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SB-611 Instructional strategies: subject matter projects.(2003-2004)

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Senate Bill No. 611
CHAPTER 857

An act to amend Section 99200 of the Education Code, relating to instructional strategies.

[ Filed with Secretary of State  October 12, 2003. Approved by Governor  October 11, 2003. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 611, Ducheny. Instructional strategies: subject matter projects.
Existing law provides for the establishment and maintenance of 6 subject matter projects by the Regents of the University of California with the approval of the Concurrence Committee. Existing law provides that these subject matter projects are to create opportunities for researchers, higher education faculty, and elementary and secondary school faculty to work together to identify exemplary teaching practices, examine and develop research on learning, knowledge, and educational materials and to provide support to teachers to develop and enhance content knowledge and pedagogical skills. Under existing law, these subject matter projects are evaluated, at least in part, on the basis of pupils’ performance as measured in the light of statewide academic standards and statewide tests.
This bill would amend this provision to include the provision of instructional strategies for working with English learners as a purpose of the projects. The bill would also include English language development assessments and standards for English language learners in the evaluation of the subject matter projects. The bill would provide that these projects are designed to develop and enhance teachers’ subject and content knowledge, and would further provide that an evaluation of the projects document the impact of participation in the program. The bill would make revisions to the composition of the Concurrence Committee, and would make related findings and declarations. The bill would make other technical nonsubstantive changes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) A quality education requires that pupils meet content and skill standards in all subject areas.
(b) English learners and low-performing pupils have special needs for academic experiences across the curriculum.
(c) California teachers require discipline-area support in all subjects required for high school graduation.
(d) Subject matter projects in seven of the nine school subject areas: mathematics, science, language arts, history-social science, foreign language, health/physical education and the arts, have collaborated effectively to serve California teachers since 1988.
(e) The subject matter project is uniquely organized to integrate K-12 professional development efforts in all school subject areas.
(f) Seven of the nine subject matter projects currently operate with content and skill standards approved by the State Board of Education.
(g) Two academic fields (health/physical education and foreign language) are seeking content and skill standards approved from the State Board of Education.
(h) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature that:
(1) Funding support be continued for subject matter projects currently authorized by statute.
(2) Maintenance-level funding be provided for projects in academic fields that are seeking standards approval from the State Board of Education.
(3) The subject matter project institutional manager extend collaboration among the projects serving all seven school subject matter areas.

SEC. 2.

 Section 99200 of the Education Code is amended to read:

99200.
 (a) With funds appropriated therefor, and with the approval of the Concurrence Committee, the Regents of the University of California shall establish and maintain cooperative endeavors designed to accomplish the following:
(1) Develop and enhance teachers’ subject matter and content knowledge in the subject matter areas specified in Section 99201.
(2) Develop and enhance teachers’ instructional strategies to improve student learning and academic performance as measured against State Board of Education standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605 and, where applicable, to standards adopted pursuant to Section 60811.
(3) Provide teachers with instructional strategies for working with English learners.
(4) Provide teachers with access to and opportunity to examine current research that is demonstrably linked to improved student learning and achievement as measured by performance levels on state tests administered pursuant to Section 60605 or on English language development assessments developed, pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 60810) of Part 33, for English language learners.
(5) Maintain subject-specific professional communities that create and encourage ongoing opportunities for teacher learning and research.
(6) Develop and deploy as teacher leaders, teachers with demonstrated levels of expertise in the classroom and certifiable levels of content knowledge.
(b) The duties of the Concurrence Committee shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Ensuring that the statewide and local subject matter projects comply with requirements of this chapter.
(2) Developing rules and regulations for the statewide subject matter projects.
(3) Selecting a contractor for a four-year independent evaluation of the effectiveness of the subject matter projects.
(c) An independent evaluation of the effectiveness of the subject matter projects shall be performed by a contractor selected pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), and shall be reported to the State Board of Education, the Governor, and the Legislature by February 1, 2006. Preliminary results shall be reported annually beginning February 1, 2004. The evaluation shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Documenting the impact of participation in the program on student achievement in the statewide tests administered pursuant to Section 60605.
(2) Measuring the results of research that examines the learning, knowledge, and educational materials developed by the statewide subject matter projects.
(3) Documenting the quantity, quality, cost-effectiveness, and inclusiveness of subject matter project programs.
(4) The impact of the subject matter projects on the performance levels of high-priority schools affiliated with the subject matter projects.
(d) Grants to establish local sites of statewide subject matter projects shall be available to institutions of higher education, county offices of education and school districts, or any combination thereof, with a subject matter proposal approved pursuant to this article. Once established, each subject matter project shall be administered by the University of California in cooperation with the Concurrence Committee. Local sites of statewide subject matter projects shall be distributed throughout the state so that elementary, secondary, and postsecondary school personnel located in rural, urban, and suburban areas may avail themselves of subject matter projects.
(e) The Concurrence Committee shall be composed of individuals who are affiliated with leadership, management, or instruction, in education or education policy entities and shall be selected as follows:
(1) One representative selected by the Regents of the University of California.
(2) One representative selected by the Board of Trustees of the California State University.
(3) Two representatives selected by the State Board of Education, at least one of whom has significant experience with direct classroom instruction.
(4) One representative selected by the Governor.
(5) One representative selected by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(6) One representative selected by the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission.
(7) One representative of the California Community Colleges selected by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
(8) One representative of an independent postsecondary institution selected by the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.