Bill Text: CA ACR189 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Civics education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-12 - Referred to Com. on ED. [ACR189 Detail]
Download: California-2021-ACR189-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 189
| Introduced by Assembly Member Mia Bonta |
May 05, 2022 |
Relative to civics education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 189, as introduced, Mia Bonta.
Civics education.
This measure would urge the State Board of Education to consider the value of civics education and ensure the inclusion of civics education instruction and modules as a requirement to graduate from California high schools.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee: YESBill Text
WHEREAS, The State Board of Education adopted the History-Social Science Framework for California Public Schools Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (“HSS Framework” or “Framework”) in July 2016 as an important step forward in the state’s ongoing commitment to ensure that all California students are prepared for college, 21st-century careers, and citizenship; and
WHEREAS, The HSS Framework was designed to provide guidance on how teachers of history-social science and other subject areas should work together to ensure that students are able to develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills as they dive deeper into the content and skills of the disciplines of history, geography, economics, and civics; and
WHEREAS, Section 51225.3 of the Education Code requires a one-semester course in American government and civics for high school graduation; and
WHEREAS, The State Board of Education does not require students to be afforded an opportunity for experience-based learning in civics education or government instruction. Furthermore, no assessment of civic learning exists to determine students’ understanding of and ability to apply history-social science content and skills; and
WHEREAS, Opportunities for high-quality civic education or civic engagement, or both, are not equally or consistently available to all California students, and vary widely by race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status; and
WHEREAS, Civic engagement is critical for the effective functioning of our government; and
WHEREAS, Only one in four Americans can name the three branches of our government and 33 percent of Americans could not name any one of our three branches of government; and
WHEREAS, The State Board of Education revises the HSS Framework every eight years and will review and adopt revised Framework guidance in 2024; and
WHEREAS, California’s History-Social Science content standards are now over 23 years old; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature urges the State Board of Education to consider the value of civics education and ensure the inclusion of civics education instruction and modules as a requirement to graduate from California high schools; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
