shall
have a service learning component.
(B) For purposes of this subdivision, "service learning" is
defined as follows:
(i) It is a method through which pupils or participants learn and
develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized
service that: (I) is conducted in, and meets the needs of, a
community; (II) is coordinated with a secondary school and with the
community; and (III) helps foster civic responsibility.
(ii) It is a method that: (I) is integrated into, and enhances,
the standards-based academic curriculum of the pupils; and (II)
provides structured time for the pupils or participants to reflect on
the service experience.
(b) The governing board, board of the
school district, with the active involvement of parents,
administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means
for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may
include practical demonstration of skills and competencies,
supervised work experience or other outside school experience, career
technical education classes offered in high schools, courses offered
by regional occupational centers or programs, interdisciplinary
study, independent study, and credit earned at a postsecondary
educational institution. Requirements for graduation and specified
alternative modes for completing the prescribed course of study shall
be made available to pupils, parents, and the public.
(c) If a pupil completed a career technical education course that
met the requirements of subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of
subdivision (a) of Section 51225.3, as amended by the act adding this
section, before the inoperative date of that section, that course
shall be deemed to fulfill the requirements of subparagraph (E) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of this section.
(d) This section shall become operative upon the date that Section
51225.3, as amended by the act adding this section, becomes
inoperative.
SEC. 4. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.
