BILL NUMBER: AB 251	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Fuentes

                        FEBRUARY 3, 2011

   An act to add Section 52372.6 to, and to add and repeal Section
46308 of, the Education Code, relating to high schools.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 251, as introduced, Fuentes. High schools: career technical
education.
   (1) Existing law defines a "multiple pathway program" as a
multiyear, comprehensive high school program of integrated academic
and technical study that ensures that all pupils have curriculum
choices that prepare them for career entry and a full range of
postsecondary options. Existing law requires the Superintendent of
Public Instruction, in conjunction with specified entities, to
develop a report on the feasibility of establishing and expanding
multiple pathway programs. Under existing law, multiple pathway
programs created for high schools include partnership academies,
regional occupational centers and programs, charter schools,
academies, small learning communities, and other career-themed small
schools.
   Existing law authorizes a school district that maintains a high
school to provide work experience education, as defined. Existing law
prohibits attendance in work experience classes or programs
maintained by a regional occupational center or program from
receiving apportionments from state funds based on average daily
attendance unless those classes or programs are in conformance with
specified standards and limits the number of hours of attendance per
calendar week that a pupil enrolled in a vocational education class
using the cooperative vocational education methodology conducted by a
regional occupational center or program with that pupil may be
credited.
   The bill, commencing with the 2012-13 school year and until the
July 1, 2018, would make a school district with an integrated
academic and workforce approach to high school reform or a work-based
learning initiative eligible to apply to receive state funding based
on minimum weekly attendance instead of average daily attendance for
pupils enrolled in its work-based learning or multiple pathway
programs, or both. The bill would prohibit a school district and a
high school from using minimum weekly attendance to reduce the number
of days instruction is offered or that a pupil is required to be in
attendance at school or a work-based learning opportunity. The bill
would require the school district to report annually to the State
Department of Education the academic and workforce preparation
progress of pupils enrolled in its work-based learning or multiple
pathway programs, or both. The bill would require the Superintendent
to determine the minimum number of instructional hours per week that
constitute weekly attendance and to calculate a revenue limit for
each school district using a minimum weekly attendance.
   (2) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school
district or a county board of education, on a districtwide or
countywide basis or on behalf of one or more of its schools or
programs, after a public hearing on the matter, to request the State
Board of Education to waive all or part of any statute in the
Education Code or any regulation adopted by the state board that
implements a provision of that code except as specified.
   This bill would authorize the Superintendent, upon application of
a school district and for the operation of a multiple pathway
program, to waive any provisions of the Education Code, other than
those relating to earthquake safety.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 46308 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   46308.  (a) For purposes of this section the following terms have
the following meanings:
   (1) "Integrated academic and workforce approach to high school
reform" means a districtwide system of pathway programs pursuant to
Section 52372.5.
   (2) "Work-based learning initiative" means a districtwide
initiative to increase the delivery of quality work-based learning
pursuant to Section 51760.1.
   (b) In order to maximize classroom and workforce preparation
activities as well incorporate modified instructional schedules,
commencing with the 2012-13 school year, a school district with an
integrated academic and workforce approach to high school reform or a
work-based learning initiative is eligible to apply to receive
funding based on minimum weekly attendance instead of average daily
attendance for pupils enrolled in its work-based learning or multiple
pathway programs, or both.
   (c) A school district that is eligible to apply to receive funding
based on minimum weekly attendance instead of average daily
attendance shall submit an application to the Superintendent. The
application shall identify the high schools that will utilize a
minimum weekly attendance and include their instructional schedules.
   (d) A school district and a high school shall not use minimum
weekly attendance to reduce the number of days instruction is offered
or that a pupil is required to be in attendance at school or a
work-based learning opportunity.
   (e) As a condition of receiving funding based on minimum weekly
attendance, the school district shall report annually to the
department the academic and workforce preparation progress of pupils
enrolled in its work-based learning or multiple pathway programs, or
both. Indicators to measure that progress shall include, but are not
limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Graduation rates.
   (2) Scores from the standards-based achievements tests
administered pursuant to Section 60640.
   (3) Passage rates on the high school exit examination.
   (4) Completion of career technical education courses.
   (5) Completion of courses required for admission to the University
of California and the California State University.
   (6) Completion of work-based learning opportunity courses.
   (7) Other indicators of academic and workforce preparation
success, including workforce preparation, training certificates,
increased matriculation into postsecondary educational or training
institutions, enrollment in apprenticeship programs, and other
measures as determined by the department.
   (f) The Superintendent shall determine the minimum number of
instructional hours per week that constitute weekly attendance and
shall calculate a revenue limit for each school district using a
minimum weekly attendance.
   (g) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2018, and, as
of January 1, 2019, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2019, deletes or
extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
  SEC. 2.  Section 52372.6 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   52372.6.  Upon application of a school district and for the
operation of a multiple pathway program, the Superintendent may waive
any provisions of this code other than those relating to earthquake
safety.