Bill Text: CA AB455 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Pupil instruction: special education: blind and visually impaired pupils: Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing pupils.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-06-25 - In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. [AB455 Detail]
Download: California-2013-AB455-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 455 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 15, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 24, 2013
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 9, 2013
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 3, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Medina
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Quirk)
FEBRUARY 19, 2013
An act to amend Sections 56351.7, 56351.8, and 56351.9 of, and to
add Article 3.6 (commencing with Section 56355) to Chapter 4 of Part
30 of Division 4 of Title 2 of, the Education Code, relating to pupil
instruction.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 455, as amended, Medina. Pupil instruction: special education:
blind and visually impaired pupils: deaf and hard-of-hearing
pupils. Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing pupils.
(1) Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to form an advisory task force to develop standards for the mastery
of the braille code as a child progresses through kindergarten and
grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law requires the Superintendent
to utilize this advisory task force to develop standards for visually
impaired pupils to learn, and achieve mastery of, the braille
mathematics code, and requires the task force to report those
standards to the State Board of Education by March 1, 2006.
This bill would replace the advisory task force with a group of
experts on the blind and visually impaired, as described, and would
require the Superintendent, upon consultation with the group of
experts, to develop standards that are aligned to the common core
academic content standards for blind and visually impaired pupils to
learn, and achieve the mastery of and literacy in, the braille code
and the braille mathematics code. The bill would require the
Superintendent to recommend those standards to the state board by
March 30, 2015. May 31, 2016.
This bill would additionally require the Superintendent, upon
consultation with a group of experts on the Deaf and
hard-of-hearing, or Hard-of-Hearing, to develop
standards that are aligned to the common core academic content
standards, for Deaf and hard-of-hearing or
Hard-of-Hearing pupils to learn, and achieve the mastery of and
literacy in, American Sign Language as a pupil progresses through
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. The bill would require
the Superintendent to recommend these standards to the state board by
March 30, 2015. May 31, 2016.
(2) Existing law requires the state board to adopt braille reading
and mathematics standards for visually impaired pupils by June 1,
2006.
This bill would require the state board to adopt braille reading
and mathematics standards for blind and visually impaired pupils that
are aligned to the common core academic content standards by June
30, 2015, 2016, as specified. The bill
would require authorize county offices
of education, school districts, and special education local plan
areas to provide blind and visually impaired pupils opportunities for
instruction to master the standards adopted by the state
board, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.
board. The bill would specify that the standards are to be
advisory and are not intended to interfere with a pupil's
individualized education program.
This bill would also require the state board to adopt American
Sign Language standards for Deaf and hard-of-hearing
or Hard-of-Hearing pupils that are aligned to
the common core academic content standards by June 30, 2015,
2016, as specified. The bill would
require authorize county offices of education,
school districts, and special education local plan areas to provide
Deaf and hard-of-hearing or Hard-of-Hearing
pupils opportunities for instruction to master the standards
adopted by the state board, thereby imposing a
state-mandated local program. board. The bill would
specify that the standards are to be advisory and are not intended to
interfere with a pupil's individualized education program.
(3) 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 no .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 56351.7 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
56351.7. (a) The Superintendent shall consult with a group of
experts on the blind and visually impaired to develop standards that
are aligned to the common core academic content standards to learn,
and achieve the mastery of and literacy in, the braille code as a
pupil progresses through kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(b) The group of experts shall include, but shall not be limited
to, members representing all of the following:
(1) Parents of blind and visually impaired pupils.
(2) Teachers of blind and visually impaired pupils who are
currently and actively engaged in the teaching of braille .
(3) Researchers in the field of blindness and visual impairment.
(4) Curriculum and instructional specialists with experience with
blind and visually impaired pupils.
(5) Groups that advocate for the teaching of, and the use of,
braille.
(5) Blind persons or organizations who use and promote the reading
and writing of braille.
(c) At least one-half of the members of the group of experts shall
be currently employed public schoolteachers.
(d) The Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the state
board regarding the standards developed pursuant to subdivision (a)
by March 30, 2015. May 31, 2016.
SEC. 2. Section 56351.8 of the Education Code is amended to read:
56351.8. (a) The Superintendent shall consult with the group of
experts established pursuant to Section 56351.7 to develop standards
that are aligned to the common core academic content standards for
pupils described in subdivision (b) to learn, and to achieve mastery
of and literacy in, the braille mathematics code as they progress
through kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(b) The standards described in subdivision (a) shall be developed
for pupils who, due to a visual impairment, are functionally blind or
may be expected to have a need to learn the braille code as their
primary literacy mode for learning.
(c) The Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the state
board regarding the standards developed pursuant to subdivision (a)
by March 30, 2015. May 31, 2016.
SEC. 3. Section 56351.9 of the Education Code is amended to read:
56351.9. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), by June 30,
2015, 2016, the state board shall adopt
braille reading and mathematics standards that are aligned to the
common core academic content standards for pupils who, due to a
visual impairment, are functionally blind or may be expected to have
a need to learn the braille code as their primary literacy mode for
learning.
(b) County offices of education, school districts, and special
education local plan areas shall may
provide to pupils described in subdivision (a) opportunities for
instruction to master the braille reading and mathematics standards
adopted by the state board. The standards shall be advisory and
are not intended to interfere with a pupil's individualized education
program.
(c) (1) The state board shall, if it revises braille reading or
mathematics standards recommended by the Superintendent, provide
written reasons for the revisions at a regularly scheduled public
meeting held pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9
(commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(2) The state board shall adopt the revised braille reading and
mathematics standards at a meeting subsequent to the meeting held
pursuant to paragraph (1) but no later than August 31, 2015.
July 31, 2016.
SEC. 4. Article 3.6 (commencing with Section 56355) is added to
Chapter 4 of Part 30 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
to read:
Article 3.6. Individualized Education Program for Deaf
and Hard-of-hearing or Hard-of-Hearing
Pupils
56355. (a) The Superintendent shall consult with a group of
experts on the Deaf and hard-of-hearing or
Hard-of-Hearing to develop standards that are aligned to the
common core academic content standards to learn, and achieve the
mastery of and literacy in, American Sign Language as a pupil
progresses through kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(b) The group of experts shall include, but shall not be limited
to, members representing all of the following:
(1) Parents of Deaf and hard-of-hearing pupils.
pupils who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing.
(2) Teachers of Deaf and hard-of-hearing pupils.
pupils who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing.
(3) Researchers in the field of deafness and auditory impairment.
(4) Curriculum and instructional specialists with experience with
Deaf and hard-of-hearing pupils. pupils who
are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing.
(5) Groups that advocate for the teaching of, and the use of,
American Sign Language.
(c) At least one-half of the members of the group of experts shall
be currently employed public schoolteachers.
(d) The standards described in subdivision (a) shall be developed
for pupils who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing
Hard-of-Hearing and who use American Sign
Language as their primary language or literacy access mode.
mode, as defined in the pupil's individualized
education program.
(e) The Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the state
board regarding the standards developed pursuant to subdivision (a)
by March 30, 2015. May 31, 2016.
56356. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), by June 30,
2015, 20 16, the state board
shall adopt American Sign Language literacy standards that are
aligned to the common core academic content standards for pupils who
are Deaf or hard-of-hearing Hard-of-Hearing
and use American Sign Language as their primary language or
literacy access mode. mode, as defined in the
pupil's individualized education program. The standards are intended
for pupils who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing, do not use American Sign
Language as their primary language, and instead access a general
education curriculum by use of amplification, residual hearing,
listen and spoken language, cued speech, or sign supported speech.
(b) County offices of education, school districts, and special
education local plan areas shall may
provide to pupils described in subdivision (a) opportunities for
instruction to master the American Sign Language literacy standards
adopted by the state board. The standards shall be advisory and
are not intended to interfere with a pupil's individualized education
program.
(c) (1) The state board shall, if it revises American Sign
Language literacy standards recommended by the Superintendent,
provide written reasons for the revisions at a regularly scheduled
public meeting held pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act
(Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of
Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(2) The state board shall adopt the revised standards at a meeting
subsequent to the meeting held pursuant to paragraph (1) but no
later than August 31, 2015. July 31, 2016.
SEC. 5. 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.
