(1)Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, local educational agencies throughout the state provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the findings and declarations of the Legislature that the states environmental principles and concepts have been approved by specified authorities and have been embedded in specified curriculum frameworks adopted by the State Board of Education. The bill would also express the intent of the Legislature that the Superintendent of Public Instruction use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further specified goals of environmental literacy.

(2)Existing law establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and also establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the encouragement of the Legislature for the governing boards of school districts to take specified actions with regard to promoting instruction in environmental literacy for pupils with respect to the respective courses of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and for grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

(3)Existing law requires the Office of Education and the Environment in the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in cooperation with the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, to develop and implement a unified education strategy on the environment for elementary and secondary schools in the state and, in cooperation with specified state entities, to develop educational principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils. Existing law provides that the principles may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2008. Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to develop and implement to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan, to guide the implementation of the unified education strategy, as specified.

This bill would instead require these state entities to develop environmental principles and concepts for elementary and secondary school pupils. The bill would instead provide that the environmental principles and concepts may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2008, by the office, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Agency, pursuant to a specified process. The bill would also add concepts relating to climate change and make technical and conforming changes to these environmental principles and concepts.

(1)Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, local educational agencies throughout the state provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the findings and declarations of the Legislature that the states environmental principles and concepts have been approved by specified authorities and have been embedded in specified curriculum frameworks adopted by the State Board of Education. The bill would also express the intent of the Legislature that the Superintendent of Public Instruction use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further specified goals of environmental literacy.

(2)Existing law establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and also establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the encouragement of the Legislature for the governing boards of school districts to take specified actions with regard to promoting instruction in environmental literacy for pupils with respect to the respective courses of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and for grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

(3)Existing law requires the Office of Education and the Environment in the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in cooperation with the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, to develop and implement a unified education strategy on the environment for elementary and secondary schools in the state and, in cooperation with specified state entities, to develop educational principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils. Existing law provides that the principles may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2008. Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to develop and implement to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan, to guide the implementation of the unified education strategy, as specified.

This bill would instead require these state entities to develop environmental principles and concepts for elementary and secondary school pupils. The bill would instead provide that the environmental principles and concepts may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2008, by the office, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Agency, pursuant to a specified process. The bill would also add concepts relating to climate change and make technical and conforming changes to these environmental principles and concepts.

(1)Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, local educational agencies throughout the state provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the findings and declarations of the Legislature that the states Environmental Principles and Concepts environmental principles and concepts have been approved by specified authorities and have been embedded in specified curriculum frameworks adopted by the State Board of Education. The bill would also express the intent of the Legislature that the Superintendent of Public Instruction use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further specified goals of environmental literacy.

(2)Existing law establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and also establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the encouragement of the Legislature for the governing boards of school districts to take specified actions with regard to promoting instruction in environmental literacy for pupils with respect to the respective courses of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and for grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

(3)Existing law requires the Office of Education and the Environment in the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in cooperation with the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, to develop and implement a unified education strategy on the environment for elementary and secondary schools in the state and, in cooperation with specified state entities, to develop educational principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils. Existing law provides that the principles may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2008. Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to develop and implement to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan, to guide the implementation of the unified education strategy, as specified.

This bill would instead require these state entities to develop environmental principles and concepts for elementary and secondary school pupils. The bill would instead provide that the environmental principles and concepts may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2008, by the office, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Agency, pursuant to a specified process. The bill would also add concepts relating to climate change, change and make technical and conforming changes, changes to these environmental principles and concepts.

(1)Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, local educational agencies throughout the state provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the findings and declarations of the Legislature that the states Environmental Principles and Concepts have been approved by specified authorities and have been embedded in specified curriculum frameworks adopted by the State Board of Education. The bill would also express the intent of the Legislature that the Superintendent of Public Instruction use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further specified goals of environmental literacy.

(2)Existing law establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and also establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the encouragement of the Legislature for the governing boards of school districts to take specified actions with regard to promoting instruction in environmental literacy for pupils with respect to the respective courses of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and for grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

(3)Existing law requires the Office of Education and the Environment in the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in cooperation with the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, to develop and implement a unified education strategy on the environment for elementary and secondary schools in the state and, in cooperation with specified state entities, to develop educational principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils. Existing law provides that the principles may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2008. Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to develop and implement to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan, to guide the implementation of the unified education strategy, as specified.

This bill would instead provide that the environmental principles and concepts may be updated every 4 years beginning July 1, 2018, 2008, by the office, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Agency, pursuant to a specified process. The bill would also add concepts relating to climate change, and make technical and conforming changes, to these education principles for the environment. environmental principles and concepts.

(1)Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, local educational agencies throughout the state provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the findings and declarations of the Legislature that the states Environmental Principles and Concepts have been approved by specified authorities and have been embedded in specified curriculum frameworks adopted by the State Board of Education. The bill would also express the intent of the Legislature that the Superintendent of Public Instruction use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further specified goals of environmental literacy and environmental justice. literacy.

(2)Existing law establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and also establishes courses of study for pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

This bill would express the encouragement of the Legislature for the governing boards of school districts to take specified actions with regard to promoting instruction in environmental literacy for pupils with respect to the respective courses of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and for grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

(3)Existing law requires the Office of Education and the Environment in the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, in cooperation with the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, to develop and implement a unified education strategy on the environment for elementary and secondary schools in the state and, in cooperation with specified state entities, to develop educational principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils. Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to develop and implement to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan, to guide the implementation of the unified education strategy, as specified.

This bill would provide that the education principles for the environment environmental principles and concepts may be updated or amended by the State Board of Education, every 4 years beginning July 1, 2018, by the office, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and the Natural Resources Agency, pursuant to a specified process. The bill would also add concepts relating to climate change change, and make technical and conforming changes, to these education principles for the environment.

Existing law requires, on or before July 1, 2014, each governing board of a school district and county board of education to adopt a local control and accountability plan using a state template adopted by the State Board of Education. Existing law requires, on or before October 1, 2016, the state board to adopt evaluation rubrics for specified purposes. Pursuant to this requirement, the state board adopted evaluation rubrics in September of 2016 and created the California School Dashboard, which is a graphically presented, publicly accessible interface that displays school performance data based on the evaluation rubrics.

This bill would replace references to evaluation rubrics in the code with the references to evaluation rubrics, as displayed on the California School Dashboard Dashboard, and would make conforming changes.

Existing law prescribes the tort liability of public entities, as defined, and establishes a process for making claims in this regard. Existing law specifically immunizes a public entity in connection with certain public property, including for an injury caused by a natural condition of unimproved property. Existing law deems a beach to be in a natural and unimproved condition despite the presence or absence of safety services such as lifeguards and beach cleanup services. Existing law immunizes a public entity from liability to a person participating in a hazardous recreational activity, as defined.

The bill would immunize a public entity and its employees for any damage or injury to a person or property as a result of a fire or the remnants of a fire that arises from the use of a fire pit, fire ring, fire circle, or barbecue grill, located in an area designated for that use, at a park, beach, or recreational area, owned or controlled by the entity.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Benjamin Allen, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: SB 720 Hearing Date: August 31, 2018

Subject: Environmental education: environmental principles and concepts

NOTE: This bill was amended in the Assembly to replace its contents and this is the first time the bill is being heard by this Committee in its current form.

SUMMARY

This bill revises provisions relating to the education principles for the environment by, among other things, (1) renaming them the environmental principles and concepts; (2) revising the process for, and entities involved in, updating the environmental principles and concepts; and (3) requiring the Instructional Quality Commission to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are integrated into content standards and curriculum frameworks whenever those standards and frameworks are revised.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1) Establishes the Office of Education and the Environment (OEE) in the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and requires the OEE to implement a statewide environmental education program. (Public Resources Code § 71300)

2) Requires the OEE, under the direction of CalRecycle and in cooperation with the California Department of Education (CDE) and the State Board of Education (SBE), to develop and implement a unified education strategy of the environment for elementary and secondary schools that does all of the following:

a) Coordinate instructional resources and strategies for providing active pupil participation in onsite conservation efforts.

b) Promote service-learning opportunities between schools and local communities.

c) Assess the impact of the unified education strategy on the achievement and resource conservation of participating pupils. (PRC § 71300)

3) Requires the CDE and SBE, in cooperation with CalRecycle, to develop and implement, to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan that guides the phased implementation of the unified education strategy in elementary, middle, and high school programs, for the education of pupils, faculty, and administrators on the importance of integrating environmental concepts and programs in schools. (PRC § 71300)

4) Requires the Office of Education and Environment (OEE) to coordinate with other agencies and groups with expertise in education and the environment to implement the statewide educational program. (PRC § 71300)

5) Requires the OEE, as part of the unified education strategy, to develop education principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils, in cooperation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Education, and the State Board of Education. (PRC § 71301)

6) Authorizes the principles to be updated every four years, starting in 2008.

(PRC § 71301)

7) Requires the principles to be aligned to the academic content standards adopted by the SBE for English language arts, mathematics, history-social science, and science. (PRC § 71301)

8) Requires the education principles be used to do both of the following:

a) To direct state agencies that include environmental education components for elementary and secondary education in regulatory decisions or enforcement actions.

b) To align state agency environmental education programs and materials that are developed for elementary and secondary education.

(PRC § 71301)

9) Requires the education principles for the environment include, but not be limited to, concepts relating to the following topics:

a) Environmental sustainability.

b) Water.

c) Air.

d) Energy.

e) Forestry.

f) Fish and wildlife resources.

g) Oceans.

h) Toxics and hazardous waste.

i) Integrated waste management.

j) Integrated pest management.

k) Public health and the environment.

l) Pollution prevention.

m) Resource conservation and recycling.

n) Environmental justice. (PRC § 71301)

10) Requires the principles to be aligned to the applicable academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) and to not duplicate or conflict with any academic content standards. (PRC § 71301)

11) Requires the principles to be incorporated, as the SBE determines to be appropriate, into criteria developed for textbook adoption in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history-social sciences. (PRC § 71301)

12) Requires, if the SBE determines that the principles are not appropriate for inclusion in textbook adoption criteria, the SBE to collaborate with the Office to modify the principles as needed to ensure that they are included in the textbook adoption criteria in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history-social sciences. (PRC § 71301)

13) Requires the principles to be considered for inclusion in the academic content standards if the standards in science, mathematics, English/language arts, or history-social sciences are revised. (PRC § 71301)

14) Requires the Office of Education and the Environment, in cooperation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Education, and the SBE, to use the education principles for the environment to develop a model environmental curriculum that incorporates the education principles for the environment and is aligned with applicable SBE- adopted academic content standards in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history/social sciences, to the extent that any of those content areas are addressed in the model curriculum. (PRC § 71302)

ANALYSIS

This bill revises provisions relating to the education principles for the environment by, among other things, (1) renaming them the environmental principles and concepts; (2) revising the process for, and entities involved in, updating the environmental principles and concepts; and (3) requiring the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are integrated into content standards and curriculum frameworks whenever those standards and frameworks are revised. Specifically, this bill:

1) Requires the IQC to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are integrated into the content standards and curriculum frameworks in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics whenever those standards and frameworks are revised.

2) Retains the requirement for the environmental principles and concepts to be incorporated, as the State Board of Education (SBE) determines to be appropriate, into the criteria developed for textbook adoption, but deletes the requirement that the SBE, if it determines that they are not appropriate for inclusion in the textbook adoption, collaborate with the Office of Education and the Environment (OEE) to make the changes necessary to ensure that they are included in the textbook adoption criteria in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history/social sciences.

3) Renames the “education principles for the environment” as the “environmental principles and concepts.”

4) Combine the topics of “integrated waste management” and “resource conservation and recycling” into “resource conservation, waste reduction, and recycling.”

5) Authorizes the OEE, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), the SBE, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Agency, to update the environmental principles and concepts every four years (as measured from July 1, 2008).

6) Requires the OEE, when updating or amending the environmental principles and concepts, to do all of the following:

a) Ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are based on current scientific and technical knowledge.

b) Solicit and coordinate input from the SBE, the SPI, and other executive branch agencies and departments, nongovernmental science and education consultants and organizations with the relevant scientific and technical knowledge, and currently employed, credentialed, public school classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment.

c) Hold a minimum of two public meetings in order for the public to provide input on the modifications. The public meetings required by this subdivision shall be held pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.

7) Requires a majority of the individuals consulted to review proposed updates or amendments to the environmental principles and concepts to be credentialed, current public school elementary or secondary classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment.

8) Requires environmental principles and concepts to be aligned to the academic content standards adopted by the SBE in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics, and prohibits them from conflicting with any academic content standards.

9) States Legislative findings and declarations relating to the importance of the environmental principles and concepts and environment literacy.

10) States the intent of the Legislature that the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further the goals of environmental literacy, as specified.

11) Encourages the governing boards of school districts to do all of the following with respect to the course of study in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and in grades 7 to 12, inclusive:

a) Embed environmental literacy in local control and accountability plans, including, but not necessarily limited to, embedding environmental literacy elements in local priorities and goals.

b) Provide professional development for educators in environmental literacy, in the integration of environmental principles and concepts and other environmental content with state-adopted standards and curriculum frameworks, and in the development and implementation of curriculum and activities inside and outside of the classroom that promote environmental literacy.

c) Build partnerships with other local educational agencies and with community-based organizations, informal education providers with expertise in science, history-social science, public health, social and environmental justice, and other environmental content providers in all aspects of environmental literacy programs.

d) Ensure that environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences are made available on an equitable basis to all pupils and that the environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences reflect the linguistic, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of California.

12) Further encourages the governing boards of school districts to do all of the following with respect to the course of study in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to also provide professional development for educators in linking environmental literacy content and principles to career pathways and to career technical education curriculum and activities.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “SB 720 takes a step-wise approach to ensuring that the environmental principles and concepts are being integrated into future planning for the school districts. The bill seeks to strengthen access to environmental literacy and encourage partnerships with other educational agencies and community-based and nonprofit organizations. Research has shown that garden-based learning and environmental service-learning fosters critical thinking and collective problem-solving skills, addressing students' need for experiences that prepare them for higher education, the workplace, and civic engagement. The bill also directs the SPI to use available resources to further the goals of environmental literacy and justice. Lastly, the bill ensures that the appropriate scientific and educational agencies cooperate to update or amend the environmental principles. The bill encourages cooperation between the State Board of Education (SBE), SPI, CalEPA, CalRecycle, and the Natural Resources Agency to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are based on the most current scientific and technical knowledge. SB 720 reinforces the state's commitment to environmental education and ensures continuity during administration changes.”
2. The Environmental Principles and Concepts. According to CalRecycle, “The environmental principles and concepts examine the interactions and interdependence of human societies and natural systems. They are the foundation of the environmental content taught in the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum. As the concepts are mastered, environmental literacy is developed in California’s students. In the EEI Curriculum, students’ knowledge of the environmental principles and concepts builds and spirals through their educational years, leading to deeper and more complex understanding as the student advances. To further ensure that all California students become environmentally literate, the law requires the California Department of Education to only approve new K-12 Science and History/Social Science textbooks that incorporate and address the environmental principles and concepts. This is remarkable.”

3) The EEI Curriculum. According to OEE, The EEI Curriculum integrates California's existing Science and History/Social Science academic content standards and the Environmental Principles & Concepts. These two elements combined are the basis for EEI's custom Learning Objectives. Developed by the EEI Planning team, the Learning Objectives define the essential knowledge and skills needed to teach each academic content standard through the context of an environmental principle and concept. The result is that when the Learning Objectives are taught, the academic content standard has also been taught to a breadth and depth for student mastery.

Each set of custom Learning Objectives is specific to the academic standard(s) taught in the corresponding EEI Curriculum unit and are presented sequentially, beginning with knowledge and comprehension, and where appropriate, moving toward application, analysis, synthesis, and ultimately, evaluation. These Learning Objectives ultimately guided the content that writing teams delivered, and ensured students are provided with opportunities to master the content standards while building environmental literacy. This tri-integrated design presents the environmental content knowledge in the environmental principles and concepts as an integral part of standards-based instruction, not as a time-consuming "add-on," or supplemental curriculum.

4) California Environmental Literacy Task Force. In 2014, the Superintendent of Public Instruction assembled the California Environmental Literacy Task Force (ELTF) to create a blueprint for achieving environmental literacy for all California students. The Blueprint, entitled A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy: Educating Every Student In, About, and For the Environment, was published in 2015. The Blueprint highlights the need for expanded environmental literacy education by referencing a recent survey of 520 California school principals. This survey showed that 13 percent of schools have integrated environmental education into their curricula, and 77 percent spend less than $5,000 on field trips, professional development, and curricular materials for environmental education. In addition, the Blueprint states, "A false perception persists from the No Child Left Behind accountability era that environmental and outdoor programs are non-academic and not connected to the core curriculum. Research shows, however, that in schools where environmental content is integrated as a primary part of instruction, student achievement has improved."

To improve environmental literacy among California’s students, the Blueprint identified the following six strategies:

a) Systematically integrate environmental literacy concepts into statewide educational priorities.

b) Strengthen collaboration across the state between key stakeholders.

c) Leverage the Superintendent's influence and create a public awareness campaign to build broad support for the importance of environmental literacy, and encourage and support increased allocation of state and locally controlled funding to environmental literacy programs.

d) Implement changes to relevant state law and policy and ensure that relevant existing laws are funded and effectively implemented.

e) Create an Environmental Literacy Steering Committee (ELSC) to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Blueprint.

f) Develop a coherent strategy for funding environmental literacy across the state.

In 2016, Superintendent of Public Instruction appointed the ELSC to create an implementation plan for environmental literacy. The ELSC is comprised of 30 educational leaders and nonprofit stakeholders, and includes representatives from the California Department of Education, CalRecycle, University of California, and the state Board of Education.

5) Environmental literacy has been voluntarily integrated into science, history-social science, and health. As noted in the Assembly Education Committee’s analysis, although the EP&Cs and environmental topics have been incorporated into standards and frameworks for several subjects, this has occurred on a voluntary basis. Specifically, the SBE incorporated the environmental principles and concepts into the Health Education Framework, and environmental literacy concepts have been integrated into the history-social science standards and throughout California’s Next Generation Science Standards.

HEALTH: In April 2018, the California Department of Education released on its website a draft of the Health Education Framework. The introduction to the framework lists the educational principles and concepts and describes their integration into the framework as follows:

“Educating students about environmental health, from both a personal and community health perspective, is a strand in the standards that continues from kindergarten through high school where students are expected to learn, among other issues, about the impacts of air and water pollution on health. These topics tie directly to California’s educational principles and concepts, adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE) in 2004. The educational principles and concepts are an important piece of the curricular expectations for all California students that teachers can incorporate through their many connections with the health education standards, specifically by focusing instruction on the personal and community effects of environmental issues.”

SCIENCE: In 2013, the SBE adopted the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as the state’s content standards in science, with some modifications of the national model. In contrast to California’s previous science standards, NGSS shifts focus from having students memorize scientific information to teaching students how to think critically about core scientific ideas, how to connect key concepts across disciplines, and how to implement processes used by practicing scientists. The NGSS details performance expectations for grades K-12 and includes a focus on key aspects of environmental literacy. The Blueprint provides the following examples:

1. Kindergarten: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
2. Grade 5: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect Earth’s resources and environment.
3. Middle School: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing human impact on the environment.
4. High School: Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among the management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

HISTORY-SOCIAL SCIENCE: The history-social science standards also address environmental topics, although the standards were last revised in 1998. The Blueprint provides the following examples of environmental topics within the history-social science standards:

1. Grade 4: Analyze the effects of the Gold Rush on settlements, daily life, politics, and the physical environment.
2. Grade 6: Discuss the climatic changes and human modifications of the physical environment that gave rise to the domestication of plants and animals and new sources of clothing and shelter.
3. Grade 11: Discuss the diverse environmental regions of North America, their relationship to local economies, and the origins and prospects of environmental problems in those regions.

6) State educational frameworks, but not standards, are developed on a standardized timeline. During the standards movement in the 1990s, when the state began adopting content standards in a number of subject areas, no process was established in state law to allow for regular revisions to these standards. As a result, revision of content standards must currently be initiated by legislative action. In contrast, curriculum frameworks—which are built upon, and provide guidance on how to implement, those standards—are updated on an eight-year cycle. This bill requires the EP&Cs to be incorporated into revisions of the standards and frameworks; however, the EP&Cs, as well as subsequent changes to the EP&Cs, will not be reflected in the standards unless legislative action requires revision of the standards.

SUPPORT

5 Gyres Institute

7th Generation Advisors

Adventure Risk Challenge

Alameda Unified School District

Alliance for Climate Education

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Azul

Biomimicry

Bioneers

California Academy of Sciences

California Association of Zoos and Aquariums

California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

California League of Conservation Voters

California Native Plant Society

California Science Teachers Association

Californians Against Waste

Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education

ChangeScale

Children & Nature Network

Cleantech San Diego

Clean Water Action

Climate Cents

Common Sense Kids Action

Conservation Corps of Long Beach

Cupertino Educational Endowment Foundation

David Brower Center

Earth Day Network

Education Outside

Environmental Charter Schools

Environmental Working Group

Environment California

Exploratorium

First Republic

Friends of the LA River

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Grades of Green

Greenpeace

Green Schoolyards America

Heal the Bay

Inside the Outdoors Foundation

InterpretPlants Studies

Latino Outdoors

Literacy for Environmental Justice

Marine Science Institute

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Natural Resources Defense Council

NatureBridge

North American Association for Environmental Education

Oak Park Unified School District

Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

Outdoor Afro

Outward Bound

Pathfinder Ranch

Plastic Pollution Coalition

Rialto Unified School District

San Francisco Botanical Garden

San Francisco Unified School District Science Department

San Francisco Zoo

San Joaquin County Office of Education

San Mateo County Office of Education

Santa Cruz County Office of Education

State Education and Environment Roundtable

Surfrider Foundation

Ten Strands

TreePeople

Trust for Public Land

Upstream

West Contra Costa Public Education Fund

Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation

YMCA San Francisco

Youth Outside

Zero Waste USA

Several individuals

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

 UNFINISHED BUSINESS  

Bill No: SB 720

Author:

:

Vote:

PRIOR SENATE VOTES NOT RELEVANT

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 8/31/18 (Pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10)

AYES: Allen, Wilk, Galgiani, Leyva, McGuire, Pan, Vidak

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 69-7, 8/30/18 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Environmental education: environmental principles and concepts

SOURCE: Ten Strands

DIGEST:

This bill revises provisions relating to the education principles for the environment by, among other things, (1) renaming them the environmental principles and concepts; (2) revising the process for, and entities involved in, updating the environmental principles and concepts; and (3) requiring the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are integrated into content standards and curriculum frameworks whenever those standards and frameworks are revised.

Assembly Amendments

gut and amend the bill into its current form.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1) Establishes the Office of Education and the Environment (OEE) in the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and requires the OEE to implement a statewide environmental education program. (Public Resources Code § 71300)

2) Requires the OEE, under the direction of CalRecycle and in cooperation with the California Department of Education (CDE) and the State Board of Education (SBE), to develop and implement a unified education strategy of the environment for elementary and secondary schools that does all of the following:

a) Coordinate instructional resources and strategies for providing active pupil participation in onsite conservation efforts.

b) Promote service-learning opportunities between schools and local communities.

c) Assess the impact of the unified education strategy on the achievement and resource conservation of participating pupils. (PRC § 71300)

3) Requires the CDE and SBE, in cooperation with CalRecycle, to develop and implement, to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan that guides the phased implementation of the unified education strategy in elementary, middle, and high school programs, for the education of pupils, faculty, and administrators on the importance of integrating environmental concepts and programs in schools. (PRC § 71300)

4) Requires the OEE to coordinate with other agencies and groups with expertise in education and the environment to implement the statewide educational program. (PRC § 71300)

5) Requires the OEE, as part of the unified education strategy, to develop education principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils, in cooperation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Natural Resources Agency, the CDE, and the SBE. (PRC § 71301)

6) Authorizes the principles to be updated every four years, starting in 2008. (PRC § 71301)

7) Requires the principles to be aligned to the academic content standards adopted by the SBE for English language arts, mathematics, history-social science, and science. (PRC § 71301)

8) Requires the education principles be used to do both of the following:

a) To direct state agencies that include environmental education components for elementary and secondary education in regulatory decisions or enforcement actions.

b) To align state agency environmental education programs and materials that are developed for elementary and secondary education. (PRC § 71301)

9) Requires the education principles for the environment include, but not be limited to, concepts relating to the following topics: environmental sustainability, water, air, energy, forestry, fish and wildlife resources, oceans, toxics and hazardous waste, integrated waste management, integrated pest management, public health and the environment, pollution prevention, resource conservation and recycling, and environmental justice. (PRC § 71301)

10) Requires the principles to be aligned to the applicable academic content standards adopted by the SBE and to not duplicate or conflict with any academic content standards. (PRC § 71301)

11) Requires the principles to be incorporated, as the SBE determines to be appropriate, into criteria developed for textbook adoption in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history-social sciences. (PRC § 71301)

12) Requires, if the SBE determines that the principles are not appropriate for inclusion in textbook adoption criteria, the SBE to collaborate with the Office to modify the principles as needed to ensure that they are included in the textbook adoption criteria in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history-social sciences. (PRC § 71301)

13) Requires the principles to be considered for inclusion in the academic content standards if the standards in science, mathematics, English/language arts, or history-social sciences are revised. (PRC § 71301)

14) Requires the OEE, in cooperation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Natural Resources Agency, the CDE, and the SBE, to use the education principles for the environment to develop a model environmental curriculum that incorporates the education principles for the environment and is aligned with applicable SBE-adopted academic content standards in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history/social sciences, to the extent that any of those content areas are addressed in the model curriculum. (PRC § 71302)

This bill revises provisions relating to the education principles for the environment by, among other things, (1) renaming them the environmental principles and concepts; (2) revising the process for, and entities involved in, updating the environmental principles and concepts; and (3) requiring the IQC to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are integrated into content standards and curriculum frameworks whenever those standards and frameworks are revised. Specifically, this bill:

1) Requires the IQC to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are integrated into the content standards and curriculum frameworks in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics whenever those standards and frameworks are revised.

2) Retains the requirement for the environmental principles and concepts to be incorporated, as the SBE determines to be appropriate, into the criteria developed for textbook adoption, but deletes the requirement that the SBE, if it determines that they are not appropriate for inclusion in the textbook adoption, collaborate with the OEE to make the changes necessary to ensure that they are included in the textbook adoption criteria in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history/social sciences.

3) Renames the “education principles for the environment” as the “environmental principles and concepts.”

4) Combines the topics of “integrated waste management” and “resource conservation and recycling” into “resource conservation, waste reduction, and recycling.”

5) Authorizes the OEE, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), the SBE, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Agency, to update the environmental principles and concepts every four years (as measured from July 1, 2008).

6) Requires the OEE, when updating or amending the environmental principles and concepts, to do all of the following:

a) Ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are based on current scientific and technical knowledge.

b) Solicit and coordinate input from the SBE, the SPI, and other executive branch agencies and departments, nongovernmental science and education consultants and organizations with the relevant scientific and technical knowledge, and currently employed, credentialed, public school classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment.

c) Hold a minimum of two public meetings in order for the public to provide input on the modifications. The public meetings required by this subdivision shall be held pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.

7) Requires a majority of the individuals consulted to review proposed updates or amendments to the environmental principles and concepts to be credentialed, current public school elementary or secondary classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment.

8) Requires environmental principles and concepts to be aligned to the academic content standards adopted by the SBE in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics, and prohibits them from conflicting with any academic content standards.

9) States legislative findings and declarations relating to the importance of the environmental principles and concepts and environment literacy.

10) States the intent of the Legislature that the SPI use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further the goals of environmental literacy, as specified.

11) Encourages the governing boards of school districts to do all of the following with respect to the course of study in grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and in grades 7 to 12, inclusive:

a) Embed environmental literacy in local control and accountability plans, including, but not necessarily limited to, embedding environmental literacy elements in local priorities and goals.

b) Provide professional development for educators in environmental literacy, in the integration of environmental principles and concepts and other environmental content with state-adopted standards and curriculum frameworks, and in the development and implementation of curriculum and activities inside and outside of the classroom that promote environmental literacy.

c) Build partnerships with other local educational agencies and with community-based organizations, informal education providers with expertise in science, history-social science, public health, social and environmental justice, and other environmental content providers in all aspects of environmental literacy programs.

d) Ensure that environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences are made available on an equitable basis to all pupils and that the environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences reflect the linguistic, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of California.

12) Encourages, further, the governing boards of school districts to do all of the following with respect to the course of study in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to also provide professional development for educators in linking environmental literacy content and principles to career pathways and to career technical education curriculum and activities.

Comments

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “SB 720 takes a step-wise approach to ensuring that the environmental principles and concepts are being integrated into future planning for the school districts. The bill seeks to strengthen access to environmental literacy and encourage partnerships with other educational agencies and community-based and nonprofit organizations. Research has shown that garden-based learning and environmental service-learning fosters critical thinking and collective problem-solving skills, addressing students' need for experiences that prepare them for higher education, the workplace, and civic engagement. The bill also directs the SPI to use available resources to further the goals of environmental literacy and justice. Lastly, the bill ensures that the appropriate scientific and educational agencies cooperate to update or amend the environmental principles. The bill encourages cooperation between the State Board of Education (SBE), SPI, CalEPA, CalRecycle, and the Natural Resources Agency to ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are based on the most current scientific and technical knowledge. SB 720 reinforces the state's commitment to environmental education and ensures continuity during administration changes.”
2. The Environmental Principles and Concepts. According to CalRecycle, “The environmental principles and concepts examine the interactions and interdependence of human societies and natural systems. They are the foundation of the environmental content taught in the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum. As the concepts are mastered, environmental literacy is developed in California’s students. In the EEI Curriculum, students’ knowledge of the environmental principles and concepts builds and spirals through their educational years, leading to deeper and more complex understanding as the student advances.”

3) State educational frameworks, but not standards, are developed on a standardized timeline. Revision of content standards must currently be initiated by legislative action. In contrast, curriculum frameworks—which are built upon, and provide guidance on how to implement, those standards—are updated on an eight-year cycle. This bill requires the environmental principles and concepts to be incorporated into revisions of the standards and frameworks; however, the environmental principles and concepts, as well as subsequent changes to the environmental principles and concepts, will not be reflected in the standards unless legislative action requires revision of the standards.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, CDE costs are minor and absorbable within existing resources, and CalRecyle costs are absorbable within existing resources.

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/29/18)

Ten Strands (source)

5 Gyres Institute

7th Generation Advisors

Adventure Risk Challenge

Alameda Unified School District

Alliance for Climate Education

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Azul

Biomimicry

Bioneers

California Academy of Sciences

California Association of Zoos and Aquariums

California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

California League of Conservation Voters

California Native Plant Society

California Science Teachers Association

Californians Against Waste

Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education

ChangeScale

Children & Nature Network

Cleantech San Diego

Clean Water Action

Climate Cents

Common Sense Kids Action

Conservation Corps of Long Beach

Cupertino Educational Endowment Foundation

David Brower Center

Earth Day Network

Education Outside

Environmental Charter Schools

Environmental Working Group

Environment California

Exploratorium

First Republic

Friends of the LA River

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Grades of Green

Greenpeace

Green Schoolyards America

Heal the Bay

Inside the Outdoors Foundation

InterpretPlants Studies

Latino Outdoors

Literacy for Environmental Justice

Marine Science Institute

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Natural Resources Defense Council

NatureBridge

North American Association for Environmental Education

Oak Park Unified School District

Occidental Arts & Ecology Center

Outdoor Afro

Outward Bound

Pathfinder Ranch

Plastic Pollution Coalition

Rialto Unified School District

San Francisco Botanical Garden

San Francisco Unified School District Science Department

San Francisco Zoo

San Joaquin County Office of Education

San Mateo County Office of Education

Santa Cruz County Office of Education

State Education and Environment Roundtable

Surfrider Foundation

TreePeople

Trust for Public Land

Upstream

West Contra Costa Public Education Fund

Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation

YMCA San Francisco

Youth Outside

Zero Waste USA

Several individuals

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/29/18)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 69-7, 8/30/18

AYES: Acosta, Aguiar-Curry, Arambula, Baker, Berman, Bloom, Bonta, Burke, Caballero, Calderon, Carrillo, Cervantes, Chau, Chávez, Chen, Chiu, Choi, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Cunningham, Daly, Eggman, Flora, Frazier, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gipson, Gloria, Gonzalez Fletcher, Gray, Grayson, Holden, Irwin, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Kamlager-Dove, Lackey, Levine, Limón, Low, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, O'Donnell, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Rivas, Rodriguez, Rubio, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Voepel, Waldron, Weber, Wood, Rendon

NOES: Travis Allen, Bigelow, Brough, Dahle, Harper, Melendez, Obernolte

NO VOTE RECORDED: Fong, Kiley, Mayes, Patterson

Prepared by:

8/31/18 14:07:18

**** END ****

SENATE THIRD READING

STR Bill Id:SB 720

Author:(Allen)

As Amended Ver:August 6, 2018

Majority vote

SENATE VOTE: 39-0

SUMMARY: This bill makes various revisions regarding the Office of Education and the Environment (Office) at the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and the development of environmental principles and concepts (EPCs). Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the Instructional Quality Commission to ensure the EPCs developed by the Office are integrated into the content standards and curriculum frameworks for English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics, whenever the standards and frameworks are revised.
2. Specifies, when updating or amending the EPCs, the Office shall ensure the updates and amendments are based on current scientific and technical knowledge and are developed in consultation with specified individuals, state agencies and organizations. Requires the majority of individuals consulted to review proposed changes to the EPCs to be credentialed public school classroom teachers.
3. Requires the Office to hold a minimum of two public meetings, subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, when updating the EPCs.
4. Requires the EPCs to align with the academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and to the extent practicable, mathematics. Specifies that the EPCs do not conflict with academic content standards.
5. Requires the Office to provide technical assistance to state agencies involved in the integration of the EPCs into state curriculum standards, frameworks, and instruction materials.
6. Updates and revises the list of environmental topics the EPCs must include, but are not limited to, as specified.
7. Makes various legislative findings.

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. California Department of Education (CDE) costs are minor and absorbable within existing resources.
2. CalRecyle costs are absorbable within existing resources.

COMMENTS: The Office was established within California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) established by AB 1548 (Pavley), Chapter 665, Statutes of 2003, to create and administer the Education and Environment Initiative (EEI). At that time, the CIWMB was leading state efforts on environmental education. In 2010, the CIWMB was eliminated and replaced by CalRecycle, which has continued to provide state leadership on environmental education efforts.

EEI includes the statewide environmental principles and concepts and a K-12 model curriculum aligned to the environmental principles and concepts and California's academic content standards, to be incorporated into future textbook criteria.

The Instructional Quality Commission is responsible for overseeing the development of the curriculum frameworks and the evaluation criteria for instructional materials (such as textbooks). It then recommends them to the State Board of Education for adoption. This includes curricula and instructional materials in various subjects, including English-language arts, mathematics, science, and history-social science. The EEI's current EPCs are included in many of its curriculum frameworks and criteria for instructional materials.

The Office conducts significant outreach through the EEI website, an active EEI Twitter feed, and a blog. It also provides EEI Curriculum training at sites throughout the state and via webinars.

Analysis Prepared by: Elizabeth MacMillan / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092 FN: 0004073

Date of Hearing: August 15, 2018

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 720

Author:(Allen) – As Amended Ver:August 6, 2018

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill makes various revisions regarding the Office of Education and the Environment (Office) at CalRecycle and the development of environmental principles and concepts. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the Instructional Quality Commission to ensure the environmental principles and concepts developed by the Office are integrated into the content standards and curriculum frameworks for English language arts, science, history-social science and, to the extent practicable, mathematics, whenever the standards and frameworks are revised.
2. Requires the environmental principles and concepts to be incorporated into the criteria developed for textbook adoption, as specified, as the state board of education determines is appropriate.
3. Specifies, when updating or amending the environmental principles and concepts, the office shall ensures the updates and amendments are based on current scientific and technical knowledge and are developed in consultation with specified individuals, state agencies and organizations. Requires the majority of consulting individuals to be credentialed public school classroom teachers.
4. Requires the office to hold a minimum of two public meetings, subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, when updating the environmental principles and concepts.
5. Requires the environmental principles and concepts to align with the academic content standards adopted by the state board of education in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and to the extent practicable, mathematics.
6. Requires the Office to provide technical assistance to state agencies involved in the integration of the environmental principles and concepts into state curriculum standards, frameworks, and instruction materials.
7. Updates and revises the list of environmental topics the environmental principles and concepts must include, but are not limited to, as specified.
8. Makes various legislative findings.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. California Department of Education (CDE) costs are minor and absorbable within existing resources.
2. CalRecyle costs are absorbable within existing resources.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author, “This bill takes a step-wise approach to ensuring that the environmental principles and concepts are being integrated into future planning for the school districts.”
2. The Office. The Office was established within California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) established by AB 1548 (Pavley), Chapter 665, Statutes of 2003, to create and administer the Education and Environment Initiative (EEI). At that time, the CIWMB was leading state efforts on environmental education. In 2010, the CIWMB was eliminated and replaced by CalRecycle, which has continued to provide state leadership on environmental education efforts.
   
   EEI includes the statewide environmental principles and concepts and a K-12 model curriculum aligned to the environmental principles and concepts and California's academic content standards, to be incorporated into future textbook criteria.
3. Public School Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Materials. The Instructional Quality Commission is responsible for overseeing the development of the curriculum frameworks and the evaluation criteria for instructional materials (such as textbooks). It then recommends them to the State Board of Education, which is within the CDE, for state adoption. This includes curricula and instructional materials in various subjects, including English-language arts, mathematics, science, and history-social science. The CDE indicates the EEI’s current environmental principles and concepts are included in many of its curriculum frameworks and criteria for instructional materials.

Analysis Prepared by: Natasha Collins and Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: June 27, 2018

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Patrick O'Donnell, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 720

Author:(Allen) – As Amended Ver:June 20, 2018

[Note: This bill was doubled referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and was heard by that Committee as it relates to issues under its jurisdiction.]

SENATE VOTE: 39-0

SUBJECT: Environmental education: environmental principles and concepts

SUMMARY: Requires the Office of Education and the Environment (OEE) to ensure that updates to the education principles and concepts for the environment (EP&Cs) involve input from several entities, including credentialed teachers, members of the public, and several state agencies; requires the OEE to provide technical assistance to state agencies on integrating the principles into programs, as well as state curriculum standards, frameworks, and instructional materials; requires the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) to ensure that the principles are integrated into standards and frameworks that are undergoing revision, in several subject areas. Specifically, this bill:

1. Specifies that the process for updating the EP&Cs includes cooperation between the OEE and the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), the State Board of Education (SBE), the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), and the California Natural Resources Agency.
2. Requires the OEE to ensure that the EP&Cs are based on current scientific and technical knowledge, and to solicit and coordinate input from the SBE, SPI, and other executive branch agencies and departments, nongovernmental science and education consultants and organizations with the relevant scientific and technical knowledge, and currently employed, credentialed public school classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment.
3. Requires the OEE to hold a minimum of two public meetings, in accordance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, when updating the EP&Cs.
4. Requires the EP&Cs to be aligned to the academic content standards adopted by the SBE in the subject of health, in addition to English language arts, science, history-social science, and mathematics.
5. Requires the OEE to provide technical assistance to state agencies involved in the integration of the EP&Cs in the programs they operate, and in the integration of the principles into state curriculum standards, frameworks, and instructional materials.
6. Requires the EP&Cs to include climate change and waste reduction, and repeals the requirement that the EP&Cs include integrated waste management.
7. Requires the IQC to ensure that the EP&Cs are integrated into the content standards and curriculum frameworks in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics, whenever those standards and frameworks are revised.
8. Repeals the following provisions from the Public Resources Code:
   1. The requirement that the SBE collaborate with the OEE to modify the EP&Cs to make them appropriate for inclusion in the textbook adoption criteria in science, mathematics, English language arts, and history-social sciences, if the SBE determines that this is necessary.
   2. The requirement that, if the content standards in mathematics, history/social science, or science are revised, the EP&Cs be considered for inclusion into part of the revised academic content standards.

1. Adds numerous findings and legislative declarations relating to environmental education, including:
   1. The EP&Cs are fundamental to the definition of environmental literacy in California and should be deemed to be the official EP&Cs for public education in California and may only be updated or amended as authorized by the bill.
   2. The intent of the Legislature is that the SPI use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further the goals of environmental literacy and environmental justice, as specified.
   3. Declares that the Legislature encourages the governing boards of school districts to do all of the following with respect to the course of study for grades 7 to 12:
      1. Embed environmental literacy into Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs);
      2. Provide professional development for educators in environmental literacy, in the integration of the EP&Cs and other environmental content with state-adopted standards and curriculum frameworks, in the development and implementation of curriculum and activities inside and outside the classroom that promote environmental literacy, and in linking environmental literacy content and principles to career pathways;
      3. Build partnerships with other local educational agencies, community-based organizations, and "nonformal" education providers with expertise in science, history-social science, public health, social and environmental justice, and other environmental content providers in all aspects of environmental literacy programs; and,
   4. Ensure that environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences are made available on an equitable basis to all pupils and that the environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences reflect the linguistic, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of California.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the OEE in the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and requires the OEE to implement a statewide environmental education program (Public Resources Code (PRC) 71300).
2. Requires the OEE, under the direction of CalRecycle and in cooperation with the California Department of Education (CDE) and the SBE, to develop and implement a unified education strategy of the environment for elementary and secondary schools that does all of the following (PRC 71300):
3. Coordinate instructional resources and strategies for providing active pupil participation in onsite conservation efforts.
4. Promote service-learning opportunities between schools and local communities.
5. Assess the impact of the unified education strategy on the achievement and resource conservation of participating pupils.
6. Requires the CDE and SBE, in cooperation with CalRecycle, to develop and implement, to the extent feasible, a teacher training and implementation plan that guides the phased implementation of the unified education strategy in elementary, middle, and high school programs, for the education of pupils, faculty, and administrators on the importance of integrating environmental concepts and programs in schools (PRC 71300).
7. Authorizes the OEE to hold public meetings to receive and respond to comments from affected state agencies, stakeholders, and the public regarding the development of resources and materials for the statewide educational program (PRC 71300).
8. Requires the OEE to coordinate with other agencies and groups with expertise in education and the environment to implement the statewide educational program (PRC 71300).
9. Requires, as part of the unified education strategy, the OEE to develop education principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils, in cooperation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Natural Resources Agency, the CDE, and the SBE (PRC 71301).
10. Authorizes the principles to be updated every four years, starting in 2008 (PRC 71301).
11. Requires the principles to be aligned to the academic content standards adopted by the SBE for English language arts, mathematics, history-social science, and science (PRC 71301).
12. Requires the education principles be used to do all of the following (PRC 71301):
13. To direct state agencies that include environmental education components for elementary and secondary education in regulatory decisions or enforcement actions (PRC 71301).
14. To align state agency environmental education programs and materials that are developed for elementary and secondary education (PRC 71301).
15. Requires the education principles for the environment include, but not be limited to, concepts relating to the following topics (PRC 71301):
16. Environmental sustainability
17. Water
18. Air
19. Energy
20. Forestry
21. Fish and wildlife resources
22. Oceans
23. Toxics and hazardous waste
24. Integrated waste management
25. Integrated pest management
26. Public health and the environment
27. Pollution prevention
28. Resource conservation and recycling
29. Environmental justice
30. Requires the principles to be aligned to the applicable academic content standards adopted by the SBE and to not duplicate or conflict with any academic content standards (PRC 71301).
31. Requires the principles to be incorporated, as the SBE determines to be appropriate, into criteria developed for textbook adoption in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history-social sciences (PRC 71301).
32. Requires, if the SBE determines that the principles are not appropriate for inclusion in textbook adoption criteria, the SBE to collaborate with the Office to modify the principles as needed to ensure that they are included in the textbook adoption criteria in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history-social sciences (PRC 71301).
33. Requires the principles to be considered for inclusion in the academic content standards if the standards in science, mathematics, English/language arts, or history-social sciences are revised (PRC 71301).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Need for the bill. The author’s office states, “SB 720 takes a step-wise approach to ensuring that the EP&Cs are being integrated into future planning for the school districts. The bill seeks to strengthen access to environmental literacy and encourage partnerships with other educational agencies and community-based and nonprofit organizations. Research has shown that garden-based learning and environmental service-learning fosters critical thinking and collective problem-solving skills, addressing students' need for experiences that prepare them for higher education, the workplace, and civic engagement. The bill also directs the SPI to use available resources to further the goals of environmental literacy and justice. Lastly, the bill ensures that the appropriate scientific and educational agencies cooperate to update or amend the environmental principles. The bill encourages cooperation between the SBE, SPI, CalEPA, CalRecycle, and the Natural Resources Agency to ensure that the EP&Cs are based on the most current scientific and technical knowledge. SB 720 reinforces the state's commitment to environmental education and ensures continuity during administration changes.”

Environmental literacy as a state priority. Several state actions over the past two decades have focused on developing environmental literacy among California’s K-12 students. In 2003, passage of AB 1548 (Pavley), Chapter 665 initiated the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) by creating the Office of Education and the Environment within the state agency now known as CalRecycle. The bill also tasked the OEE with developing the state’s EP&Cs; required the EP&Cs to be integrated throughout a newly created environment-based K-12 model curriculum; and required the EP&Cs to be integrated into criteria for textbook adoption in science, mathematics, English/language arts, and history-social sciences. The EP&Cs are listed in a table on the following page.

The EP&Cs guide the model curriculum that was developed by the OEE in collaboration with the CDE, the California Natural Resources Agency, and several non-state organizations, including Heal the Bay, the National Geographic Society, and the State Education and Environment Roundtable. In developing the EEI Curriculum, the OEE solicited input from state agencies, education organizations, business groups, universities, and environmental organizations. In addition, the OEE distributed an "Educator Needs Assessment" to 10,000 teachers and held numerous focus group meetings and discussion sessions. In 2010, the SBE unanimously approved the EEI curriculum, including the EP&Cs, for use throughout the state.

The OEE shares its educational resources—including the model curriculum and teacher guides to facilitate implementation of the curriculum—by conducting significant outreach through the EEI website, an active EEI Twitter feed, and a blog. It also provides EEI Curriculum training at sites throughout the state and via webinars.

A second environmental literacy initiative began in 2014, when SPI Torlakson assembled the California Environmental Literacy Task Force (ELTF) to create a blueprint for achieving environmental literacy for all California students. The Blueprint, entitled A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy: Educating Every Student In, About, and For the Environment, was published in 2015. The Blueprint highlights the need for expanded environmental literacy education by referencing a recent survey of 520 California school principals. This survey showed that 13 percent of schools have integrated environmental education into their curricula, and 77 percent spend less than $5,000 on field trips, professional development, and curricular materials for environmental education. In addition, the Blueprint states, "A false perception persists from

the No Child Left Behind accountability era that environmental and outdoor programs are non-academic and not connected to the core curriculum. Research shows, however, that in schools where environmental content is integrated as a primary part of instruction, student achievement has improved."

To improve environmental literacy among California’s students, the Blueprint identified the following six strategies:

1. Systematically integrate environmental literacy concepts into statewide educational priorities
2. Strengthen collaboration across the state between key stakeholders
3. Leverage the Superintendent's influence and create a public awareness campaign to build broad support for the importance of environmental literacy, and encourage and support increased allocation of state and locally controlled funding to environmental literacy programs
4. Implement changes to relevant state law and policy and ensure that relevant existing laws are funded and effectively implemented
5. Create an Environmental Literacy Steering Committee (ELSC) to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Blueprint
6. Develop a coherent strategy for funding environmental literacy across the state

In 2016, Superintendent Torlakson appointed the ELSC to create an implementation plan for environmental literacy. The ELSC is comprised of 30 educational leaders and nonprofit stakeholders, and includes representatives from CDE, CalRecycle, University of California, and the SBE.

Environmental literacy has been integrated into science, history-social science, and health. The intent of AB 1548 (Pavley), Chapter 665, Statutes of 2003, which established the OEE and initiated creation of the EP&Cs, was to improve environmental literacy among California’s K-12 students by integrating the EP&Cs into the curriculum for English language arts, science, math, and history-social science. To accomplish this, AB 1548 required the EP&Cs to be incorporated into textbook adoption criteria and considered for inclusion in the standards.

This bill supports the original intent of AB 1548 and improves alignment throughout the curriculum development process by requiring that the EP&Cs be included not only in textbook adoption criteria, but in academic content standards and frameworks as well. Although the EP&Cs and environmental topics have been incorporated into standards and frameworks for several subjects, this has occurred on a voluntary basis. Specifically, the SBE incorporated the EP&Cs into the Health Education Framework, and environmental literacy concepts have been integrated into the history-social science standards and throughout California’s Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; see below).

1. Health: In 2008, the IQC began the process of revising the Health Education Framework to reflect current health education statutes, as well as the state’s health content standards, adopted by the SBE in 2008. However, AB 4 X2 (Evans) Chapter 2, Statutes of 2009 halted all work on instructional materials adoptions and framework revisions until the 2013-14 school year, a response to the state’s fiscal emergency. The suspension was later extended until the 2015-16 school year by SB 70 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 7, Statutes of 2011. The health curriculum framework revision has since been reinitiated, and final adoption by the SBE is scheduled for May 2019. In April 2018, the CDE released on its website a draft of the Health Education Framework. The introduction to the framework lists the EP&Cs and describes their integration into the framework as follows:

“Educating students about environmental health, from both a personal and community health perspective, is a strand in the standards that continues from kindergarten through high school where students are expected to learn, among other issues, about the impacts of air and water pollution on health. These topics tie directly to California’s EP&Cs, adopted by the SBE in 2004. The EP&Cs are an important piece of the curricular expectations for all California students that teachers can incorporate through their many connections with the health education standards, specifically by focusing instruction on the personal and community effects of environmental issues.”

1. Science: In 2013, the SBE adopted the California NGSS as the state’s content standards in science, with some modifications of the national model. In contrast to California’s previous science standards, NGSS shifts focus from having students memorize scientific information to teaching students how to think critically about core scientific ideas, how to connect key concepts across disciplines, and how to implement processes used by practicing scientists. The NGSS details performance expectations for grades K-12 and includes a focus on key aspects of environmental literacy. The Blueprint provides the following examples:
2. Kindergarten: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
3. Grade 5: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect Earth’s resources and environment.
4. Middle School: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing human impact on the environment.
5. High School: Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among the management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.
6. History-social science: The history-social science standards also address environmental topics, although the standards were last revised in 1998. The Blueprint provides the following examples of environmental topics within the history-social science standards:
7. Grade 4: Analyze the effects of the Gold Rush on settlements, daily life, politics, and the physical environment.
8. Grade 6: Discuss the climatic changes and human modifications of the physical environment that gave rise to the domestication of plants and animals and new sources of clothing and shelter.
9. Grade 11: Discuss the diverse environmental regions of North America, their relationship to local economies, and the origins and prospects of environmental problems in those regions.

State educational frameworks, but not standards, are developed on a standardized timeline. During the standards movement in the 1990s, when the state began adopting content standards in a number of subject areas, no process was established in state law to allow for regular revisions to these standards. As a result, revision of content standards must currently be initiated by legislative action. In contrast, curriculum frameworks—which are built upon, and provide guidance on how to implement, those standards—are updated on an eight-year cycle.

This bill requires the EP&Cs to be incorporated into revisions of the standards and frameworks; however, the EP&Cs, as well as subsequent changes to the EP&Cs, will not be reflected in the standards unless legislative action requires revision of the standards.

Recommended amendments. This bill requires the EP&Cs to be reviewed for updates every four years with input from a variety of stakeholders, including several state agencies, teachers, and consultants with relevant scientific expertise. In addition, this bill requires the EP&Cs to be integrated throughout the curriculum across multiple subject areas, and to be aligned with, and not duplicative of, existing academic content standards.

Teachers will be responsible for delivering this content in the classroom. In addition, they have a working knowledge of the academic standards, as well as the scope and sequence of instructional content through the grade levels. Thus, the committee may wish to consider the value of ensuring that teachers provide significant contributions to the EP&C updating process. Staff recommends amending the bill to require that the majority of individuals consulted to review proposed changes to the EP&Cs to be currently employed, credentialed public school classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment. In addition, staff recommends a technical amendment to clarify the text of the bill.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Ten Strands (sponsor)

5 Gyres

7^th Generation Advisors

Alameda Unified School District

Alliance for Climate Education

Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Azul

Bioneers

California Academy of Sciences

California Association of Zoos and Aquariums

California League of Conservation Voters

California Native Plant Society

California Science Teachers Association

Californians Against Waste

ChangeScale

Cleantech San Diego

Clean Water Action

Climate Cents

Common Sense Kids Action

Conservation Corps of Long Beach

Education Outside

Environmental Charter Schools

Environmental Working Group

Exploratorium

Friends of the LA River

Greenpeace

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Heal the Bay

Inside the Outdoors Foundation

Latino Outdoors

Literacy for Justice

Natural Resources Defense Council

NatureBridge

Outdoor Afro

Plastic Pollution Coalition

San Joaquin County Office of Education

San Francisco Unified School District Science Department

Surfrider Foundation

The Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education

The Trust for Public Land

TreePeople

Upstream

West Contra Costa Public Education Fund

Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation

Youth Outside

Zero Waste USA

Two individuals

Opposition

None received

Analysis Prepared by: Naomi Ondrasek / ED. / (916) 319-2087

Date of Hearing: June 18, 2018

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Al Muratsuchi, Acting Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 720

Author:(Allen) – As Amended Ver:June 6, 2018

SENATE VOTE: Not relevant

SUBJECT: Environmental education: California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts

SUMMARY: Transfers the authority to update and revise the education principles for the environment from the Office of Environmental Education (Office) to the State Board of Education (Board) and requires that the principles be reviewed by the Board whenever the curriculum standards and frameworks are revised. Makes a number of related changes.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the Office within the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), which is tasked with implementing the statewide environmental education program.
2. Requires the Office, in cooperation with the California Department of Education (CDE), to develop and implement a unified education strategy on the environment for elementary and secondary schools.
3. As part of the strategy, requires the Office, in cooperation with the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA), the Natural Resources Agency (NRA), CDE, and the Board, to develop education principles for the environment for elementary and secondary school pupils. Requires the principles to be updated every four years.
4. Specifies that the principles be used to direct state agencies that include environmental education components for elementary and secondary education in regulatory decisions or enforcement actions and align state agency environmental education programs and materials that are developed for elementary and secondary education.
5. The education principles for the environment shall include, but are not limited to:
   1. Environmental sustainability;
   2. Water;
   3. Air;
   4. Energy;
   5. Forestry;
   6. Fish and wildlife resources;
   7. Oceans;
   8. Toxics and hazardous waste;
   9. Integrated waste management;
   10. Integrated pest management;
   11. Public health and the environment;
   12. Pollution prevention;
   13. Resource conservation and recycling; and,
   14. Environmental justice.
6. Requires the principles to be incorporated, as determined to be appropriate by the Board, into the criteria developed for textbook adoption, as specified. If the Board determines that the principles are not appropriate to be incorporated, requires the Board to collaborate with the Office to make necessary changes.
7. Requires that the principles be appropriately considered for including in to the academic content standards if the standards are revised.

THIS BILL:

1. Adds numerous findings and legislative declarations relating to environmental education, including:
   1. Education environmental principles and concepts (EPCs) are fundamental to the definition of environmental literacy in California and should be deemed to be the official EPCs for public education in California and may only be updated or amended as authorized by the bill;
   2. The intent of the Legislature is that the Superintendent use the resources at his or her disposal to provide leadership to further the goals of environmental literacy and environmental justice, as specified;
   3. Declares that the Legislature encourages the governing boards of school districts to do all of the following with respect to the course of study for grades 7 to 12:
      1. Embed environmental literacy in local control accountability plans, as specified;
      2. Provide professional development for educators in environmental literacy, in the integration of the EPCs and other environmental content with state-adopted standards and curriculum frameworks, in the development and implementation of curriculum and activities inside and outside the classroom that promote environmental literacy, and in linking environmental literacy content and principles to career pathways;
      3. Build partnerships with other local educational agencies, community-based organizations, and "nonformal" education providers with expertise in science, history-social science, public health, social and environmental justice, and other environmental content providers in all aspects of environmental literacy programs; and,
      4. Ensure that environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences are made available on an equitable basis to all pupils and that the environmental literacy curriculum and learning experiences reflect the linguistic, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of California.
2. Repeals the requirement that the environmental principles be updated every four year and instead authorizes the Board to update or amend the principles, in cooperation with the Superintendent, CalEPA, CalRecycle, and the NRA, pursuant to the process specified for the Board in Education Code Section 60605.11, which applies to the adoption of modifications to the common core academic content standards for mathematics.
3. Requires the Board to rely on the expertise of the state agencies and department designated by the Governor to ensure that the principles are based on the most current scientific and technical knowledge.
4. Requires the Office to coordinate between the Board, the Superintendent, other executive branch agencies and departments, and nongovernmental science and education consultants and organizations with relevant scientific and technical knowledge.
5. Requires the Board to review the principles for updating or amending whenever curriculum standards and frameworks within which the principles are embedded are being revised.
6. Requires the Office to be available to provide technical support to state agencies involved in the integration of the principles for purposes of regulatory decisions or enforcement actions.
7. Adds climate change to the list of topics included in the principles.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

1. Author's statement:

California's Environmental Principles and Concepts for environmental education are codified in Public Resources Code 71301, but are not in the Education Code. SB 720 embeds these concepts and principles into the Education Code and encourages school district governing boards to place environmental literacy elements into the local control and accountability plans. This bill takes a step-wise approach to ensure that the environmental principles are being integrated into future planning for the school districts. The bill seeks to strengthen access to environmental literacy and encourage partnerships with other educational agencies and community-based and nonprofit organizations. Research has shown that garden-based learning and environmental service-learning fosters critical thinking and collective problem-solving skills, addressing students' need for experiences that prepare them for higher education, the workplace, and civic engagement. The bill also directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to use available resources to further the goals of environmental literacy and justice. Lastly, the bill ensures that the appropriate scientific and educational agencies cooperate to update or amend the environmental principles. The bill encourages cooperation between the State Board of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, CalEPA, CalRecycle, and the Natural Resources Agency to ensure that the education principles are based on the most current scientific and technical knowledge. SB 720 reinforces the state's commitment to environmental education and ensures continuity during administration changes.

1. The Office. The Office was established within California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) in 2003 by AB 1548 (Pavley), Chapter 665 to create and administer the Education and Environment Initiative (EEI). At that time, the CIWMB was leading state efforts on environmental education. In 2010, the CIWMB was eliminated and replaced by CalRecycle, which has continued to provide state leadership on environmental education efforts.
   
   EEI includes the statewide environmental principles and concepts (EPCs) and a K-12 model curriculum (EEI Curriculum) aligned to the EPCs and California's academic content standards, to be incorporated into future textbook criteria. The EPCs are:
   1. Principle 1 - People Depend on Natural Systems: The continuation and health of individual human lives and of human communities and societies depend on the health of the natural systems that provide essential goods and ecosystem services.
      1. Concept A. The goods produced by natural systems are essential to human life and to the functioning of our economies and cultures.
      2. Concept B. The ecosystem services provided by natural systems are essential to human life and to the functioning of our economies and cultures.
      3. Concept C. The quality, quantity, and reliability of the goods and ecosystem services provided by natural systems are directly affected by the health of those systems.
   2. Principle 2 - People Influence Natural Systems: The long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships with human societies.
      1. Concept A. Direct and indirect changes to natural systems due to the growth of human populations and their consumption rates influence the geographic extent, composition, biological diversity, and viability of natural systems.
      2. Concept B. Methods used to extract, harvest, transport, and consume natural resources influence the geographic extent, composition, biological diversity, and viability of natural systems.
      3. Concept C. The expansion and operation of human communities influences the geographic extent, composition, biological diversity, and viability of natural systems.
      4. Concept D. The legal, economic, and political systems that govern the use and management of natural systems directly influence the geographic extent, composition, biological diversity, and viability of natural systems.
   3. Principle 3 - Natural Systems Change in Ways that People Benefit From and Can Influence: Natural systems proceed through cycles that humans depend upon, benefit from, and can alter.
      1. Concept A. Natural systems proceed through cycles and processes that are required for their functioning.
      2. Concept B. Human practices depend upon and benefit from the cycles and processes that operate within natural systems.
      3. Concept C. Human practices can alter the cycles and processes that operate within natural systems.
   4. Principle 4 - There are no Permanent or Impermeable Boundaries that Prevent Matter from Flowing Between Systems: The exchange of matter between natural systems and human societies affects the long-term functioning of both.
      1. Concept A. The effects of human activities on natural systems are directly related to the quantities of resources consumed and to the quantity and characteristics of the resulting byproducts.
      2. Concept B. The byproducts of human activity are not readily prevented from entering natural systems and may be beneficial, neutral, or detrimental in their effect.
      3. Concept C. The capacity of natural systems to adjust to human-caused alterations depends on the nature of the system as well as the scope, scale, and duration of the activity and the nature of its byproducts.
   5. Principle 5 - Decisions Affecting Resources and Natural Systems are Complex and Involve Many Factors: Decisions affecting resources and natural systems are based on a wide range of considerations and decision-making processes.
      1. Concept A. There is a spectrum of what is considered in making decisions about resources and natural systems and how those factors influence decisions.
      2. Concept B. The process of making decisions about resources and natural systems, and how the assessment of social, economic, political, and environmental factors has changed over time.

These EPCs guide the model curriculum developed by the Office, in collaboration with CDE, NRA, and non-state organizations, including Heal the Bay, the National Geographic Society, and the State Education and Environment Roundtable. After adopting the EPCs, the Office focused its efforts on creating the EEI Curriculum to provide K-12 teachers, schools, and districts with standards-based curricular materials. In developing the EEI Curriculum, the Office solicited input from state agencies, education organizations, business groups, universities, and environmental organizations. Additionally, an "Educator Needs Assessment" was sent to 10,000 teachers and the Office held numerous focus group meetings and discussion sessions. The EEI Curriculum was approved by the Board in 2010 and is available for free to California educators.

The Office conducts significant outreach through the EEI website, an active EEI Twitter feed, and a blog. It also provides EEI Curriculum training at sites throughout the state and via webinars. Upcoming trainings include three trainings in June in Los Angeles, Sonoma, and Fresno; two trainings in July in Elk Grove and San Francisco; and, four trainings in August in San Francisco, Chico, and Porter Ranch. Interested educators can also request a training at their school tailored to their needs.

1. A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy. In 2014, Superintendent Torlakson created the California Environmental Literacy Task Force (ELTF) to create a blueprint for achieving environmental literacy for all California students. ELTF was co-chaired by Elizabeth Babcock of the California Academy of Sciences and Craig Strang of the Lawrence Hall of Science, who worked with a team of 47 formal and informal educators, CDE staff, and other stakeholders. In 2015, CDE published A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy: Educating Every Student In, About, and For the Environment. The Blueprint identifies six strategies to achieve environmental literacy for all California students: a) Systematically integrate environmental literacy concepts into statewide education al priorities; b) Strengthen collaboration across the state between key stakeholders; c) Leverage the Superintendent's influence and create a public awareness campaign to build broad support for the importance of environmental literacy, and encourage and support increased allocation of state and locally controlled funding to environmental literacy programs; d) Implement changes to relevant state law and policy and ensure that relevant existing laws are funded and effectively implemented; e) Create an Environmental Literacy Steering Committee (ELSC) to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Blueprint; and, f) Develop a coherent strategy for funding environmental literacy across the state.

The following year, Superintendent Torlakson appointed the ELSC to create an implementation plan for environmental literacy. The ELSC is comprised of 30 educational leaders and nonprofit stakeholders, and includes representatives from CDE, CalRecycle, University of California, and the Board.

The Blueprint demonstrates the need for additional actions within the education community to expand environmental literacy in schools. A recent survey of 520 California school principals found that only 13% of schools have integrated environmental education into their curricula, and 77% spend less than $5,000 on field trips, professional development, and curricular materials for environmental education. Less than 10% of California students in grades 4-6 attend California's Residential Outdoor Science Schools, which provide outdoor experiences for California students.

According to the Blueprint, "A false perception persists from the No Child Left Behind accountability era that environmental and outdoor programs are non-academic and not connected to the core curriculum. Research shows, however, that in schools where environmental content is integrated as a primary part of instruction, student achievement has improved."

1. Suggested amendments. This bill is intended to ensure ongoing cooperation and coordination among the state's environmental education programs. The committee may wish to amend the bill to make a number of organizational and clarifying amendments to ensure it accomplishes this goal and make related technical amendments:
   1. Replace "education principles for the environment" with "environmental principles and concepts" to make statute consistent with the state's programs.
   2. Maintain the Office's authority to update the EPCs every four years, in consultation with the Board and after soliciting input from public school classroom teachers. Require the Office to hold a minimum of two public meetings, as specified.
   3. Clarify that the EPCs shall be aligned to the academic content standards for English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics.
   4. Require the Office to provide technical assistance to state agencies involved in the integration of the EPCs into state curriculum standards, frameworks, and instruction materials.
   5. Combine and update the EPC for integrated waste management and recycling.
   6. Move provisions requiring the integration of the EPCs into the content standards, curriculum frameworks, and textbooks to the Education Code.
   7. Make the findings uncodified and make related technical amendments.
2. Double referral. This bill is also referred to the Assembly Education Committee, which will evaluate the bill's impacts on education policy.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

5 Gyres

7^th Generation Advisors

Adventure Risk Challenge

Alliance for Climate Education

AltaSea

Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Azul

Biomimicry Institute

Bioneers

California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

California Association of Zoos and Aquariums

California County Superintendents Educational Services Association

California League of Conservation Voters

California Native Plant Society

California State Parks Foundation

Californians Against Waste

Children and Nature Network

Clean Water Action

Cleantech San Diego

Climate Cents

COARE

David Brower Center

Earth Day Network

Environment California

Environmental Working Group

First Republic Bank

Friends of the LA River

Grades of Green

Green Schoolyards America

Greenpeace

Heal the Bay

Latino Outdoors

Marin Science Institute

Monterey Bay Aquarium

North American Association for Environmental Education

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

Outward Bound California

Pathfinder Ranch

Plastic Pollution Coalition

Rialto Unified School District

San Francisco Botanical Garden Society

San Francisco Zoo and Gardens

San Mateo County Office of Education

SFUSD Science Department

State Board of Education Member Bruce Holaday

Surfrider Foundation

Ten Strands

TreePeople

Trust for Public Land

Upstream

YMCA of San Francisco

Youth Outside

Zero Waste USA

2 individual

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Elizabeth MacMillan / NAT. RES. /

 CONSENT  

Bill No: SB 720

Author:

:

Vote:

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 6-0, 1/10/18

AYES: Allen, Wilk, Galgiani, Leyva, Pan, Vidak

NO VOTE RECORDED: Mendoza

SUBJECT:

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill replaces references to “evaluation rubrics” with references to “evaluation rubrics, as displayed on the California School Dashboard,” in provisions relating to school accountability.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt evaluation rubrics, by October 1, 2016, for all of the following purposes:
   1. To assist a school district, county office of education or charter school in evaluating its strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require improvement.
   2. To assist a county superintendent of schools in identifying school districts and charter schools in need of technical assistance, and the specific priorities upon which the technical assistance should be focused.
   3. To assist the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) in identifying school districts for which intervention is warranted. (EC § 52064.5)
2. Requires the evaluation rubrics to reflect a holistic, multidimensional assessment of school districts and individual schoolsite performance and include all of the state priorities. Existing law requires, as part of the evaluation rubrics, the SBE to adopt standards for school district and individual schoolsite performance and expectations for improvement in regard to each of the state priorities. (EC § 52064.5)
3. Requires local educational agencies to adopt and annually revise local control and accountability plans, establishing annual goals and identifying specific actions for all pupils and specific subgroups of pupils, in the eight state priority areas. (EC § 47605, 47606.5, 52060, 52066)
4. Requires the county superintendent of schools or the SPI to provide technical assistance using the evaluation rubrics to any school district or county office of education, respectively, that fails to improve pupil achievement across more than one state priority for one or more pupil subgroups. (EC § 52071, 52071.5)
5. Requires a chartering authority to provide technical assistance using the evaluation rubrics to any charter school that fails to improve pupil achievement across more than one state priority for three or more pupil subgroups, or all of its pupil subgroups if it has fewer than three, in three out of four consecutive school years. (EC § 47606.5)
6. Authorizes the SPI to identify school districts and county offices of education in need of intervention if certain conditions are met, including if the California Collaborative for Education Excellence has provided advice and assistance and submits findings to the SPI that the inadequate performance of the school district or county office of education, based on the evaluation rubrics, is either so persistent or acute as to require intervention by the SPI. (EC § 52072, 52072.5)

This bill replaces references to “evaluation rubrics” with references to “evaluation rubrics, as displayed on the California School Dashboard,” in provisions relating to school accountability.

Comments

1) The California School Dashboard. The California School Dashboard (Dashboard) is a medium for public displaying data from the evaluation rubrics. According to the SBE, “The SBE approved the creation of a web-based system that will allow local educational agency (LEA) and school staff, parents/guardians and other stakeholders to review performance data on the new accountability tool and upload additional local information, including the information needed to measure and report progress on the local performance indicators… Parents/guardians, educators and the public can use the Dashboard to see how districts and schools are meeting the needs of California’s diverse student population. The Dashboard includes a series of easy-to-use reports, including a top-level summary report for LEAs and schools, called the Equity Report, that shows performance in all local control funding formula priority areas and identifies the instances where any student group is in the two lowest performance levels for the state indicators (currently Red or Orange).” The Dashboard officially launched in December 2017.

2) The evaluation rubrics continue to exist. The Dashboard is separate and apart from the evaluation rubrics themselves, and the associated indicators and cut scores. For example, the SBE has adopted the following state indicators: academic, chronic absenteeism, college and career readiness, English learner progress, graduation rate, and suspension rate. According to the SBE, “In May 2016, the SBE approved the design for the Dashboard that included the establishment of a unique set of cut scores for each indicator, using distributions based on LEA-level data, which includes charter schools, and applying the LEA cut scores to all schools, where appropriate.” These cut scores translate into color-coded designations. Just recently, in November 2017, the SBE adjusted the cut scores for the academic indicator.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT: (Verified 1/10/18)

None received

OPPOSITION: (Verified 1/10/18)

None received

Prepared by:

1/11/18 14:35:05

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Benjamin Allen, Chair

2017 - 2018 Regular

Bill No: SB 720 Hearing Date: January 10, 2018

Subject: School accountability: the California School Dashboard.

SUMMARY

This bill, in provisions relating to school accountability, changes references to “evaluation rubrics” to “the California School Dashboard.”

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1. Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt evaluation rubrics, by October 1, 2016, for all of the following purposes:
   
   1. To assist a school district, county office of education or charter school in evaluating its strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require improvement.
      
   2. To assist a county superintendent of schools in identifying school districts and charter schools in need of technical assistance, and the specific priorities upon which the technical assistance should be focused.
      
   3. To assist the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) in identifying school districts for which intervention is warranted. (EC § 52064.5)
      
2. Requires the evaluation rubrics to reflect a holistic, multidimensional assessment of school districts and individual schoolsite performance and include all of the state priorities. Existing law requires, as part of the evaluation rubrics, the SBE to adopt standards for school district and individual schoolsite performance and expectations for improvement in regard to each of the state priorities.
   (EC § 52064.5)
3. Requires local educational agencies to adopt and annually revise local control and accountability plans, establishing annual goals and identifying specific actions for all pupils and specific subgroups of pupils, in the eight state priority areas. (EC § 47605, 47606.5, 52060, 52066)
4. Requires the county superintendent of schools or the SPI to provide technical assistance using the evaluation rubrics to any school district or county office of education, respectively, that fails to improve pupil achievement across more than one state priority for one or more pupil subgroups. (EC § 52071, 52071.5)
5. Requires a chartering authority to provide technical assistance using the evaluation rubrics to any charter school that fails to improve pupil achievement across more than one state priority for three or more pupil subgroups, or all of its pupil subgroups if it has fewer than three, in three out of four consecutive school years. (EC § 47606.5)
6. Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to identify school districts and county offices of education in need of intervention if certain conditions are met, including if the California Collaborative for Education Excellence has provided advice and assistance and submits findings to the SPI that the inadequate performance of the school district or county office of education, based on the evaluation rubrics, is either so persistent or acute as to require intervention by the SPI. (EC § 52072, 52072.5)

ANALYSIS

This bill, in provisions relating to school accountability, changes references to “evaluation rubrics” to “the California School Dashboard.”

STAFF COMMENTS

1) The California School Dashboard. The California School Dashboard (Dashboard) is a medium for public displaying data from the evaluation rubrics. According to the State Board of Education (SBE), “The SBE approved the creation of a web-based system that will allow local educational agency (LEA) and school staff, parents/guardians and other stakeholders to review performance data on the new accountability tool and upload additional local information, including the information needed to measure and report progress on the local performance indicators… Parents/guardians, educators and the public can use the Dashboard to see how districts and schools are meeting the needs of California’s diverse student population. The Dashboard includes a series of easy-to-use reports, including a top-level summary report for LEAs and schools, called the Equity Report, that shows performance in all local control funding formula priority areas and identifies the instances where any student group is in the two lowest performance levels for the state indicators (currently Red or Orange).” The Dashboard officially launched in December 2017.

2) The evaluation rubrics continue to exist. The Dashboard is separate and apart from the evaluation rubrics themselves, and the associated indicators and cut scores. For example, the SBE has adopted the following state indicators: academic, chronic absenteeism, college and career readiness, English learner progress, graduation rate, and suspension rate. According to the SBE, “In May 2016, the SBE approved the design for the Dashboard that included the establishment of a unique set of cut scores for each indicator, using distributions based on LEA-level data, which includes charter schools, and applying the LEA cut scores to all schools, where appropriate.” These cut scores translate into color-coded designations. Just recently, in November 2017, the SBE adjusted the cut scores for the academic indicator. Accordingly, staff recommends that the bill be amended to retain all references to the evaluation rubrics and instead add the following language at the end of the evaluation rubric reference: “as displayed on the California School Dashboard.”

SUPPORT

None received

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --