Free Republic

The California Assembly is betting that kids learn more with small books. Lawmakers voted Thursday to ban school districts from purchasing textbooks longer than 200 pages. The bill, believed to be the first of its kind nationwide, was hailed by supporters as a way to revolutionize education. Critics lambasted Assembly Bill 756 as silly. "This bill is really the epitome of micromanagement," said Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Northridge. "(It's) absolutely ridiculous." "With all due respect," said Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, "this Legislature worries more about the rules than they do about whether children learn." But Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, a Los Angeles...

BILL NUMBER: AB 756 AMENDEDBILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 7, 2005 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Goldberg FEBRUARY 18, 2005 An act to add Section 60050 to the Education Code, relating to instructional materials. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 756, as amended, Goldberg. Instructional materials: page limitation. Existing law requires the State Board of Education to adopt at least 5 separate basic instructional materials, as defined, for use in kindergarten and each of grades 1 to 8, inclusive, in language arts, mathematics, science, social science, bilingual or bicultural subjects, and any other subject, discipline or interdisciplinary areas for which the state board...