New Bills Impacting California Schools
California is seeing a series of new bills aimed at improving various aspects of education. One bill focuses on enhancing reading comprehension, while another seeks to revamp cafeteria menus by removing heavily processed foods. A third bill addresses discrimination in the classroom.
These recent initiatives, which passed Congress on a hectic final session day, will affect the daily experiences of about 5.8 million public school students in California. Generally, they aim to support students’ mental, physical, and emotional health, although they have sparked some controversy.
Now, these proposals are making their way to Governor Gavin Newsom, who has until October 12th to decide whether to sign them into law.
Parliamentary Bill 715: No Discrimination
One of the most debated education measures is Congressional Bill 715. Concerns have been raised about how ethnic studies are taught in some California schools, particularly among Jewish advocacy groups. Critics argue that these classes sometimes disproportionately focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which they say shows bias against Jewish people. Instructors have contested these claims as well as disputes over course content.
The final bill, which merges with Senate Bill 48, aims to broaden its focus beyond just anti-Semitism, addressing criticisms about its limited scope.
“California is taking a significant step against anti-Semitism in our schools,” noted David Bocallsley, executive director of California’s Jewish Public Affairs Commission. “For far too long, Jewish students have faced bullying and hostility in classrooms. AB715 is a commitment to ensuring their safety and dignity matters, along with that of all California children.”
This law will establish a state civil rights office to support monitoring and handling discrimination complaints. It will help ensure compliance with state anti-discrimination laws and prepare educational resources.
Diverse forms of discrimination will have dedicated coordinators, focusing on issues related to anti-Semitism, religious discrimination, racial and ethnic discrimination, gender discrimination, and LGBTQ+ discrimination.
For ethnic studies, the bill will include resources for training teachers and prevention courses. The state will utilize existing complaint protocols to investigate formal grievances around bullying and discrimination.
Opponents of AB 715, including the California Teachers Association, acknowledge the bill has been adjusted, yet they remain critical. Some express concerns it could stifle debate on tough issues, drawing questionable links between valid critique of Israel and anti-Semitism.
AB 1454: The Science of Reading
Another significant bill aims to reassess how reading is taught in California classrooms. It mandates phonics-based instruction, sparking a long-standing debate about effective teaching methods for this essential skill. This is somewhat unique in a state that generally prefers local control over educational strategies.
AB 1454 requires districts to use materials backed by what supporters call the “science of reading,” concentrating on how young kids learn to read.
My preference leans towards the phonics approach, which emphasizes recognizing sounds associated with letters, as well as techniques derived from research on effective reading instruction. They often speak of the “five pillars”: phoneme recognition, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
The goal is to raise the disappointing test scores that many Californians are familiar with. A 2022 survey indicated that fewer than 2% of districts utilize the curriculum considered strong in reading science principles.
Proponents have criticized alternative methods that tend to focus more on engaging kids in reading rather than on decoding words. Teachers often rely on context and imagery instead of teaching explicit word recognition.
“Transforming California’s education system demands a cohesive strategy based on proven methods,” said Marshall Tuck, CEO of Edvoice, an educational advocacy group pushing for change.
Nevertheless, many educators express their attachment to a range of approaches and feel overwhelmed by state-mandated reforms that don’t align with their experiences or training. Advocates of English learners have been particularly vocal against the reading science philosophy.
AB 1264: Ultra-Processed Food
In another vein, Congressional Bill 1264 targets ultra-processed items like chicken nuggets, corndogs, frozen pizzas, and sugary snacks in school lunches.
Such foods often contain reprocessed meats along with various additives like sugar, unhealthy fats, and preservatives. The bill faced pushback from manufacturers who deemed it overly restrictive and influenced by unfounded criteria.
The final version of the bill addressed some of these concerns by implementing a review framework rather than outright banning specific foods. There are also staged rollouts planned over several years.
The aspiration is to encourage healthier options in school lunches, expedite the shift towards food prepared in school kitchens, and focus on local, fresh ingredients whenever possible.
AB 564: Cannabis Tax and Child Care
Congress has also moved to limit the cannabis excise tax hike, which took effect in July, raising the consumer tax rate to 19%. This aims to bolster the struggling legal cannabis market, especially as dwindling tax revenue has adversely affected childcare funding.
Congressional Bill 564 is expected to result in an annual cut of approximately $180 million for law enforcement, childcare, services for at-risk youth, and environmental cleanup. Around $81 million of this has previously supported subsidized childcare for approximately 8,000 children from low-income families. With a total childcare budget of $7 billion, this reduction raises concerns, especially with further cuts potentially on the horizon.
Other Notable Measures
Parliamentary Bill 461 aims to decriminalize school refusal under state law. Under current regulations, parents of chronically absent or tardy students could face fines of up to $2,000 or a year in jail, but actual prosecutions are quite rare. The focus has shifted from strict penalties to alternatives like counseling and family support.
Additionally, Congress has approved measures to assist immigrant families, which may affect how schools operate, including provisions that restrict immigration enforcement on campuses unless there is a valid judicial warrant.
