Existing law establishes preschool programs and public and private elementary and secondary schools throughout the state. Existing law also establishes the State Board of Education and the State Department of Education to provide guidance and support to local educational agencies and other entities that operate schools and preschool programs, and further authorizes the establishment and operation of numerous educational programs on the state level that are administered by the state board, the department, or other state agencies.

Existing law expresses the finding and declaration of the Legislature that there is a need to encourage the adoption of new or improved educational ideas, practices, and techniques in solving critical educational problems in preschool, elementary, and secondary schools throughout the state, but that there are a large number of permanent commissions, committees, and councils, some of which have overlapping duties and functions or that have been perpetuated in existence beyond the original need or purpose for which they were created. Existing law expresses the intent of the Legislature to create 3 levels of educational advisory bodies, as specified.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes in these provisions.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anna Caballero, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

SB 1115 (Limón) - Professional learning: mathematics and literacy

Bill Summary:

This bill requires the California Department of Education (CDE), on or before January 1, 2026, to identify and recommend professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy.

Fiscal Impact:

This bill appropriates an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) for allocation to local educational agencies (LEAs) for purposes of providing high-quality professional learning programs, creating General Fund cost pressure of $500 million on a one-time basis.

Background:

Existing Law requires CDE to issue a request for proposals to contract for the development of standards for professional development for educators and instructional leaders. The standards shall, among other things, present a vision of ongoing, high-quality professional development, give special attention to high-need schools and school districts, and build on existing work on quality professional development, including the Designs for Learning system.

Existing law requires the entity contracted by CDE for these purposes to submit the standards to the SPI for approval, and requires the SPI to submit the standards to the State Board of Education for approval, as specified.

Proposed Law:

This bill requires the CDE, on or before January 1, 2026, to identify and recommend high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy and do all of the following:

Include literacy professional learning for certificated and classified staff serving pupils in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 6, inclusive, that align with the principles of the science of reading by focusing on results-driven methods of teaching, which may include, but is not limited to, offerings such as Lexia LETRS and CORE Learning.

1. Support the development of biliteracy in pupils.
2. Have proven, evidence-based outcomes for pupils.
3. Have proven, evidence-based outcomes for educator knowledge and instruction.
4. Focus on pupil engagement and equity.
5. Address supports for pupils.
6. Support educators at different stages and roles in their careers with offerings of varied duration and intensity that tie to their specific responsibilities.

This bill appropriates an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the SPI for allocation to local educational agencies (LEAs) for purposes of providing high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy. The bill requires, as a condition of receiving funds, an LEA to report to CDE measurable outcomes of pupil achievement due to the professional learning provided for professional development related to mathematics and English language arts, including, but not limited to, test scores, pupil attendance, and graduation rates.

Staff Comments:

While the bill appropriates an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the SPI for allocation to LEAs for purposes of providing high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy, the CDE indicates that the amount of funding being proposed for the bill is $500 million in Proposition 98 General Fund. Of this amount, $250 million would be available for professional learning in literacy for more than 160,000 educators, with an emphasis on supporting the success of early readers utilizing programs that are proven and results-driven. The remaining $250 million would be utilized for professional learning for mathematics teachers with a focus on Professional Learning Communities and coaching that have proven results in student performance in mathematics for math educators.

Staff notes that the 2024-25 Governor’s Budget includes the following proposals that are related to this measure:

• $20 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for a county office of education to work with the University of California Subject Matter Projects, as well as other well-qualified governmental or non-profit providers, to develop and provide training for mathematics coaches and leaders who can in turn provide training and support to math teachers to deliver high-quality instruction.
• $25 million ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund through the K-12 Mandate Block Grant to support training for educators to administer literacy screenings. This proposal recognizes that the 2023 Budget required LEAs to begin screening students in kindergarten through second grade for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia, by the 2025-26 school year.

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Josh Newman, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: SB 1115 Hearing Date: April 24, 2024

Subject: Professional learning: mathematics and literacy.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the California Department of Education (CDE), on or before January 1, 2026, to identify and recommend professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy.

BACKGROUND

Existing Law:

1. Requires CDE to issue a request for proposals to contract for the development of standards for professional development for educators and instructional leaders.
2. Requires those standards to, among other things, present a vision of ongoing, high-quality professional development, give special attention to high-need schools and school districts, and build on existing work on quality professional development, including the Designs for Learning system.
3. Requires the entity contracted by CDE for these purposes to submit the standards to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) for approval, and requires the SPI to submit the standards to the State Board of Education (SBE) for approval, as specified.

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1. Requires the CDE, on or before January 1, 2026, to identify and recommend high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy and do all of the following:
2. Include literacy professional learning for certificated and classified staff serving pupils in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 6, inclusive, that align with the principles of the science of reading by focusing on results-driven methods of teaching, which may include, but is not limited to, offerings such as Lexia LETRS and CORE Learning.
3. Support the development of biliteracy in pupils.
4. Have proven, evidence-based outcomes for pupils.
5. Have proven, evidence-based outcomes for educator knowledge and instruction.
6. Focus on pupil engagement and equity.
7. Address supports for pupils.
8. Support educators at different stages and roles in their careers with offerings of varied duration and intensity that tie to their specific responsibilities.
9. Appropriates an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the SPI for allocation to local educational agencies (LEAs) for purposes of providing high-quality professional learning programs for certificated and classified staff that support pupil development in mathematics and literacy.
10. Requires, as a condition of receiving funds, an LEA to report to CDE measurable outcomes of pupil achievement due to the professional learning provided for professional development related to mathematics and English language arts, including, but not limited to, test scores, pupil attendance, and graduation rates.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. According to the author, “In October 2023, the CDE released assessment results that indicate the impact of the state recovery effort from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment for mathematics showed an increase from 33.4percent to 34.6 percent, followed by an increase from 29.5 percent to 30.2 percent in science based on the California Science Test Student Scores from 2021 to 2023. In addition, the English Language Arts (ELA) showed a decrease from 47.1percent to 46.7 percent.

“With promising improvement in assessment results for both math and science, we must continue efforts to improve student success. This can only be done with the support of education staff, who have a crucial role in the performance of students. SB 1115 ensures our student assessment goals are met.

“Professional learning programs provide support for teachers and serve as an incentive for teacher recruitment and retention. Educators who are supported and continuously developing their skills are more likely to create engaging and interactive learning environments.”

1. Poor access to high-quality STEM education. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education includes four specific disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. STEM teaches and trains students to engage in critical thinking, inquiry, problem solving, collaboration, and what is often referred to in engineering as design thinking. In recent years, the state has undertaken a number of policy reforms to address STEM teaching and assessment practices, curriculum, and policies that expand STEM opportunities for all students.

There is wide acknowledgement that many California students have insufficient access to high quality STEM education. The SPI’s STEM Education Task Force, in a 2014 report on STEM education titled INNOVATE: A Blueprint for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in California Public Education, found:

“Many of California’s students lack consistent access to high-quality STEM education. Although the importance of STEM learning has been widely acknowledged, several factors have limited access to STEM education: the focus on English language arts and skill-based mathematics required by No Child Left Behind; insufficient focus on science as well as on STEM education in the classroom; lack of access to high-quality STEM materials and instruction; insufficient opportunities for students to engage in hands-on, inquiry based learning; and insufficient professional preparation by teachers at all levels.”

In recognition of this problem of access, the SPI’s STEM Education Task Force recommended that the state make access to high-quality STEM experiences and programs universal to all K-12 students through a variety of opportunities in school, expanded learning, and community partnerships through informal, formal, and digital pathways.

A 2016 review of STEM education studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences shows that access to advanced math and science courses in high school is a strong predictor for success in post-secondary STEM courses. This finding holds true for both male and female students, and across all ethnicities examined. However, certain populations, including Hispanic and African American students, take fewer high-level high school math and science courses, even though their interest levels in STEM subjects match those of their white peers.

Limited access to STEM education is of concern not only at the high school level, but in elementary grades as well. In 2011, WestEd, the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley, and SRI International issued a report on elementary STEM education in California. Among their key findings: 40 percent of K-5 teachers report that their students receive 60 minutes or less of science instruction per week, less than 15 percent have received any science-related professional development in the previous three years, and only a third of elementary school teachers feel very prepared to teach science. In addition, the authors found that racial inequities in STEM knowledge are already apparent in elementary school: in 2009, the state’s fourth graders performed at the lowest level nationally on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science test, and fewer than 10 percent% of African American and Hispanic fourth graders scored proficient, compared to 41 and 45 percent of their white and Asian peers, respectively. Altogether, these findings led the authors to conclude that “children rarely encounter high-quality science learning opportunities in California elementary schools because the conditions that would support them are rarely in place.”

In 2012, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology stated that the United States will need 1 million more STEM professionals than the country will produce at the current rate over the next decade, if the country is to maintain its status as a global leader in science and technology. The above report raises the question of whether today’s K-12 students are being adequately and equitably prepared to take full advantage of emerging opportunities in STEM professions.

1. Revision of the Mathematics Framework. The CDE, Instructional Quality Commission (IQC), and SBE have completed the revision process for the Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (Mathematics Framework). The Framework is important guidance designed to help educators align classroom teaching with California’s rigorous math learning standards. The purpose of the revised Mathematics Framework is to achieve excellence in math teaching and learning through curriculum and instructional approaches grounded in research and reflective of best practices across the globe. The revised Mathematics Framework provides guidance for mathematics learning for all students at all levels of math, including calculus, and ensures students have a wide variety of options including pursuing STEM in college and in their careers. Instructional materials aligned to the new Mathematics Framework are expected to be adopted in 2025.
2. Current English Language Arts/English Language Development curriculum framework takes integrated approach to literacy. In 2014, the SBE adopted the current ELA/ELD Curriculum Framework, which reflects an integrated approach to literacy instruction.

According to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), the Framework incorporates five broad, overarching literacy themes, which, taken together, are intended to provide a comprehensive road map for helping students develop literacy across the curriculum. The five themes are:

• 1. Meaning Making.
  2. Language Development.
  3. Effective Expression.
  4. Content Knowledge.
  5. Foundational Skills.

Within the new organizational structure and content of the Framework, the foundational skills of teaching reading now represent one of five integrated domains that guide literacy development across the curriculum and K-12 grade span.

In 2019, the CTC adopted revised Teaching Performance Expectations in literacy for multiple subject, educational specialist, and single subject English teacher candidates to align the document to the 2014 ELA/ELD Framework.

1. The proposed Governor’s Budget includes funding to assist educators in teaching mathematics and support literacy screenings. The 2024-25 proposed Governor’s Budget (Budget) includes two proposals that are closely related to this bill.

First, the Budget proposes $20 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for a county office of education to work with the University of California Subject Matter Projects, as well as other well-qualified governmental or non-profit providers, to develop and provide training for mathematics coaches and leaders who can in turn provide training and support to math teachers to deliver high-quality instruction. The Budget also proposes to make statutory changes to focus use of unexpended allocated Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant funds on actions to address the needs of students most impacted by learning loss and to clarify that the allowable uses of the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant include professional development aligned to the new Mathematics Framework.

Second, the Budget proposes $25 million ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund through the K-12 Mandate Block Grant to support training for educators to administer literacy screenings. This proposal recognizes that the 2023 Budget required LEAs to begin screening students in kindergarten through second grade for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia, by the 2025-26 school year.

SUPPORT

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond (sponsor)

California Charter Schools Association 
Collaborative Classroom

OPPOSITION

None received

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