BILL NUMBER: AB 1278	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2003

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jerome Horton
    (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Calderon, Diaz, Koretz, and
Levine) 
    (Coauthors:  Senators Perata and Romero) 

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2003

   An act to amend Section 51224 of the Education Code, relating to
secondary school course of study.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1278, as amended, Jerome Horton.  Secondary school courses of
study:  economics of higher education.
   (1) Existing law requires the governing board of each school
district maintaining a high school to prescribe certain 
course   courses  of study designed to provide the
skills and knowledge required for adult life for pupils attending the
schools within its school district.
   This bill would add to these requirements  courses
  a course  of study relating to the economics of
higher education  and instruction on completing forms
relating to student financial aid   and would state the
intent of the Legislature that the course of study be taught in grade
12 in a consumer economic course  .  By placing additional
duties on the governing boards of school districts, this bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.  
   This bill would additionally state the intent of the Legislature
that the California Student Aid Commission absorb the costs and
provide the materials needed for instruction in the economics of
higher education. 
  (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state.  Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement, including the creation of a State Mandates Claims Fund
to pay the costs of mandates that do not exceed $1,000,000 statewide
and other procedures for claims whose statewide costs exceed
$1,000,000.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 51224 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   51224.  (a) The governing board of each school district
maintaining a high school shall prescribe courses of study designed
to provide the skills and knowledge required for adult life for
pupils attending the schools within its school district.
   (b) The governing board shall prescribe  separate
  curriculum in existing  courses of 
study, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
   (1) A course of study designed to prepare prospective pupils for
admission to state colleges and universities.
   (2)  A course of study for career technical training.
   (3) Separate courses of  study on the economics of higher
education that include, but are not limited to, all of the
following:  
   (A)  
   (1)  The income benefits of vocational education and of
associate, bachelor's, graduate, and professional degrees.  
   (B)  
   (2)  The costs of higher education at public and private
institutions of higher education in California.  
   (C)  
   (3)  The availability of state, federal, and institutional
aid for students seeking a higher education.  
   (D)  
   (4)  The entitlements to Cal Grant awards for high school
graduates, including information relating to income and
grade-point-average (GPA) qualifications.  
   (4)  
   (5)  Instruction on completing the forms necessary to
establish eligibility for Cal Grant awards, including the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and GPA verification
forms.
   (c) It is  not  the intent of the Legislature to
require the course of study set forth in subdivision (b) to be
 carried out in separate courses   taught in
grade 12 in a consumer economics course pursuant to Section 51833
 .  
   (d) The governing board of each school district maintaining a
junior high school shall make available information, provided to the
district by the California Student Aid Commission, regarding the
economics of higher education to pupils attending the schools within
the school district.
   (e) It is the intent of the Legislature that the California
Student Aid Commission absorb the costs and provide the materials
needed for instruction in the economics of higher education. 
  SEC. 2.  Notwithstanding Section 17610 of the Government Code, if
the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains
costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and
school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7
(commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the
Government Code.  If the statewide cost of the claim for
reimbursement does not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000),
reimbursement shall be made from the State Mandates Claims Fund.