Mathematically Correct Information Bulletin
Feb. 9, 1996

State Law, Frameworks, and Textbook Adoptions

The legislature, in its concern about the loss of basic skills in California education, recently adopted AB 170, the ABC bill, which indicates the legislature's desire that school districts be sure to teach our children solid basic skills. This bill was introduced by San Diego Assemblywoman Dede Alpert.

This bill has become law and is now incorporated into the Education Code as section 60200.4.

Some aspects of this bill and other elements of the Education Code are extremely relevant to those parents in California who wish to see their districts hold off on adoption or purchase of Whole Math curricula for elementary schools. These provisions are shown below. These sections clearly indicate the desire of the legislature for our children to be taught phonics and basic computational skills using adopted texts that contain these areas of instruction. They also require that adopted texts incorporate instruction principals reflective of "confirmed research." Finally, section 60200.g clearly establishes the right of a district to use its instructional material allowances to purchase alternative texts, with the permission of the state board. 

EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 60200-60206

60200.  The state board shall adopt basic instructional materials
for use in kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, for governing
boards, subject to the following provisions:
 
   (c) In reviewing and adopting or recommending for adoption
submitted basic instructional materials, the state board shall use
the following criteria, and ensure that, in its judgment, the
submitted basic instructional materials meet all of the following
criteria:
   (3) Are factually accurate and incorporate principles of
instruction reflective of current and confirmed research.
   (4) Adequately cover the subject area for the grade level or
levels for which they are submitted.

    (g) If a district board establishes to the satisfaction of the
state board that the state-adopted instructional materials do not
promote the maximum efficiency of pupil learning in the district, the
state board shall authorize that district governing board to use its
instructional materials allowances to purchase materials as
specified by the state board, in accordance with standards and
procedures established by the state board.

60200.4.  (a) The State Board of Education shall ensure that the
basic instructional materials that it adopts for mathematics and
reading in grades 1 to 8, inclusive, are based on the fundamental
skills required by these subjects, including, but not limited to,
systematic, explicit phonics, spelling, and basic computational
skills.

  (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the fundamental
skills of all subject areas, including systematic, explicit phonics,
spelling, and basic computational skills, be included in the adopted
curriculum frameworks and that these skills and related tasks
increase in depth and complexity from year to year.  It is the intent
of the Legislature that the instructional materials adopted by the
State Board of Education meet the provisions of this section.

60201.  In approving and maintaining lists of adopted instructional
materials at least biennially, the state board shall, pursuant to
subdivision (e) of Section 60200, do any one or more of the
following, when applicable:

  (a) Retain any instructional materials from a previous list...


EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 33050

33050.  (a) The governing board of a school district or a county
board of education may, on a districtwide or countywide basis or on
behalf of one or more of its schools or programs, after a public
hearing on the matter, request the State Board of Education to waive
all or part of any section of this code or any regulation adopted by
the State Board of Education that implements a provision of this code
that may be waived, except:

[followed by a list of sections, not including 60200-60206]