Bill Text: CA SB532 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Pupil instruction: high school curriculum: advanced
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-09-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 238, Statutes of 2011. [SB532 Detail]
Download: California-2011-SB532-Amended.html
Bill Title: Pupil instruction: high school curriculum: advanced
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-09-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 238, Statutes of 2011. [SB532 Detail]
Download: California-2011-SB532-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 532 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 12, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 26, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 21, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Senator Hernandez (Coauthor: Senator Price) FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to amend Section 52240 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 532, as amended, Hernandez. Pupil instruction: high school curriculum. (1) Existing law contains legislative findings and declarations stating that advanced placement courses, among other things, help to improve the overall curriculum at schools where they are provided and provide a cost-effective means for high school pupils to obtain college-level coursework experience. This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction annually to update the information on advanced placement available on the Internet Web site of the State Department of Education to include current information on the various means available to school districts to offer or access advanced placement courses, including online courses, and annually to communicate with high schools that offer advanced placement courses in fewer than 5 subjects and inform them of the various options for making advanced placement courses and other rigorous courses available to pupils who may benefit from them. (2) Existing law authorizes a system of incentives to encourage high schools to operate International Baccalaureate Diploma Programs, and to encourage pupils in these schools to enroll in, attempt, and pass the International Baccalaureate course of study and examinations that lead to the International Baccalaureate Diploma. This bill would encourage the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges, the Academic Senate of the California State University, and the Academic Senate of the University of California to continue their efforts to adopt consistent systemwide guidelines for the acceptance and granting of credit for International Baccalaureate Diploma Program courses taken by students while they are in high school. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 52240 of the Education Code is amended to read: 52240. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following: (1) Advanced placement courses, for which school credit is awarded, provide rigorous academic coursework opportunities for high school pupils and help to improve the overall curriculum at schools where those courses are provided. (2) The successful completion of advanced placement courses and the subsequent advanced placement examinations, which are conducted by the College Entrance Examination Board and for which college credit is awarded, provide a cost-effective means for high school pupils to obtain college-level coursework experience. (3) To the extent that economically disadvantaged pupils are provided financial assistance to take advanced placement examinations, they will be provided with successful college-level experience and be encouraged to pursue postsecondary education opportunities.(b) It is the intent of the Legislature, therefore, that certain state funding that currently is provided to school districts be made available to provide financial assistance to economically disadvantaged pupils for the payment of advanced placement examination fees. It is further the intent of the Legislature that a competitive grant program also be established for the purpose of awarding grants to economically disadvantaged pupils to cover the costs of advanced placement examination fees, thereby creating a second source of financial assistance for economically disadvantaged pupils taking advanced placement examinations.(c)(b) The Superintendent annually shall update the information on advanced placement available on the department's Internet Web site to include current information on the various means available to school districts to offer or access advanced placement courses, including online courses. The Superintendent annually shall communicate with high schools that offer advanced placement courses in fewer than five subjects, and inform them of the various options for making advanced placement courses and other rigorous courses available to pupils who may benefit from them. SEC. 2. The Legislature encourages the Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges, the Academic Senate of the California State University, and the Academic Senate of the University of California to continue their efforts to adopt consistent systemwide guidelines for the acceptance and granting of credit for International Baccalaureate Diploma Program courses taken by students while they are in high school.