Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, 39th Assembly District
AB 1217 – Establishing California’s First State STEM School

SUMMARY:
AB 1217 establishes in the Education Code a California
State STEM school, a sixth-through-twelfth grade school
in Los Angeles County that will be dedicated to
preparing low income and underrepresented students
for the pursuit of higher education degrees and
workforce opportunities in STEM fields.
BACKGROUND:
Over the past 40 years, California has built and
sustained thriving industries in the fields of science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). From
developing innovative technologies to pursuing medical
discoveries to fighting climate change, STEM industries
fuel California’s economy. Our state’s growth of and
focus on STEM is reflected in the prediction that
California is expected to have the largest number of
STEM jobs in the United States by 2022.
But, too many Californians have been left out of the
economic opportunities that have risen out of these
industries. Despite the rapidly growing number of jobs
requiring a STEM background, California has
experienced a shortage of career professionals in STEM
fields, particularly from underrepresented communities.
California needs its universities to educate and prepare
more underrepresented students to become the
leading scientists, engineers and mathematicians of the
future. This hinges on preparing K-12 students by
fostering their abilities and interest in STEM.
Unfortunately, on national tests, California’s 8th graders
perform below the national average in 8th grade
science and math tests. In particular, there are large
achievement gaps for low-income, African American
and Latino Students from their White and Asian peers.
These gaps persist in high school. However, as a pioneer
in the STEM fields, California is uniquely positioned to
reverse these trends, and to champion the evolution of
its future workforce by creating an exceptional,
innovative state-run public STEM school.
Los Angeles County is home to 25 percent of California’s
K-12 students, with a student population that is 65
percent Latino, 8 percent African American, and almost
70 percent free and reduced-price lunch-eligible.
Establishing a rigorous, STEM-focused school for
students in grades six through twelve, with an emphasis

on attracting and serving the talents of
underrepresented students and spreading innovative
STEM curriculum and teaching methods to public
schools throughout the state, will allow the area to
become a STEM education hub. Every child, regardless
of their income or zip code, should have access to STEM
curriculum and be well prepared to pursue these
subject matters at a higher education institution and,
ultimately, contribute to our state’s rapidly evolving
workforce.
Over the past four decades, 14 states nationwide have
successfully created state-sponsored specialized STEM
schools, producing alumni who are accepted to top-tier
universities and go on to be hired into high-paying jobs
and prominent leadership positions in STEM fields.
Reputable institutions, including the National Academy
of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering,
advocate for state-sponsored schools that provide
exceptional
learning
environments
for
underrepresented students who exhibit passion and
aptitude and who deserve the opportunity to develop
their talent.
WHAT THE BILL DOES:
AB 1217 creates a state STEM School to serve pupils in
grades 6-12 located in Los Angeles County, with the goal
of providing access to quality STEM education for lowincome and underrepresented students. Specifically,
this bill:
1. Establishes a California State STEM school that will
be subject to the same accountability, transparency,
assessment, and health and safety provisions as
other K-12 public schools, including:
 Submission of an educational plan, which must
be approved by the SPI prior to the school’s
opening
 Submission of an LCAP to receive ADA funding
 Annual state assessments
 Minimum educational minutes requirements
 Financial transparency requirements
 Public school health and safety requirements
 State building code requirements;
(over )

 AB 1217 – Establishing California’s First State STEM School
Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra, 39th Assembly District
2. Permits the school to be operated by a 501c3
nonprofit organization governed by a Board of
Directors, and prescribes requirements for the
nonprofit’s governing Board of Directors to ensure
state oversight;
3. Requires the Board to develop and adopt an
admission process that prioritizes students from
underrepresented backgrounds with an interest in
the STEM fields. Should more eligible students be
interested than the school has seats available, this
bill requires a random public lottery to be
conducted;
4. Requires the Board to comply with all provisions of
the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act;
5. Requires that the school undergo annual,
independent financial audits and evaluations,
requirements that are stronger than those required
of traditional public and charter schools;
6. Allows the school to recruit and work with
nationally renowned research academic institutions
in the area to provide students with access to a
quality STEM curriculum, through partnerships with
the school’s credentialed K-12 teachers;
7. Sunsets operation of the state STEM school on the
first July 1 occurring after the state school has
operated for five full school years.
A public, state STEM school focused on educating and
preparing low income and underrepresented students
will create a lasting legacy for California, and it will
contribute to the state’s reputation as a state that is
committed to innovation, excellence, and opportunity
for all.

California Life Sciences Association
California State Association of Electrical Workers
California State Pipe Trades Council
Constance L. Rice, Civil Rights Attorney
Discovery Cube Los Angeles
Frank Gehry
Homeboy Industries
IBEW Local 11
Japanese American National Museum
Kent Kresa, Northrup Gruman Corp. Chairman Emeritus
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Community College District
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar
Los Angeles Urban League
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
STEM Next at the University of San Diego
Southern California Pipe Trades
TechNet
United Negro College Fund, Inc.
United Way of Greater Los Angeles
University of Southern California
Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers
Youth Policy Institute
OPPOSITION:
Association of California School Administrators
California Association of School Business Officers
California Labor Federation
California School Employees Association
California School Boards Association
California Teachers Association
California Federation of Teachers
San Diego Unified School District
SEIU California

SUPPORT:
Amgen
Bill Richardson, Former Governor of New Mexico,
Former U.S. Secretary of Energy, and Former
Ambassador to the United Nations
California Institute of Technology
California League of United Latin American Citizens
(LULAC)
Contact: Taylor Giroux – Office of Asm. Raul Bocanegra – (916) 319-2039 – taylor.giroux@asm.ca.gov
Last updated: 08.28.2017