ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1703

Author:(Bloom)

As Amended Ver:April 29, 2019

Majority vote

SUMMARY:

Requires, contingent on appropriation, the formation of a neurodiversity and learning collaborative, with the intent of bringing together brain researcher and educators to use brain research to improve teaching of students with neurodiversity, including dyslexia and literacy issues.

Major Provisions

1. Requires the University of California (UC) at Los Angeles (UCLA), the California State University (CSU) at Dominguez Hills and CSU campuses serving the Los Angeles Basin, as selected by the CSU Trustees, to develop new interventions and teaching practices, based on brain research, and test them in public schools that volunteer to participate.
2. Requires the collaborative to develop a teacher training curriculum for teacher credentialing.

COMMENTS:

One in five children in the United States (U.S.) have learning and attention issues according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The most frequent learning issue is related to literacy. Dyslexia is estimated to affect roughly 15% of the U.S. population, meaning about one million children in California schools have a literacy-related learning disability.

Without early identification and effective intervention, the impact of learning issues can be significant and long-lasting for the individual, and for society. The long-term effects include social costs - unemployment, mental health problems, welfare costs, and ongoing remedial education programs.

This bill is intended bring together California's leading brain science and K-12 education experts for a collaborative venture using emerging knowledge to inform the creation of innovative teaching methods for application throughout the K-12 system. The proposed collaborative will focus on three areas:

1. Increasing language and concept development for children 0 to 5 years of age by working with California's early childhood programs.
2. Assessing children at age 5 for literacy issues with teachers trained to give targeted intervention in the primary grades.
3. Development of fluent comprehension by grade four, by designing professional development for all current teachers and by creating new foundational literacy components to be embedded into teacher education programs.

According to the Author:

Great progress has been made in understanding neurodiversity on a scientific level, including the cognitive and neurobiological bases of diverse learning needs, and this research can now inform teaching methods to better support the success of all types of learners.

Arguments in Support:

According to UCLA, "AB 1703 is an opportunity for California's policy leaders to better utilize existing expertise from the CSU and UC campuses to collaboratively and strategically achieve more effective and efficient educational systems for all types of learners."

Arguments in Opposition:

There is no opposition on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS:

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. Ongoing General Fund costs, in the $500,000 range, for at least two CSU campuses to participate in the program.
2. Ongoing General Fund costs, in the $250,000 range, for UC to participate in the program.
3. Unknown Proposition 98 General Fund or General Fund for schools test the interventions and techniques.
4. No additional General Fund costs to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, as costs likely would be covered by the existing credentialing process.

VOTES:

ASM HIGHER EDUCATION: 11-0-1

YES: Medina, Choi, Quirk, Bloom, Gabriel, Irwin, Kiley, Levine, Low, Santiago, Weber

ABS, ABST OR NV: Patterson

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 18-0-0

YES: Gonzalez, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonta, Brough, Calderon, Carrillo, Chau, Diep, Eggman, Fong, Gabriel, Eduardo Garcia, Maienschein, Obernolte, Petrie-Norris, Quirk, Robert Rivas

UPDATED:

VERSION: April 29, 2019

CONSULTANT: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN: 0000784

Date of Hearing: May 8, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1703

Author:(Bloom) – As Amended Ver:April 29, 2019

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

SUMMARY:

This bill requires, contingent on appropriation, the formation of a “neurodiversity and learning collaborative,” with the intent of bringing together brain researcher and educators to use brain research to improve teaching of students with neurodiversity, including dyslexia and literacy issues. Specifically, the bill requires the University of California (UC) at Los Angeles, the California State University (CSU) at Dominguez Hills and CSU campuses serving the Los Angeles Basin, as selected by the CSU trustees, to develop new interventions and teaching practices, based on brain research, and test them in public schools that volunteer to participate. It also requires the collaborative to develop a teacher training curriculum for teacher credentialing, to be approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. Ongoing General Fund costs, in the $500,000 range, for at least two CSU campuses to participate in the program. Costs would include a program director’s salary, faculty compensation and additional costs, such as support for graduate assistants and stipends for teachers and students. In addition, one-time General Fund cost pressures to the CSU trustees to select the CSU campus or campuses.
2. Ongoing General Fund costs, in the $250,000 range, for UC to participate in the program. The author’s office indicates private donations and foundation support may be available to offset some costs to UC. To the extent these funds are available, General Fund costs would be lower.
3. Unknown Proposition 98 General Fund or General Fund for schools test the interventions and techniques.
4. No additional General Fund costs to CTC, as costs likely would be covered by the existing credentialing process, whereby teacher candidate programs pay fees to cover CTC’s costs.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose and Background. According to information provided by the author’s office, dyslexia is estimated to affect roughly 15% of the U.S. population. This bill is intended to provide tools for teachers to address these students’ needs by bringing together brain science and K-12 education experts to develop innovative teaching methods. Currently, teachers need to meet certain requirements to become fully credentialed by the CTC. This bill integrate training on neurodiversity to these requirements.

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

Date of Hearing: April 23, 2019

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Jose Medina, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1703 (

Author:Bloom) – As Amended Ver:April 10, 2019

SUBJECT: University of California: California Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning

SUMMARY: Establishes, subject to appropriation, a collaborative between the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) to apply brain research to the diverse learning needs of children in K-12 education. Specifically, this bill, as proposed to be amended:

1. Establishes the UC and CSU Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning, with the goal of bringing together leading experts in brain research and K-12 education to strengthen educational support and new teaching methods for children with diverse learning needs, including children with dyslexia and literacy issues.
2. Provides that the collaborative consists of UCLA and CSU Dominguez Hills, along with other CSU campuses serving the Los Angeles Basin, as selected by the CSU Trustees.
3. Requires the collaborative to do all of the following:
   1. Develop a network of brain researchers and educators to share new knowledge on neurodiversity;
   2. Identify and develop links between brain research and classroom practice;
   3. Create a framework for embedding neurodiversity knowledge into the teacher education programs at UC and CSU; and,
   4. Provide an opportunity for innovative experts in neuroscience and education to collaborate and develop new approaches for teaching and learning based on knowledge gained from brain research around learning differences, such as dyslexia.
4. Requires the collaborative to also:
   1. Provide leadership - on the development, testing, and evaluation of educational practices based on brain research - at California public schools volunteering to participate, in order to identify the most effective practices for neurodiverse learners, and to support the creation of professional development modules for teachers related to such practices;
   2. Support the development of a teacher training curriculum to be integrated into programs leading to a preliminary teaching credential; and,
   3. Select public postsecondary educational institutions to voluntarily participate in implementing and testing the effects of the teacher training curriculum.
5. Stipulates that all of the above is subject to an appropriation in the Budget Act and shall not apply to UC except to the extent the UC Regents adopt a resolution making it applicable.
6. Make legislative findings and declarations regarding the prevalence of learning differences, related to the uniqueness individuals’ brain wiring, and the need for early and effective intervention to address these differences.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes UC, to be administered by the Board of Regents, with full powers of organization and government, subject only to such legislative control as may be necessary to insure the security of its funds and compliance with the terms of the endowments of the university and such competitive bidding procedures as may be made applicable to the university by statute for the letting of construction contracts, sales of real property, and purchasing of materials, goods, and services. (California Constitution Article IX, Section 9)
2. Establishes the CSU, governed by the Board of Trustees with respect to educational policy, finance, employee relations, campus planning, and facilities, among other areas. (Education Code Section 89500, et seq.).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: Background. According to information provided by the author’s office, one in five children in the U.S. have learning and attention issues according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The most frequent learning issue is related to literacy. Dyslexia is estimated to affect roughly 15 percent of the U.S. population, meaning about one million children in California schools have a literacy-related learning disability.

Up until third grade, students generally work on mastering basic reading skills, but after third grade, children need strong reading and learning skills to build content knowledge in subjects like history or science. Children who do not read well in third grade are then four times more likely to leave high school without a regular diploma, as compared to proficient readers.

Without early identification and effective intervention, the impact of learning issues can be significant and long-lasting for the individual, and for society. The long-term effects include social costs - unemployment, mental health problems, welfare costs, and ongoing remedial education programs – as well as costs incurred due to antisocial behavior such as drug abuse, early pregnancy, and involvement in the criminal justice system. Low literacy is strongly related to crime: 70% of prisoners fall into the lowest two levels of reading proficiency (National Institute for Literacy, 1998).

Children with neurodiverse learning needs have the capacity to be highly successful, but the author maintains that they are not being adequately supported in today’s classrooms. Great progress has been made in understanding neurodiversity on a scientific level, including the cognitive and neurobiological bases of diverse learning needs, and this research can now inform teaching methods to better support the success of all types of learners.

Purpose. AB 1703 is intended bring together California’s leading brain science and K-12 education experts for a collaborative venture using emerging knowledge to inform the creation of innovative teaching methods for application throughout the K-12 system. The proposed collaborative, which will be led by UCLA and Cal State Dominguez Hills, will focus on three areas:

1. Increasing language and concept development for children 0 to 5 years of age by working with California’s early childhood programs.
2. Assessing children at age 5 for literacy issues with teachers trained to give targeted intervention in the primary grades.
3. Development of fluent comprehension by grade 4, by designing professional development for all current teachers and by creating new foundational literacy components to be embedded into teacher education programs.

Amendments. The author concurs with amendments proposed by the committee, and reflected in this analysis, which make the bill somewhat less prescriptive or are clarifying. For timing purposes, these amendments will be taken in the Appropriations Committee.

Comment. Notwithstanding the apparent merits of this measure, creation of the collaborative will be dependent on the Legislature’s funding priorities, as established through the annual budget process.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file.

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Chuck Nicol / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960