BILL NUMBER: AB 2078 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 23, 2008
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2008
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 1, 2008
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fuentes
FEBRUARY 19, 2008
An act to amend Section 51760 of, and to add Section 51760.1 to,
the Education Code, relating to work-based learning.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2078, as amended, Fuentes. Work-based learning.
Existing law authorizes school districts that maintain high
schools to establish work experience programs for the purpose of
providing pupils with instruction in skills, attitudes, and
understandings necessary for success in employment. Existing law
provides for school districts that establish work experience programs
to receive apportionments based on the average daily attendance in
those programs, and provides procedures for the calculation of the
amount of those apportionments.
This bill would state the findings of the Legislature regarding
work-based learning and state its intent to improve the
quality of, and to expand access to, work-based learning
opportunities . This bill would authorize school districts
that maintain high schools to establish work-based learning programs,
and to purchase liability insurance for pupils enrolled in programs
of study involving work experience, which may include work-based
learning, off school grounds. The bill would define work-based
learning to mean an educational approach or instructional methodology
that uses the workplace or real work to provide pupils with
the knowledge and skills that will help them connect
school experiences to real-life work activities and future career
opportunities. The State Department of Education would be
authorized to develop standards and guidelines to oversee the quality
of work-based learning programs.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes
no . State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The
Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:
(1)
(a) Public secondary education prepares pupils for
success after high school, including further education and training
without remediation, productive employment with opportunities for
advancement, and civic participation.
(2)
(b) Well-designed education programs intentionally
combine rigorous college preparatory education with demanding career
technical education, both of which are supported by high-quality
work-based learning and necessary support services that promote
success.
(3)
(c) Work-based learning is an essential component of
any comprehensive educational program of study. It brings meaning and
relevance to the educational program.
(4)
(d) Work-based learning offers opportunities to learn
through real-world experience. Pupils gain access to job shadowing,
mentorships, intensive internships, real or virtual apprenticeships,
and school-based enterprises. These experiences complement classroom
instruction , and help sharpen the desire of pupils to
increase knowledge and skills that are relevant to their
postsecondary and career interests.
(5)
(e) Work-based learning is currently provided to pupils
through existing programs, including, but not limited to, work
experience, cooperative vocational education, regional occupational
programs, and community classrooms.
(6)
(f) High-quality work-based learning includes
systematic attention to the development of 21st century skills, such
as communication, problem solving, teamwork, project planning, and
critical thinking.
(7)
(g) Furthermore, work-based learning allows pupils to
work side by side with adult professionals who help instill
professional behavior, real-world expectations, a strong work ethic,
the need for ongoing learning, and a desire to achieve.
(8)
(h) High-quality work-based learning experiences share
the following characteristics:
(A)
(1) Prioritization of learning over work production.
(B)
(2) Exposure to a wide range of career areas and
worksites in order to help youth make informed choices about
education, training options, and career pursuits.
(C)
(3) Thoughtful placement of pupils into opportunities
that are evaluated for their safety, qualified supervision, and
learning opportunities.
(D)
(4) Appropriate sequencing of experiences based upon
the pupil's age and maturity, ranging from site visits and tours, job
shadowing, unpaid and paid internships, and paid work experience.
(E)
(5) Explicit aim to supplement, or systematically
reinforce, classroom instruction in technical courses, academic
courses, or both.
(F)
(6) A trained workplace mentor who works in
collaboration with a classroom teacher to structure the learning at
the worksite.
(G)
(7) Built-in regular assessment and feedback.
(H)
(8) Involvement of youth in choosing and structuring
the experience.
(I)
(9) Clear and measurable learning outcomes.
(9)
(i) Work-based learning may take many forms, including,
but not limited to, job shadowing, internships, work experience,
community classrooms, real or virtual apprenticeships, and
school-based enterprises.
(b) Based on the above declarations, it is the intent of the
Legislature to strengthen existing programs and improve the quality
of, and to expand access to, work-based learning opportunities as
part of comprehensive high school programs of study that effectively
combine rigorous college preparatory education with demanding career
technical education.
SEC. 2. Section 51760 of the Education Code is amended to read:
51760. The governing board of any a
district maintaining a high school may:
(a) Provide for the instruction of pupils in the skills,
attitudes, and understandings necessary to success
succeed in employment by means of courses of work-based
learning or work experience education as provided in this article.
(b) Provide for guidance and supervision procedures designed to
ensure maximum educational benefit to pupils from placement in
suitable work-based learning or work experience education courses.
(c) Provide for arranging, approving, coordinating, and awarding
credit for work-based learning or work experience education courses,
and for those purposes employ instructors, coordinators, and other
necessary personnel.
(d) Provide for the district to purchase liability insurance for
pupils enrolled in programs of study involving work experience, which
may include work-based learning, or vocational education at
locations off school grounds approved by the governing board, or
require pupils to purchase insurance and to pass on all or a portion
of the costs, at the discretion of the governing board, to the
district.
SEC. 3. Section 51760.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:
51760.1. (a) Work experience education as defined in Section
51764, community classrooms as defined in subdivision (c) of Section
52372.1, cooperative career technical education programs as defined
in subdivision (b) of Section 52372.1, partnership academies
conducted pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 54690) of
Chapter 9 of Part 29, regional occupational programs as defined in
Section 52303, and job shadowing experience as defined in subdivision
(b) of Section 51769 may include, but are not limited to, work-based
learning opportunities for pupils.
(b) For purposes of this section, "work-based learning" means an
educational approach or instructional methodology that uses the
workplace or real work to provide pupils with the
knowledge and skills that will help them connect school
experiences to real-life work activities and future career
opportunities. When feasible, work-based learning should be an
integral part of a more comprehensive pathway program that integrates
challenging academic courses and demanding career technical
education.
(c) High-quality work-based learning may include, but is not
limited to, any of the following:
(1) Emphasis on learning in the workplace.
(2) Exposure to a wide range of career areas and worksites in
order to help youth make informed choices about education, training
options, and career pursuits.
(3) Thoughtful placement of pupils into opportunities that are
evaluated for their safety, qualified supervision, and learning
opportunities.
(4) Appropriate sequencing of experiences based upon the pupil's
age and maturity, ranging from site visits and tours, job shadowing,
unpaid and paid internships, and paid work experience.
(5) Explicit aim to supplement, or systematically reinforce,
classroom instruction in technical courses, academic courses, or
both.
(6) Systematic attention to the development of 21st century
skills, such as communication, problem solving, teamwork, project
planning, and critical thinking.
(7) A trained mentor who structures the learning at the worksite.
(8) Coordination between the classroom teacher and the workplace
mentor or supervisor.
(9) Built-in regular assessment and feedback.
(10) Involvement of youth in choosing and structuring the
experience.
(11) Clear and measurable learning outcomes.
(d) The department may develop standards and guidelines in
coordination with industry partners to oversee the quality of
work-based learning programs.
(e) Local educational agencies are encouraged to identify and
expand work-based learning opportunities and may use one of several
existing mechanisms for granting pupils credit toward high school
graduation for their participation.