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Committee approves AB 1217 to ask UC/CSU to use K–12 standards when reviewing A–G course approvals
Summary
AB 1217 would request the University of California to align its A–G high school course review with K–12 content standards, frameworks and model curricula and to move the submission calendar to better match K–12 scheduling. Supporters said the goal is clearer coordination between K–12 and higher education; at least one UC professor testified in
The committee voted to pass AB 12 17 (referred to as AB 1217 in testimony) to the Appropriations Committee, a measure requiring the University of California (UC) to evaluate A–G course content using K–12 content standards, frameworks and model curriculum where applicable, and to better align the course submission timeline with the K–12 academic calendar.
Author Assemblymember Mike Fong said the bill responds to recent disputes over whether data science or statistics courses that aligned with K–12 model curriculum should count for the A–G “c‑” math requirement when UC changed its review approach. Fong said UC compared high‑school courses to college curricula in some cases and that he wants UC to use the State Board of Education’s adopted K–12 standards and model curriculum when evaluating high school courses for A–G eligibility.
Sasha Horowitz from Los Angeles Unified supported the bill, saying alignment would reduce confusion for counselors and families and give districts time to adjust student schedules if a course failed to be approved. The Campaign for College Opportunity also testified in support.
Opposition testimony came from a UC computer‑science professor who said AB 1217 is backward‑looking and that UC’s revocation of certain data‑science courses was intended to protect students from curricula that do not prepare them for college‑level work. The professor urged the author to withdraw the bill, arguing that UC and CSU maintain different admissions standards for college readiness.
Committee members expressed general concern about creating more barriers to college access and praised the bill’s intent to clarify alignment. The committee recorded a motion to pass the bill to Appropriations and left the item on call; the transcript shows four recorded yes votes on the roll call.
If enacted, the bill would request, not mandate, that UC use the State Board of Education’s frameworks, standards and model curriculum in its course evaluations and would align A–G submission timing with the K–12 calendar, giving districts more time to adjust schedules.
