Release: #06-119
September 29, 2006

Contact: Tina Jung
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

Also invites public input on science, visual and performing arts instructional resources.

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that a state education commission intends to recommend changes to future science textbooks to reflect Pluto's redesignation from a planet to a dwarf planet. 

At a meeting today, the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission considered a recommendation it would make to the State Board of Education in November to work with publishers to edit science instructional materials to reflect Pluto's change of status. 

"California students must have the latest scientific information available in order for them to be competitive in our increasingly technological environment and global economy," said O'Connell. "The recommendation to change our science textbooks now rather than later is vital because the state won't have an opportunity to review these instructional materials for another six years."

The International Astronomical Union announced its findings in August of a two-year study that led to the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet based on its orbit and mass compared to other planets in our solar system.

The Commission also released the list of materials for science and visual and performing arts today that it recommended for adoption to the State Board of Education. The instructional materials for kindergarten through grade eight are now available for public review.

"This is an opportunity for parents to really get involved in their children's education," said O'Connell. "We want the public to share their thoughts on the new science and visual and performing arts textbooks with the State Board of Education that will guide what our children learn in school.  Once the public reviews the materials, this will form the new adoption list for the State Board of Education to consider."

In science, the materials reviewed address the content standards in earth science, life science, and physical science.  Adoption for these materials takes place every six years. The new list will expire June 30, 2012.  For visual and performing arts, materials cover music, visual arts, and theatre.  Adoption of these materials takes place every eight years. The new list will expire June 30, 2014.

The materials were evaluated by the members of the Instructional Materials Advisory Panels and Content Review Panels that include classroom teachers, other educators, and content experts. The textbooks have been on display since April 2006 at Learning Resources Display Centers (LRDCs) located throughout California. The public may view the materials and submit comments on forms available at the LRDCs. The State Board of Education adopts instructional materials for grades K-8 and is scheduled to take action during its next meeting on November 8-9, 2006.  Comments must be received by October 31, 2006 in order for them to be considered by the Board. For science, comments can be e-mailed to science@cde.ca.gov.  The public may also mail comments for science to:

Suzanne Rios, Administrator
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 3207
Sacramento, CA 95814

For visual and performing arts, comments may be e-mailed to vpa@cde.ca.gov, or mailed to:

Susan Martimo, Administrator
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 3207
Sacramento, CA 95814

Comments for either topic may also be sent by fax to 916-319-0172.  People may also present their concerns to the Board during the November public hearing whether or not they have completed public comment forms. That public hearing would mark the end of the review for the instructional materials submitted for the 2006 science adoption for grades K-8 and the 2006 visual and performing arts adoption for grades K-8.

The complete list of recommended materials is attached. For locations of the LRDCs, please visit Learning Resource Display Centers.

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Attachment

2006 Visual and Performing Arts Primary Adoption
Kindergarten Through Grade Eight
Curriculum Commission Recommendations

The State Board of Education will take action at the November 8-9, 2006 meeting

Music

Publisher	Program Title	Grade Levels	Curriculum Commission Recommendation
ArtsCom, Inc.	Music Learning System	5-8	Not Recommended
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill	Spotlight on Music	K-6	Recommended
Pearson Scott Foresman	Silver Burdett Making Music, California Edition	K-8	Recommended

Visual Arts

Publisher	Program Title	Grade Levels	Curriculum Commission Recommendation
ArtsCom, Inc.	Visual Arts Learning System	5-8	Not Recommended
Blarney Hill Press	Exploring Art Media	5-8	Not Recommended
Davis Publications	Art and the Human Experience	6-8	Recommended
Glencoe/McGraw Hill	Glencoe California Middle School Art Series	6-8	Recommended
SRA/McGraw-Hill	SRA Art Connections	K-6	Recommended
Pearson Scott Foresman	Scott Foresman Art, California Edition	6-8	Recommended

Theatre

Publisher	Program Title	Grade Levels	Curriculum Commission Recommendation
SRA/MCGRAW-HILL	Theatre Arts Connections	K-6	Recommended

2006 Science Primary Adoption
Kindergarten Through Grade Eight
Curriculum Commission Recommendations

The State Board of Education will take action at the November 8-9, 2006 meeting

Publisher	Program Title	Grade Levels	Curriculum Commission Recommendation
CPO Science	Focus on Earth, Life, and Physical Science	6–8	Recommended
Delta Education	Full Option Science System	K–5	Recommended
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill	Glencoe Science Focus On Series	6–8	Recommended
Harcourt School Publishers	California Science	K–6	Recommended
Holt, Rinehart and Winston	Holt California Science: Earth, Life, and Physical Science ©2007	6–8	Recommended
Houghton Mifflin	Houghton Mifflin California Science ©2007	K–6	Recommended
It's About Time	Investigating Earth Systems, InterActions in Physical Science	6, 8	Recommended
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill	Macmillan/McGraw-Hill California Science	K–6	Recommended
McDougal Littell	McDougal Littell California Middle School Science Series	6–8	Recommended
Pearson Prentice Hall	Prentice Hall California Science Explorer: Focus on Earth, Life, and Physical Science	6–8	Recommended
Pearson Scott Foresman	Scott Foresman California Science	K–6	Recommended
TPS Publishing Co.	TPS California State Standards Aligned 2006 Science Program	4, 5	Not Recommended