BILL NUMBER: SB 640	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hancock

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to amend Section 52302.2 of the Education Code, relating to
career technical education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 640, as introduced, Hancock. Regional occupational centers and
programs: employer advisory boards.
   Existing law authorizes the county superintendent of schools of
each county, with the consent of the State Board of Education, to
establish and maintain, or with one or more counties to establish and
maintain, a regional occupational center, or regional occupational
program, in the county to provide education and training in career
technical courses. Existing law also authorizes the governing board
of any school district maintaining high schools in a county, with the
consent of the state board and of the county superintendent of
schools, to cooperate in the establishment and maintenance of a
regional occupational center or program, except as specified.
Existing law requires the governing board of each regional
occupational center or program to establish and maintain an employer
advisory board or boards pursuant to guidelines developed by the
State Department of Education. Existing law requires an employer
advisory board to perform various duties, including, among others,
approving measures, criteria, and methods to evaluate whether pupils
acquired the skills and knowledge identified in their skill
certificates and assisting a regional occupational center or program
in creating college scholarships for pupils participating in
occupational course sequences.
   This bill instead would require an employer advisory board to
recommend measures, criteria, and methods to evaluate pupils' skills
and knowledge. In addition to creating college scholarships, the bill
would require an employer advisory board to assist a regional
occupational center or program in identifying scholarships.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 52302.2 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
   52302.2.  (a) The governing board of each regional occupational
center or program shall establish and maintain an employer advisory
board or boards pursuant to guidelines developed by the department.
The advisory board shall do all of the following:
   (1) Assist in the development of skill certificates that identify
the skills and knowledge that pupils completing an occupational
course sequence are expected to acquire upon completing the sequence.
The advisory board also shall  approve  
recommend  the measures and criteria, and methods to evaluate
whether pupils actually acquired the identified skills and knowledge.

   (2) Review at least once a year whether pupils who are assessed as
having met the requirements for a skill certificate possess the
skills needed for success in employment in that occupation.
   (3) Review the specific occupational sequences offered by the
regional occupational center or program to train pupils for jobs that
are in demand and offer high beginning salaries or the potential for
significant wage increase after several years on the job.
   (4) Assist the regional occupational center or program in
developing internships, paid summer employment, and postgraduation
employment opportunities for pupils participating in the course
sequences.
   (5) Assist the regional occupational center or program in 
identifying and  creating college scholarships for pupils
participating in the course sequences.
   (b) Employer advisory boards shall be composed of representatives
of trade organizations and businesses or government agencies that
hire a significant number of employees each year and require the
skills and knowledge that are taught in the course sequence or
sequences in that occupational area, as well as at least one
representative from a school district career technical educational
advisory committee. The department shall develop regulations guiding
the establishment of these boards.
   (c) Regional occupational centers or programs operated in a rural
county of the sixth, seventh, or eighth class may designate a local
business or industry organization as the advisory board and consult
with the leadership of the local business or industry organization to
determine skill needs in the region and emerging job market needs.
For purposes of this section, the local business organization may be
designated as the advisory board for the regional occupational center
or program.