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SB-612 Postsecondary education: instructional strategies.(2011-2012)

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SB612:v94#DOCUMENT

Senate Bill No. 612
CHAPTER 632

An act to amend Sections 99200, 99200.5, 99201, 99202, 99203, and 99206 of the Education Code, relating to instructional strategies.

[ Approved by Governor  October 08, 2011. Filed with Secretary of State  October 08, 2011. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 612, Steinberg. Postsecondary education: instructional strategies.
Existing law provides for the establishment and maintenance of 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 provide support to teachers to develop and enhance content knowledge and pedagogical skills. Existing law requires the Concurrence Committee to provide a final report to the Governor and to appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on or before January 1, 2011, including specified information relating to the subject matter projects.
This bill would add 2 areas of emphasis for the subject matter projects. The first would provide teachers with instructional strategies for delivering career-oriented, integrated academic and technical content in a manner that is linked to high-priority industry sectors identified in the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards as adopted by the State Board of Education. The Concurrence Committee, in consultation with specified entities, would determine the priority of industry sectors. The 2nd would provide teachers with instructional strategies for ongoing collaboration on the delivery of career-oriented, integrated academic and technical content.
The bill would enlarge the Concurrence Committee by adding a representative appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and make other changes. The bill would repeal the requirement of the January 1, 2011, report and, instead, require a report on or before January 1, 2016. This provision would be inoperative on January 1, 2018.
This bill would add the goal of providing teachers with support in the implementation of career-oriented, integrated academic and technical courses that meet course requirements for admission to the University of California and the California State University, and align with high-priority industry sectors, as specified.
Existing law authorizes 6 topical subject matter projects.
This bill would add physical education, arts, and world language, as specified, as topical subject matter areas.
Existing law establishes a project advisory board within each subject matter project.
This bill would make various changes to the board structure, including decreasing representation of specified groups, and adding a representative selected by the advisory board who is from an industry sector that principally utilizes the discipline addressed by the project.
Existing law requires the project advisory board of each statewide subject matter project to use specified criteria in recommending funding for local project sites.
This bill would add a criterion for local project sites that serve middle or high school teachers and would require the project advisory board to give special consideration to sites that utilize or are preparing to utilize instructional strategies to deliver career-oriented, integrated academic and technical content.
Existing law repeals the article relating to instructional strategies on January 1, 2013, unless a later enacted statute deletes or extends the date on which it becomes inoperative.
This bill would extend that date until January 1, 2018.
This bill, except for a specified provision, would become operative only if an appropriation is made in the annual Budget Act, or if federal funds are appropriated, or both, for the purposes of this bill.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) California’s public systems of education have a significant opportunity to contribute to the state’s job growth and economic recovery by aligning middle and high school curricula more closely to the needs of growing and emerging sectors of the California economy.
(2) Studies show that high schools that bring together strong academics, demanding technical education, and real world experience are more likely to engage pupils, raise high school graduation rates, and better prepare pupils for lasting success in postsecondary education and career.
(3) However, many California pupils now face educational challenges that could impede their ability to be productive participants in the state and national economy.
(4) Nearly 100,000 California pupils dropped out of middle and high school in the 2008–09 school year, a number equivalent in size to the population of the Cities of San Mateo or Compton. Gainful employment prospects for dropouts are shrinking given the changing nature of the California economy.
(5) The Public Policy Institute of California projects that by 2025 two of every five jobs, 41 percent, will require a college degree, an increase from less than one-third of all jobs in 2005. Without increased degree production in the state’s colleges and universities, the growth of our emerging economy will be hindered by a lack of highly educated workers.
(6) Large majorities of California pupils surveyed say they would be more motivated to work hard and do well if they attended schools where they could take courses needed for college and at the same time have the chance to acquire skills and knowledge relevant to future careers.
(7) A stronger and more integrated approach to learning, one that combines rigorous academics with career education, can engage and motivate pupils who are at risk of dropping out and can create more options for them after high school, whether they choose college or a career. Such an approach can better prepare pupils for entry directly into the workforce after high school, without compromising academic goals and preparation for college.
(8) Investments in delivering pupils the skills and knowledge needed for further education and employment in California’s high-growth, high-demand industries are investments in the growth of a knowledge-intensive, innovative economy.
(b) The Legislature further finds and declares all of the following:
(1) Founded in 1998, the California subject matter projects (CSMP) are a statewide network of subject-specific professional development programs for teachers that in the 2009–10 academic year served almost 26,000 teachers and administrators from 4,290 of the state’s public K-12 schools.
(2) Administered by the University of California, the CSMP connects K-12 educators with faculty in a number of disciplines from the University of California, California State University, and private higher education institutions to develop and deliver intensive institutes designed to improve instruction.
(3) Recent independent evaluations of the CSMP have shown that teachers consistently rate its professional development more highly than other programs, and that the projects reflect the characteristics of effective professional development, including collective work, content focus, active learning, differentiation, and activities that are sustained over time.
(4) Through the CSMP, California has a significant opportunity to leverage existing infrastructure to better align middle and high school curricula more closely to the needs of growing and emerging sectors of the California economy by providing teachers with the support and tools necessary to deliver career-oriented, integrated academic and technical education content.

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 are requested to 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 pupil learning and academic performance as measured against State Board of Education standards adopted pursuant to Sections 60605 and 60605.8 and, where applicable, to standards adopted pursuant to Section 60811 and any subsequently adopted standards.
(3) Provide teachers with instructional strategies for working with English learners.
(4) Provide teachers with instructional strategies for delivering career-oriented, integrated academic and technical content in a manner that is linked to high priority industry sectors identified in the California career technical education model curriculum standards as adopted by the State Board of Education. The Concurrence Committee, in consultation with the appropriate state entities, industry leaders, representatives of organized labor, educators, and other parties, shall determine the priority of industry sectors.
(5) Provide teachers with access to and opportunity to examine current research that is demonstrably linked to improved pupil learning and achievement as measured by performance levels on state tests administered pursuant to Section 60605, or any successor assessment system, or on English language development assessments developed, pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 60810) of Part 33 of Division 4 of Title 2, or any successor assessments, for English language learners.
(6) Maintain subject-specific professional communities that create and encourage ongoing opportunities for teacher collaboration, learning, and research.
(7) Develop and deploy as teacher leaders, teachers with demonstrated levels of expertise in the classroom and certifiable levels of content knowledge.
(8) Provide teachers with instructional strategies for ongoing collaboration on the delivery of career-oriented, integrated academic and technical content.
(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) On or before January 1, 2016, providing a report on the subject matter projects to the Governor and to appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following information, compiled for a four-year period:
(A) The number, and level of experience, of participants in each subject matter project.
(B) The total amount of funds expended, on an annual basis, for each subject matter project.
(C) An explanation of the type of professional development activities offered pursuant to each subject matter project, including the extent to which teachers were provided professional development focused on delivering career-oriented, integrated academic and technical content.
(D) A list of the name and location of each school affiliated with a subject matter project.
(c) 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.
(d) The Concurrence Committee shall be composed of individuals who are affiliated with leadership, management, or instruction in education or education policy entities, including educational expertise on instructional strategies for English learners and academic language acquisition. They 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) One representative selected by the State Board of Education, who has significant experience with direct classroom instruction.
(4) One representative selected by the Governor.
(5) One representative selected by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(6) One representative selected by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(7) One representative selected by the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission.
(8) One representative of the California Community Colleges selected by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
(9) One representative of an independent postsecondary institution selected by the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.
(e) (1) The requirement for submitting a report pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) is inoperative on January 1, 2018, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) shall be in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

SEC. 3.

 Section 99200.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:

99200.5.
 The statewide subject matter projects shall accomplish all of the following goals:
(a) Create opportunities for researchers, higher education faculty, and elementary and secondary school faculty to work together to accomplish all of the following:
(1) Identify exemplary teaching practices.
(2) Examine and develop research on learning, knowledge, and educational materials.
(3) Provide support to teachers to develop and enhance the content knowledge and pedagogical skills necessary to implement State Board of Education standards or curriculum frameworks adopted pursuant to Sections 51226, 60605, 60605.1, 60605.2, 60605.3, and 60605.8 and any subsequently adopted standards or curriculum frameworks.
(4) In partnership with the University of California Curriculum Integration Institute or other appropriate entities, provide teachers with support in the implementation of career-oriented, integrated academic and technical courses that meet course requirements for admission to the University of California and the California State University, and align with high-priority industry sectors as determined pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 99200.
(b) Collect the necessary data to perform the evaluation required by subdivision (c) of Section 99200.

SEC. 4.

 Section 99201 of the Education Code is amended to read:

99201.
 The following subject matter projects shall be authorized pursuant to this chapter:
(a) The California Writing Project.
(b) The California Reading and Literature Project.
(c) The California Mathematics Project.
(d) The California Science Project.
(e) The California History-Social Science Project.
(f) The World History and International Studies Project.
(g) The California Physical Education-Health Project.
(h) The California Arts Project.
(i) The California World Language Project.

SEC. 5.

 Section 99202 of the Education Code is amended to read:

99202.
 (a) Within each subject matter project, a project advisory board shall be established to do all of the following:
(1) Set guidelines for project sites.
(2) Review and recommend site proposals for funding.
(3) Monitor project activities to ensure that they adequately reflect the priorities of the project and that projects comply with the requirements of this chapter.
(4) Perform other duties as determined by the Concurrence Committee rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 99200.
(b) The composition of each advisory board shall be as follows:
(1) One representative selected by the President of the University of California, who is a member of the faculty in the discipline addressed by the project.
(2) One representative selected by the Chancellor of the California State University, who is a member of the faculty in the discipline addressed by the project.
(3) One representative selected by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is a classroom teacher in the subject areas addressed by the project.
(4) One representative of the State Board of Education, who is a classroom teacher in the subject areas addressed by the subject.
(5) One representative selected by the Governor.
(6) One representative selected by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(7) One representative of the statewide professional organization of teachers in the subject matter addressed by the project, to be selected by the president of that organization. If there is more than one statewide professional organization of teachers in that subject area, the members of the advisory board may choose which organization shall select the representative and may choose to include a representative of one or more of the other organizations as nonvoting members of the advisory board.
(8) One representative of the California Community Colleges selected by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, who is a faculty member in the subject matter area addressed by the project.
(9) One representative of an independent postsecondary institution selected by the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, who is a member of the faculty in the discipline addressed by the project.
(10) One representative who is from an industry sector that principally utilizes the discipline addressed by the project and who is selected by the advisory board.

SEC. 6.

 Section 99203 of the Education Code is amended to read:

99203.
 The project advisory board of each statewide subject matter project shall use the following criteria in recommending funding for local project sites:
(a) The proposed site is designed to provide support to teachers to develop and enhance the content knowledge and pedagogical skills necessary to implement State Board of Education standards adopted pursuant to Sections 60605 and 60605.8 and any subsequently adopted standards.
(b) The proposed site allocates a minimum of 75 percent of program slots to teachers from schools achieving scores on the state tests administered pursuant to Section 60605, or any successor state assessment system, that rank the school in the bottom 40 percent of all California schools or have pupil dropout rates that exceed the statewide average.
(c) The proposed site develops formal partnerships with high-priority schools that achieve scores on the state tests administered pursuant to Section 60605, or any successor state assessment system, that rank the school in the bottom 40 percent of all California schools or have pupil dropout rates that exceed the statewide average.
(d) The proposed site maintains evaluation data as required by subdivision (c) of Section 99200.
(e) The proposed site gives attention to instructional strategies that make use of educational technology to support the instructional program.
(f) The proposed site involves various levels and segments of education in a cooperative approach.
(g) Participating school districts, colleges, and universities provide financial and personnel support for the proposed site.
(h) The proposed site uses participants as professional development providers in school districts, colleges, and universities.
(i) The proposed site provides continuing professional development to project participants.
(j) The proposed site addresses the need to integrate existing standards of competence in the subject matter into the curriculum at the grade level taught by each participating teacher.
(k) The proposed site contributes to the effectiveness of school and district development plans and coordinates with existing agencies or entities, such as the resource agency or consortia established pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 44680) of Chapter 3.1 of Part 25.
(l) Neighboring institutions have worked collaboratively to develop a proposal that clearly indicates their intention to continue to work cooperatively throughout the duration of the local project.
(m) For purposes of recommending funding for local project sites that serve middle or high school teachers, the project advisory board shall give special consideration to sites that utilize or are preparing to utilize instructional strategies to deliver career-oriented, integrated academic and technical content.

SEC. 7.

 Section 99206 of the Education Code is amended to read:

99206.
 This article shall become inoperative on June 30, 2017, and, as of January 1, 2018, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.

SEC. 8.

 Except for Section 4, the provisions of this act shall become operative only if an appropriation is made in the annual Budget Act, or if federal funds are made available and appropriated, or both, for the purposes of this act.