Bill Text: CA SB1057 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: Pupil curriculum: history-social science content standards.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2014-09-18 - In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. [SB1057 Detail]

Download: California-2013-SB1057-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 1057	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 10, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Corbett

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2014

   An act to add Section 60605.84 to the Education Code, relating to
pupil curriculum.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1057, as amended, Corbett. Pupil curriculum: history-social
science content standards.
   Existing law provides for the adoption and modification of
academic content standards by the State Board of Education in the
subjects of language arts and mathematics in accordance with
specified procedures.
   This bill would require the state board to adopt history-social
science standards in accordance with specified procedures. The bill
would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a
diversity advisory group, as specified, and, with input from the
diversity advisory group, would require the Superintendent, on or
before March 30, 2016, to recommend history-social science content
standards to the state board. The bill would require the state board
to adopt, reject, or modify the history-social science content
standards on or before July 30, 2016. The bill would require the
Superintendent and the state board, by October 1, 2016, to report
certain information to the Governor and appropriate  policy and
fiscal  committees of the Legislature. The bill would express
legislative findings and declarations relating to history-social
science content standards.
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) In contrast to other subject areas, the state's 16-year-old
history-social science content standards were developed in 1998 and
have failed to keep up with modern research and scholarship.
   (b) There is nothing in current law that requires history-social
science content standards to be reviewed and updated.
   (c) California has long been home to many diverse cultures. As
this diversity has grown, there is a greater need than ever before
for understanding the foundational ideas and philosophy of our
country and the world.
   (d) California's current  K-12   kindergarten
to grade 12, inclusive,  history-social science textbooks
contain outdated and inaccurate information, and reflect negatively
on members of several groups, in violation of existing law. Hinduism,
for instance, is portrayed in an inequitable manner, and Hindus are
depicted negatively and as implicitly inferior to other religious
groups.
   (e) Existing law prohibits the State Board of Education from
adopting any instructional materials for use in schools that contain
any matter reflecting adversely upon persons on the basis of race or
ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, or sexual
orientation.
   (f) The history-social science content standards  must
therefore   therefore must  be rectified to address
concerns of accuracy, rigorous scholarship, equality, diversity,
religious and cultural sensitivity, and adherence to existing law.
Furthermore, the standards should be updated to ensure that they are
consistent with changes to other subjects in California's education
system.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that the revised 
K-12   kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, 
history-social science content standards must be equitable in their
coverage and depiction of any world religion, ethnicity, race,
culture, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or disability
status and that no group shall be portrayed negatively or as inferior
based on any of these characteristics.
   (h) It is the intent of the Legislature that the process to update
the  K-12   kindergarten to grade 12,
inclusive,  history-social science content standards be fair,
transparent, and inclusive. 
   (i) It is the intent of the Legislature that the diversity
advisory group created pursuant to Senate Bill 1057 at the 2013-14
Regular Session must be a body that reflects the diversity of the
state, including groups or individuals who represent the perspectives
of all major religions, ethnicities, races, cultures, genders,
sexual orientations, and disability statuses.  
   (i) 
    (j)  It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a
schedule and process for the review and revision, as necessary, of
the state's history-social science content standards.
  SEC. 2.  Section 60605.84 is added to the Education Code,
immediately following Section 60605.8, to read:
   60605.84.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the state board
shall adopt history-social science content standards pursuant to the
following requirements:
   (1) The Superintendent, in consultation with the state board,
shall convene a diversity advisory group. The Superintendent shall
ensure that the members of the diversity advisory group include, but
are not limited to,  individuals who  all of the
following: 
    (A)     Individuals who  are scholars
in  and represent the perspectives of all  major religious,
ethnic, racial, and cultural  groups, individuals who
  groups. 
    (B)     Individuals who  represent the
perspectives of all  major religions, ethnicities, races,
cultures,  genders, sexual orientations, and disability 
status, as well as individuals who   statuses. 
    (C)     Individuals who  are
elementary and secondary history-social science teachers, schoolsite
principals, school district or county office of education
administrators, and university professors.  The 
    (2)     The  Superintendent, with
input from the diversity advisory group  convened pursuant to
paragraph (1)  , shall recommend history-social science content
standards for adoption to the state board. 
   (2) 
    (3)  The Superintendent shall hold a minimum of two
public meetings 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) in order for the public
to provide input on the history-social science content standards
that would be recommended pursuant to paragraph (1). 
   (3) 
    (4)  The Superintendent shall present the recommended
history-social science content standards to the state board on or
before March 30, 2016. 
   (4) 
    (5)  On or before July 30, 2016, the state board shall
adopt, reject, or modify the history-social science content standards
presented by the Superintendent. 
   (5) 
    (6)  If the state board modifies the history-social
science content standards presented by the Superintendent, the state
board shall provide written reasons for its modifications in a public
meeting. The state board shall adopt its modifications to the
history-social science content standards at a subsequent public
meeting held no later than July 30, 2016. The public meetings
required by this paragraph shall be 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).

   (b) (1) On or before October 1, 2016, the Superintendent and the
state board shall present to the Governor and the appropriate policy
and fiscal committees of the Legislature a schedule and
implementation plan for integrating the history-social science
content standards adopted pursuant to this section into the state
educational system.
   (2) The requirement for submitting the report required pursuant to
this subdivision is inoperative on October 1, 2020, pursuant to
Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.