BILL NUMBER: SB 318	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Morrell

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2015

   An act to add and repeal Section 33134 to the Education Code,
relating to education technology, and making an appropriation
therefor.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 318, as introduced, Morrell. Education technology and digital
resources training pilot program.
   (1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and
secondary schools in this state, and authorizes local educational
agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide
instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
   This bill would appropriate, for the 2015-16 fiscal year,
$1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Superintendent of Public
Instruction to be allocated to specified local educational agencies
for the purpose of implementing a pilot program in the County of San
Bernardino County to train kindergarten and grades 1 to 12,
inclusive, teachers to more effectively utilize technology and
digital resources within their instructional day, while also
measuring and teaching the critical 21st century skills pupils need
to succeed on California's next-generation online assessments, as
well as to prepare pupils for college and career objectives, thereby
making an appropriation. The bill would require the Superintendent to
develop an application process for the allocation of funds
appropriated for the implementation of the pilot program to be
limited to local educational agencies servicing the County of San
Bernardino. The bill would authorize any local educational agency
servicing the County of San Bernardino to apply to the Superintendent
for funding to implement the pilot program, as specified. The bill
would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2020.
   (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as
to the necessity of a special statute for the county of San
Bernardino.
   (3) Funds appropriated by this bill would be applied toward the
minimum funding requirements for school districts and community
college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the
California Constitution.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 33134 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   33134.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, for the 2015-16 fiscal
year, one million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be appropriated from the
General Fund to the Superintendent to be allocated to local
educational agencies servicing the County of San Bernardino who apply
for the purpose of implementing a pilot program to train
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, teachers to more
effectively utilize technology and digital resources within their
instructional day, while also measuring and teaching the critical
21st century skills pupils need to succeed on California's
next-generation online assessments, as well as to prepare pupils for
college and career objectives.
   (b) (1) The Superintendent shall develop an application process
for the allocation of funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a)
limited to local educational agencies servicing the County of San
Bernardino.
   (2) Any local educational agency servicing the county of San
Bernardino may apply for funding from the Superintendent to implement
the pilot program described in subdivision (a), and subject to the
requirements of subdivision (c).
   (c) (1) The pilot program shall be operated in the County of San
Bernardino County and focus on teachers working with underserved
populations.
   (2) The pilot program shall include the ability to measure 21st
century skills of teachers and pupils using the international
standards defined by the International Society for Technology in
Education. The skills to be measured shall include, but not be
limited to, all of the following:
   (A) Creativity and innovation.
   (B) Communication and collaboration.
   (C) Research and information fluency.
   (D) Critical thinking and problem solving.
   (E) Digital citizenship.
   (F) Technology operations and concepts.
   (3) The pilot program shall provide professional development for
teachers to ensure that these skills are met and that assistance is
provided when these skills are not met.
   (d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2020, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends
that date.
  SEC. 2.  The Legislature finds and declares that this act, which is
applicable only to the County of San Bernardino, is necessary
because this act will serve as a pilot program for training
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, teachers to, among other
things, more effectively utilize technology and digital resources
within their instructional day.
  SEC. 3.  The Legislature finds and declares that a special law is
necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable within the
meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution
because of the need to enact this act on a trial basis only, applied
to one appropriately large and diverse county, before extending the
act to every county in the state.