KINDLE, Calif.
— It takes a certain amount of imagination to make an ordinary kindergarten picture look impressive, especially if you’re not a native Californian.
That’s what a new website has been doing for several years to help teachers create their own unique kindergarten pictures.
Now it’s getting the attention of the California Legislature.
Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) introduced a bill Thursday that would make kindergarten photos that are made with a 3-D printer, similar to how an ordinary preschool picture would be made, easier to produce.
The bill would also require the Department of Education to develop standards for how school districts can use 3-d printers to produce educational materials.
Ammiano, who represents the northern California district where the 3-ds print company was founded, says he’s trying to make sure that schools have access to materials that are affordable to students and are useful to them in a way that is consistent with the curriculum.
The current rules around printing are unclear and open to interpretation.
A few states have passed laws to limit the use of 3-Ds.
In the U.S., the state requires a minimum of 3.5D printers be used for classroom materials.
California’s rules are different, but the bill would give the state guidance to what materials may be used.
The Assembly’s bill would require the state Department of Transportation and the California Department of Children and Family Services to develop a standardized process for developing and distributing 3-dimensional printing equipment and materials.
The Department of State and Community Development would oversee the implementation of the plan.
The new rule would be in place by October.
