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AB 1353 (Huff)

 Friends and Colleagues:

The Legislature recesses on March 29 and will hear AB 1353 (Huff) in early
April.  The committee requested position letters on key bills by March 29. 
Please urge committee members to


VOTE NO ON AB 1353 AND IMPLEMENT THE SUNSET OF THE GRADE 2 STAR TEST EFFECTIVE
JULY 1, 2007

  *  AB 1353 would break the agreement to exclude pupils in grade 2 from the
    standards-based achievement test requirement effective July 1, 2007. This
    agreement was made when California?s assessment system was reauthorized in SB
    1448 Alpert (Chapter 233, Statutes of 2004)  

  * Ending the grade 2 statewide tests in SB 1448 aligned California?s
    Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program with federal requirements
    in the Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization (No Child Left
    Behind Act) which requires statewide testing of pupils  beginning in third
    grade.

  * When the grade 2 test sunsets, California will save about $3.2 million
    annually ? money that could be spent on vital education reforms.

  * Testing second graders for several hours every year takes too much valuable
    instructional time and robs students of meaningful classroom instruction. 

  * Implementing the end of the grade 2 tests improves California?s student
    assessment system and allows teachers to teach our youngest students actual
    knowledge and skills instead of test-taking strategies that are inappropriate
    for young children. 

  * Studies have shown standardized statewide testing of young children is
    developmentally inappropriate and is not a sound basis for an accountability
    system.

  * Dedicated and experienced classroom teachers across the state who administer
    the grade 2 STAR test to their 2nd grade students do not believe the test
    produces instructionally useful data to improve student learning or to
    strengthen the curriculum. 

  * According to an Education Week report ?Quality Counts 2006? forty-one states
    do not mandate standardized statewide testing for pupils in grade 2.  On July
    1, 2007 California will join these states by exempting over 470,000 pupils in
    grade 2 from an unnecessary test with low reliability.

  * Assessments should be used as a diagnostic/prescriptive tool to improve
    instruction and advance student learning.   Multiple, varied and
    age-appropriate performance assessments of student achievement including
    district, school, and classroom-based assessments conducted by teachers for
    the purpose of supporting and strengthening instruction as well as for
    summarizing and evaluating student learning are consistent with professional
    standards on assessment and support a students? positive self-image by
    reflecting accomplishment of curricular objectives.

  * Testing should not detract from time allotted for the delivery of the
    required curriculum or cause a negative impact on students? academic
    performance. 


CTA urges a ?NO? vote on AB 1353 (Huff), a bill that would bar the implementation
of the sunset of the grade 2 STAR test on July 1, 2007. 


All emails, letters, faxes, phone calls, and district visits should be made to
the members of the Assembly Education Committee, especially Assembly Member Gene
Mullin (AD 19), chair of the Assembly Education Committee.   The goal is to
secure confirmed ?No? votes among the democratic members of the committee and for
them to hear from many grade 2 teachers who are their constituents. 

Below is specific information on how to contact members of the Assembly Education
Committee. 

In 2004 the school administrators joined CTA in calling for the end of the grade
2 test and they supported CTA?s testing bill AB 356 (Hancock).  Today, since
their members are supposedly divided ACSA will conduct a survey next week of
their members to determine their position on the AB 1353 (Huff).  Please urge
administrators to join CTA in opposing AB 1353.  It would be dreadful if
administrators supported the continuation of the grade 2 test.



Contact Assemblymember Gene Mullin, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee at:
Assemblymember.Mullin@assembly.ca.gov

Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0019
916.319.2019
916.319.2119 fax

District Office
1528 South El Camino Real
Suite 302
San Mateo, CA 94402
(650) 349-1900
(650) 341-4676 Fax


Assemblymember Julia Brownley
Assemblymember.Brownley@assembly.ca.gov
Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0041
Tel: (916) 319-2041
Fax: (916) 319-2141
District Office:
6355 Topanga Canyon Boulevard,
Suite 205
(Topanga Canyon Blvd at Victory Blvd
Free street parking on the west side of the building.)
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Tel: (818) 596-4141
Tel: (310) 395-3414
Tel: (805) 644-4141
Fax: (818) 596-4150

Assembly Education Committee Members
Committee Members
District
Phone
E-mail

Gene Mullin, Chair
Dem-19
(916) 319-2019
Assemblymember.mullin@assembly.ca.gov

Martin Garrick, Vice Chair
Rep-74
(916) 319-2074
Assemblymember.Garrick@assembly.ca.gov

Julia Brownley
Dem-41
(916) 319-2041
Assemblymember.Brownley@assembly.ca.gov

Joe Coto
Dem-23
(916) 319-2023
Assemblymember.coto@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblymember Mike Eng
Dem-49
(916) 319-2049
Assemblymember.Eng@asm.ca.gov

Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0049
Tel: (916) 319-2049
Fax: (916) 319-2149
Capitol Office Staff
District Office:
9420 Telstar Avenue, Suite 103
El Monte, CA 91731
Tel: (626) 450-6116
Fax: (626) 450-6117
District Office Staff

Loni Hancock
Dem-14
(916) 319-2014
Assemblymember.hancock@assembly.ca.gov

Capitol Office
State Capitol P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0014
Phone: (916) 319-2014
Fax: (916) 319-2114
District Office
712 El Cerrito Plaza
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Phone: (510) 559-1406
Fax: (510) 559-1478

Assemblyman  Bob   Huff
Rep-60
(916) 319-2060
Assemblymember.huff@assembly.ca.gov

Assembly District 60
Proudly Serving: Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Anaheim, La Mirada, Orange, La Habra,
Yorba Linda, Walnut, Whittier, Villa Park, La Habra Heights, San Dimas, Industry
Capitol Office
State Capitol
Room 4098
Sacramento, CA 94249-0060
Phone: (916) 319-2060
Fax: (916) 319-2160
City of Diamond Bar District Office
23355 E. Golden Springs Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Phone: 909-860-5560
Fax: 909-860-5664

Betty Karnette
Dem-54
(916) 319-2054
Assemblymember.Karnette@assembly.ca.gov
Capitol Office
State Capitol ? P.O. Box 942849 ? Sacramento, CA 94249-0054 ? (916) 319-2054

District Office(s)
3711 Long Beach Boulevard, Suite 801 ? Long Beach, CA 90807 ? (562) 997-0794
461 West 6th Street, Suite 306 ? San Pedro, CA 90731 ? (310) 548-6420

Alan Nakanishi
Rep-10
(916) 319-2010
Assemblymember.nakanishi@assembly.ca.gov

Assemblyman Jose Solorio
Dem-69
(916) 319-2069
Assemblymember.solorio@assembly.ca.gov

Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0069
Tel: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169
District Office:
2400 E. Katella Avenue, Suite 640
Anaheim, CA 92806
Tel: (714) 939-8469
Fax: (714) 939-8986

Assemblymember Joe Coto
State Capitol
PO Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0023
916.319.2023
FAX 916.319.2123
District Office
100 Paseo De San Antonio, #319
San Jose, CA 95113
408.277.1220
Fax: 408.277.1036



George Sheridan