AB 314

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law requires the publisher or manufacturer of instructional materials to furnish those materials at a price that does not exceed the lowest price the publisher offers those materials, to automatically reduce the price of materials to the extent that reductions in price are made elsewhere, and to provide any materials free of charge to the same extent as they are provided elsewhere. This bill would require publishers or manufacturers of instructional materials to provide any equipment or technology associated with the use of instructional materials under consideration for purchase free of charge to the same extent as they are provided elsewhere. The bill would also require publishers or manufacturers to furnish instructional materials offered by the publisher in an electronic format at a price that is less than the price charged for the printed version and would require the electronic version of any textbook to contain at least the same content as the printed version. (2) Existing law requires the State Board of Education to adopt basic instructional materials for use in kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive. This bill would require the state board to hold a publicly noticed informational meeting prior to the meeting at which it is scheduled to adopt instructional materials. (3) Existing law provides that upon making an adoption of basic instructional materials, the state board is required to make available to listed publishers and manufacturers and all school interests, a list of those instructional materials by subject and grade level. Items placed upon lists are required to be accessible, as specified, from the date of the adoption of the item until a date established by the state board. This bill would require the list of materials to be made available to school districts and to be posted on the State Department of Education's Internet Web site by subject and grade level. It would require the list to also include the final assessments or reports of findings and recommendations developed by expert reviewers and evaluators of instructional materials involved in the review process that includes alignment of standards, program organization, pupil assessments, teacher support, and support for English language learners. Items placed upon lists would be required to be accessible, as specified, for at least 3 years following the next adoption of new materials based upon a new or revised curriculum framework, whichever is later. (4) Existing law establishes the Instructional Materials Funding Realignment Program administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction under which school districts are apportioned funds to ensure that each pupil is provided with a standards-aligned textbook or basic instructional materials, as adopted by the state board or the local governing board. Existing law requires that pupils be provided with standards-aligned textbooks or basic instructional materials by the beginning of the first school term that commences no later than 24 months after those materials were adopted by the state board. However, the state board is authorized to grant school districts additional time to meet this requirement if specified criteria are met. This bill would authorize a school district receiving specified funding to submit recommendations of individuals to serve in the review and evaluation of instructional materials submitted for kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, who, as verified by the Superintendent, meet specified qualifications. This bill would require the Superintendent, through a random lottery, to select and appoint instructional materials reviewers and content review experts from the recommendations made by school districts. The Superintendent would be required to ensure that a majority of selected instructional materials reviewers and content review experts are credentialed classroom instructors. Local governing boards would be required to use the funding provided to ensure that each pupil is provided with standards-aligned textbooks or basic instructional materials by the beginning of the first school term that commences no later than 36 months after those materials were adopted by the state board. Local governing boards also would be authorized to use the funding to purchase state adopted textbooks or basic instructional materials in an electronic format, if they can ensure that each pupil will be provided with a copy of the instructional materials to use at school and at home, as specified.