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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-19</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Muratsuchi</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Muratsuchi</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to add Article 7 (commencing with Section 33600) to Chapter 4 Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to pupil achievement.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>pupil achievement</ns0:RelatingClause>
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<ns0:Subject>Pupil achievement: Closing the Achievement Gap Commission.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law establishes the State Board of Education and requires the state board to study educational conditions and needs of the state and to make plans for the improvement of the administration and efficiency of the public schools of the state. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and assigns to the department numerous responsibilities relating to the governance of the public elementary and secondary schools in the state.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would establish the Closing the Achievement Gap Commission as an advisory body to the state board. The bill would require the membership of the commission to consist of 13 voting members and one nonvoting member with an advisory vote, as provided. The bill would require 9 members of the commission to be appointed by the
Governor pursuant to a specified application process and would require those members to reflect geographic, demographic, and district-type diversity. The bill would limit members appointed to the commission to one 4-year term, as provided. The bill would require the commission to annually elect a chair and vice chair and meet at least 4 times annually in the first year after its creation, and as needed thereafter, at the call of the chair or the state board. The bill would require the commission to, among other things, continually assess the extent to which there are gaps in state support for local educational agencies in their efforts to close achievement gaps. The bill would require the commission, on or before December 1 of each year, to submit a report to the Governor, the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, the state board, and the department with recommendations and proposed actions that the state can take to help and support local educational agencies in closing the
achievement gap. The bill would require the state board to consider those reports as an agenda item at a regularly scheduled public meeting or as provided and would require the department to post those reports on the department’s internet website.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
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<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
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The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
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Data on pupil academic performance demonstrates the existence of persistent pupil achievement gaps between pupil populations in California and underscores the need for stronger alignment and accountability across state educational entities, state educational programs, and educational reports and programs mandated for local educational agencies in order to ensure meaningful academic growth for all pupil groups.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Persistent disparities in opportunities and outcomes among pupil groups require a focused, cross-system response that mandates continuous improvement by state educational
agencies and departments, and in related statewide programs that emphasize providing support to local educational agencies instead of compliance monitoring.
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<html:p>
(3)
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California’s accountability system is grounded in sound principles, including support rather than sanctions, respect for local governance, equitable resource allocation, continuous improvement, and fostering collaborative relationships. However, the system is not functioning as intended, as local educational agencies must navigate fragmented initiatives and compliance demands that dilute focus on the improvement of teaching and learning required to address achievement gaps. Further, identification for state assistance is inconsistent and overly broad, with state and county agency roles not clearly defined and, at times, conflicting, and the quality of support provided to local educational agencies varying widely. As a result, the state lacks a coherent and effective framework to ensure
that local educational agencies have the targeted, consistent support they need to develop the capacity to equitably serve all pupils.
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<html:p>
(4)
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Local educational agencies have uneven access to state-level support, which requires the state to take measures to remove barriers for local educational agencies, improve state-level coordination to support local educational agency leadership, and provide accountability for pupil achievement at the state level.
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<html:p>
(5)
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These conditions call for the creation of an independent commission to examine how state accountability systems and other state programs under the purview of the State Board of Education and the State Department of Education enable or inhibit local efforts to close the pupil achievement gap and to advise the state board and the department on ways to improve support for local educational agencies.
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(6)
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Addressing persistent achievement gaps requires a coherent and aligned statewide system in which goals, policies, roles, and tools are mutually reinforced and the responsibility for outcomes is shared across state, county, and local educational agencies. Effective reform requires a limited number of clear statewide goals, clarified roles and authority, streamlined reporting and compliance, and identification of differentiated and intensive support that focuses on essential academic outcomes. Effective reform needs to be informed by comprehensive reviews, strengthened expectations, and a capacity for high-quality district support, a transparent and graduated pathway for escalating support, and a statewide learning infrastructure that uses evidence from local implementation to continuously improve policy and practice.
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<html:p>
(7)
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The state must be accountable for ensuring that California
has state-required programs operating as a coherent education system that prioritizes pupil achievement and continuous improvement through local support over compliance-only approaches.
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<html:p>
(b)
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It is the intent of the Legislature that a commission dedicated to closing the achievement gap is established and adheres to all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
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Uses the Closing the Achievement Gap State Operations and Support Plan developed by the working group established pursuant to Section ____ of the Education Code, as proposed by ____ of the 2025–26 Regular Session, as the commission’s guiding document.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Assesses the efficacy of the state’s support to local educational agencies identified under the statewide system of support established pursuant to Section 52059.5 of the Education Code.
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(3)
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Evaluates whether current law, regulations, and statewide initiatives, including local control and accountability plans, are effective in closing the achievement gap.
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(4)
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Provides recommendations for coordinated state action to help local educational agencies improve pupil achievement.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Article 7 (commencing with Section 33600) is added to Chapter 4 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the
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, to read:
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<ns0:Num>7.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:LawHeadingText>Closing the Achievement Gap Commission</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:Num>33600.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>There is in the state government the Closing the Achievement Gap Commission, an advisory body to the state board. The purposes of the commission are all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
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Advises the state board and the department on existing board and department policies and practices.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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Makes recommendations for improving the support that the state provides to local educational agencies to close the achievement gap.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
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Uses the Closing the Achievement Gap State Operations and Support Plan developed pursuant to Section ____, as proposed by ____ of the 2025–26 Regular Session, as a guiding document for reviewing and developing the commission’s
priorities and recommendations.
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_73CB00FF-F4EA-44F9-8031-445B37A04B95">
<ns0:Num>33601.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
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The Closing the Achievement Gap Commission shall consist of 14 members, as follows:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
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Five voting members consisting of all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
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The President of the State Board of Education or the president’s designee.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
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The Superintendent of Public Instruction or the Superintendent’s designee.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
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The Executive Director of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing or the executive director’s designee.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
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The Executive Director of the California Collaborative for Educational
Excellence or the executive director’s designee.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
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The President of the California State Parent Teacher Association or the president’s designee.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Eight voting members appointed by the Governor as follows:
</html:p>
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(A)
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One governing board member from a school district with 2,500 or less units of average daily attendance.
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(B)
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One governing board member from a school district with 2,501 or more units of average daily attendance.
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(C)
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One governing board member from a county board of education.
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<html:p>
(D)
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One administrator from a school district with 2,500 or less units of average daily attendance.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
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One county superintendent of schools.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(F)
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One superintendent of a school district.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(G)
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One certificated employee employed by a school district or a county office of education.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(H)
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One classified employee employed by a school district or a county office of education.
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<html:p>
(3)
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(A)
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One nonvoting pupil member appointed by the Governor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
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The pupil member shall have an advisory vote.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Members appointed to the commission by the Governor shall reflect geographic, demographic, and district-type diversity and shall serve no
more than one four-year term, based on the calendar year.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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The Governor shall appoint members following an application process for gubernatorial appointments on the Governor’s internet website.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
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To the extent practicable, the Governor shall appoint members in alternating even- and odd-numbered years so that no more than one-half of the appointed positions expire at the end of a calendar year.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
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A vacancy on the commission shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term of the position vacated in the same manner as the original appointment.
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_704BA7FE-4327-43ED-94F0-23F634E194AF">
<ns0:Num>33602.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_B117E634-D9D7-4535-8BE8-D96937E1B51E">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Closing the Achievement Gap Commission shall annually elect a chair and vice chair from among its members by a majority of the voting members of the commission.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Seven voting members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. The commission shall act by a majority vote of the members present at a meeting. In the absence of a quorum, the commission may discuss business but shall not take action on any items of business.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The commission shall meet at least four times annually in the first year after its creation, and as needed thereafter, at the call of the chair or the state board, consistent with the Closing the Achievement Gap State Operations and Support Plan
developed pursuant to Section ____, as added by ____ of the 2025–26 Regular Session.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The commission may establish subcommittees or ad hoc committees as needed to perform its duties as set forth in Section 33603.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
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Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed by the state for necessary and reasonable travel and per diem expenses incurred in the discharge of the member’s duties.
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<ns0:Num>33603.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>The Closing the Achievement Gap Commission shall do all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Consult with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to identify and assess the state’s efficacy in providing assistance and support to local educational agencies identified as part of the statewide system of support established pursuant to Section 52059.5.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Identify opportunities to strengthen continuous improvement support, which shall include the development of a program, to be known as the Statewide Improvement Pathways Program, that provides examples of best practices and programs that can be scaled and modified to adapt to the needs of local educational agencies.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Statewide Improvement Pathways Program shall identify local educational agencies and programs that have demonstrated measurable progress and proven strategies to close the achievement gap.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
In identifying examples of best practices, the program shall include assessments of promising practices, programmatic coherence for closing the achievement gap, and instances where the state acted in a supportive, rather than compliance-oriented, manner with respect to local educational agency support.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Identify opportunities to strengthen the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, which shall be bolstered to become a central hub for best practices and programs to serve the needs of local educational agencies.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
In
consultation with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and other state entities, develop and recommend recurring mechanisms to collect, synthesize, and present findings from differentiated assistance and direct technical assistance outcome reviews and other implementation studies.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Continually assess the extent to which there are gaps in state support for local educational agencies in their efforts to close achievement gaps. This assessment shall include feedback from local educational agency staff to reflect their experiences within the statewide system of support.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Identify instances where state educational agencies are operating primarily as a compliance monitor in ways that inhibit local educational agencies’ ability to serve pupil needs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Evaluate the extent to which state statutes,
the implementation of those statutes, state regulations, and state initiatives, including, but not limited to, the local control and accountability plan and related local control funding formula accountability tools, help to close the achievement gap, and develop recommendations for improvements.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(g)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Review existing local educational agency and school accountability requirements and recommend modifications for enabling local educational agencies to address the achievement gap.
</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_22A0E6E1-C8B0-4474-A590-FD618DEABB5C">
<ns0:Num>33604.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, on or before December 1 of each year, the Closing the Achievement Gap Commission shall submit a report to the Governor, the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, the state board, and the department with recommendations and proposed actions that the state can take to help and support local educational agencies in closing the achievement gap. The report shall also contain a status of recommendations from prior years, if applicable.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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The state board shall
consider reports submitted by the commission pursuant to subdivision (a), including the recommendations and proposed actions contained in the report, as an agenda item at a regularly scheduled public meeting or at a meeting of the state board that includes public discussion and consideration.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The department shall post reports submitted by the commission pursuant to subdivision (a) on the department’s internet website.
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