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AB-28 High school diplomas: State Seal of STEM.(2019-2020)

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Date Published: 09/13/2019 09:00 PM
AB28:v97#DOCUMENT

Enrolled  September 13, 2019
Passed  IN  Senate  September 09, 2019
Passed  IN  Assembly  September 10, 2019
Amended  IN  Senate  June 26, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 28

Introduced by Assembly Member Obernolte
(Principal coauthor: Senator Chang)

December 03, 2018

An act to add and repeal Article 8 (commencing with Section 51480) of Chapter 3 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to high school diplomas.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 28, Obernolte. High school diplomas: State Seal of STEM.
Existing law establishes the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma for the purpose of recognizing pupils who have mastered the high school curriculum. Existing law also establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.
This bill would establish a State Seal of STEM to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. The bill would establish criteria for the receipt of the State Seal of STEM, would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to prepare and deliver to participating school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools an appropriate insignia to be affixed to pupil diplomas or transcripts, and would require participating school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to maintain appropriate records and affix the appropriate insignia to diplomas or transcripts of recipient pupils. The bill would not become operative until both (1) data from the statewide administration of specified state science assessments are available and (2) the State Board of Education, in a public meeting, makes specified declarations. The bill’s provisions would be inoperative on July 31, 2026, and repealed on January 1, 2027.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Article 8 (commencing with Section 51480) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:
Article  8. State Seal of STEM

51480.
 The State Seal of STEM is established to recognize high school graduates who have attained proficiency in fields of study within the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The State Seal of STEM shall be awarded by the Superintendent. School district, county office of education, and charter school participation in this program is voluntary.

51481.
 The purposes of the State Seal of STEM are as follows:
(a) To encourage pupils to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
(b) To certify achievement within the STEM fields.
(c) To provide pupils with a tool to demonstrate STEM competency to employers.
(d) To provide universities with a method to recognize and give academic credit to applicants seeking admission.
(e) To prepare pupils with 21st century skills.
(f) To engage pupils in STEM learning at an early age.
(g) To prepare pupils for a job market increasingly in need of individuals with STEM skills.

51482.
 The State Seal of STEM certifies that a graduating high school pupil has attained proficiency in STEM and meets all of the following criteria:
(a) Attained a 3.0 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale for all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses taken in high school.
(b) Successfully completed four year-long courses, or the equivalent, in mathematics and four year-long courses, or the equivalent, in science while enrolled in high school. The requirement for completion of up to one of the year-long courses in mathematics may be satisfied by completion of a course or courses in computer science.
(c) Has one of the following:
(1) A score of 3 or higher on an advanced placement examination in science.
(2) A score of 600 or higher on an SAT subject test in science.
(3) A score of 4 or higher on an international baccalaureate examination in science.
(4) A grade of B or higher in a college-level science course taken through concurrent enrollment.
(5) A score indicating that the pupil has met or exceeded standards on a state-standards-aligned assessment in science.
(d) Has one of the following:
(1) A score of 3 or higher on an advanced placement examination in mathematics.
(2) A score of 600 or higher on an SAT subject test in mathematics.
(3) A score of 4 or higher on an international baccalaureate examination in mathematics.
(4) A grade of B or higher in a college-level mathematics course taken through concurrent enrollment.
(5) A score indicating that the pupil has met or exceeded standards on a state-standards-aligned assessment in mathematics.

51483.
 The Superintendent shall do both of the following:
(a) Prepare and deliver to participating school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools an appropriate insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript of the pupil indicating that the pupil has been awarded a State Seal of STEM by the Superintendent.
(b) Provide other information the Superintendent deems necessary for school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to successfully participate in the program.

51484.
 A school district, county office of education, or charter school that participates in the program under this article shall do both of the following:
(a) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify pupils who have earned a State Seal of STEM.
(b) Affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma or transcript of each pupil who earns a State Seal of STEM.

51485.
 No fee shall be charged to a pupil to receive a State Seal of STEM.

51486.
 This article shall not become operative until and unless both of the following conditions have been met:
(a) Data from the statewide administration of state science assessments aligned to the California Next Generation Science Standards are available. Data from a field test of a state science assessment does not satisfy this subdivision.
(b) The state board, in a public meeting, makes a declaration of all of the following:
(1) All California pupils have a reasonably equal opportunity to engage in the coursework and other requirements that would be necessary to earn the State Seal of STEM.
(2) The State Seal of STEM would confer value to the pupil through recognition by postsecondary educational institutions or employers.
(3) The State Seal of STEM would be earned through recognized excellence or outstanding achievement in the field of study.
(4) The State Seal of STEM would not be based primarily on achievement that is already recognized through other means, such as grades, assessment results, other measures of academic achievement, or industry certifications.
(5) The data described in subdivision (a) are available.

51487.
  This article shall become inoperative on July 31, 2026, and, as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.