Bill Text: CA AB524 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: School curriculum: coursework for high school graduation: service learning.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2016-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB524 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB524-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 524	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Low

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2015

   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 524, as amended, Low. School curriculum:  volunteer
community service.  social studies: service learning.
 
    Existing 
    (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  state the intent of the Legislature to
enact legislation that would require pupils to complete volunteer
community service in order for middle school pupils to transition to
high school and for pupils to graduate from high school. 
 express legislative findings and declarations relating to
service learning. The bill would additionally require   ,
commencing with the high school class graduating during the 
 2020-21 school year, and for the high school classes graduating
in each subsequent school year, at least one of the social studies
classes completed by a pupil to satisfy the graduation requirements
referenced above to have a service learning component.  
   The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
develop curriculum standards for social studies 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 July 1, 2016, and for the
state board to adopt curriculum standards that incorporate a service
learning component into social studies courses on or before January
1, 2017.  
   The bill would require these curriculum standards to be
implemented by school districts, commencing with the 2017-18 school
year, as a component of social studies 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 constitute 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:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program:  no
  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 social studies courses that incorporate a service
learning component in order to satisfy the requirements of
subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) 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) The Superintendent shall submit the proposed curriculum
standards developed under subdivision (a) to the state board for its
review on or before July 1, 2016. The state board shall adopt
curriculum standards that incorporate a service learning component
into social studies courses on or before January 1, 2017. These
curriculum standards shall be implemented by school districts,
commencing with the 2017-18 school year, as a component of social
studies courses in order to satisfy the requirements of subparagraph
(D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 51225.3. 
   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 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.  Commencing with the high
school class graduating during the 2020-21 school year, and for the
high school classes graduating in each subsequent school year, at
least one of the classes completed by a pupil to satisfy the
requirements of this subparagraph shall have a service learning
component. 
   (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.
   (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.  
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
to enact legislation that would require pupils to complete volunteer
community service in order for middle school pupils to transition to
high school and for pupils to graduate from high school.