Bill Text: CA AB455 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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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-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 455	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Medina
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Quirk)

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2013

   An act to amend Sections 56351.8 and 56351.9 of the Education
Code, relating to pupil instruction.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 455, as introduced, Medina. Pupil instruction: special
education: braille reading and mathematics standards.
   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 require those standards to be aligned to the
common core academic content standards and would require the task
force to report the new standards to the state board by March 1,
2015.
   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 visually impaired pupils that are
aligned to the common core academic content standards by June 1,
2015. The bill would require county offices of education, school
districts, and special education local plan areas to provide visually
impaired pupils opportunities for instruction to master those
standards adopted by the state board, thereby imposing a
state-mandated local program.
   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.  Section 56351.8 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
   56351.8.  (a) The Superintendent shall utilize the advisory task
force 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, 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 task force shall, by March 1,  2006  
2015  , report to the state board with the standards it
develops pursuant to subdivision (a).
  SEC. 2.  Section 56351.9 of the Education Code is amended to read:
   56351.9.  (a) By June 1,  2006   2015  ,
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 provide to pupils described in
subdivision (a) opportunities for instruction to master the braille
reading and mathematics standards described in subdivision (a).
  SEC. 3.  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.