The Second Year High School Science Graduation Requirement Is Safe!
The legislature rejected Governor Brown’s proposal to eliminate the state mandate requiring a second year of high school science. On June 27, the legislature passed the education trailer bills (AB 1476 and SB 1016). The bills contained no language to modify the high school science graduation requirement as proposed by Governor Brown in his January and May budget proposals. Our most sincere thanks goes out to all of you who contacted their legislators and let them know that diminishing the high school science graduation requirements was a step in the wrong direction for California’s future.
Our thanks also goes out to our friends at the California STEM Learning Network who joined in the fight with us and played a key role getting the word out and raising awareness of the issue amongst its members and members of the state legislature. Thank you also goes out to the California Council for the Social Studies, the Jewish Community Relations Council, BSMARTE, the Professional Engineers in California Government, and the California Association of Professional Scientists. These organizations all sent letters and expressed their opposition to the Governor’s proposed cuts. Thank you to NSTA who also sent out emails to raise awareness of the issue.
So what’s next? There is still litigation pending between the Department of Finance and the Commission on State Mandates on the Graduation Requirement mandate (Visit https://services.saccourt.ca.gov/publicdms/search.aspx and search for Case # 34-2010-80000529-CU-WM-GDS, Department 31). So it is possible that this issue could come up again. CSTA will of course be keeping a watchful eye and will keep its members informed should this issue arise again in the next budget year. We wish you an enjoyable summer and look forward to seeing you in October in San Jose.
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June 28th, 2012 at 10:24 am
Thanks to CSTA and NSTA and supporters of quality science learning in California to be heard.
June 28th, 2012 at 11:59 am
Truly wonderful news! Both for our students and our economy!
June 28th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
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