BILL NUMBER: AB 790 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 27, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 4, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 31, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Furutani and Carter
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
An act to amend Section 58509 of, and to add
and repeal Section 52372.7 of , the Education
Code, relating to career technical education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 790, as amended, Furutani. Career technical education:
Multiple Pathway Pilot Program.
(1) Existing
Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction to develop, in conjunction with specified persons and
entities, a report that explores the feasibility of expanding and
establishing career multiple pathway programs, as defined, in
California.
This bill, commencing with the 2012-13 school year, would
establish the Multiple Pathway Pilot Program to be administered by
the State Department of Education according to specified requirements
for the purpose of implementing districtwide multiple pathway
programs, as defined, in all participating school districts. The bill
would authorize a school district that maintains grades 9 to 12,
inclusive, to apply to the Superintendent to operate a pilot program.
The bill would require the department to review these applications
and would authorize the Superintendent to initially approve
up to no more than 20 applications. The bill
would require this application review and approval to be conducted on
a competitive basis with consideration given to specified factors.
The bill would require the Superintendent to transmit a report to the
Legislature and the Governor by September 30, 2016, that makes
specified evaluations and recommendations.
The bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2017,
and would repeal them as of January 1, 2018.
(2) Existing law establishes alternative schools, as defined, and
authorizes the Superintendent, upon application of a school district,
to waive any provisions of the Education Code for the operation of
alternative schools, other than those specified.
This bill would additionally authorize the Superintendent, upon
application of a school district and for the operation of a multiple
pathway pilot program, to waive any provisions of the Education Code,
other than those specified.
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. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) California is at a critical crossroads in terms of the
challenges it faces in reforming its public high school system.
(b) California is facing an unprecedented state funding gap and
will face continued fiscal problems in the future if it does not
produce an educated and career ready
career-ready workforce.
(c) California must lead efforts to improve graduation rates,
close achievement and opportunity gaps, and prepare all pupils for
success in pursuing both living-wage careers and a variety of
postsecondary learning experiences.
(d) California must embrace new, innovative approaches to
educational transformation that are likely to lead to high successful
outcomes for our pupils, families, communities, and local and state
economies.
(e) The multiple pathway approach is one of the most promising
high school transformational strategies and can be expanded to play a
pivotal role in enabling all of our pupils to be well prepared for
life and workforce demands in a 21st century global economy and
society.
SEC. 2. Section 52372.7 is added to the Education Code, to read:
52372.7. (a) Commencing with the 2012-13 school year, the
Multiple Pathway Pilot Program is hereby established for the purpose
of implementing districtwide multiple pathway programs, as defined in
subdivision (a) of Section 52372.5, in all participating school
districts.
(b) The pilot program shall be administered by the department and
shall contain all of the following requirements:
(1) Each participating school district shall incorporate
small-sized schools and smaller groupings of pupils within new and
existing high schools.
(2) Rigorous multiple pathway programs of study shall be
implemented that guide pupils through course sequences leading to
mastery of standards, high school graduation, and transition to
postsecondary education or employment. These programs of study shall
include career technical education courses as defined by the
California State Plan for Career Technical Education.
(3) Policies and agreements shall be adopted by participating
school districts that promote concurrent enrollment and dual credit
with community colleges and universities.
(4) Problem-based instructional methodologies, inquiry learning
approaches, and applied learning strategies shall be adopted within
all subject areas.
(5) Pupil progress through high school shall be determined by
mastery of grade-level standards-based performance benchmarks
developed by the participating school district.
(6) Multiple pathway programs shall be implemented by
participating school districts within the district's existing state
and local resources.
(7) Participating school districts shall involve local business,
labor, parent, and community partners to advise the district on the
development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of the pilot
program.
(8) Participating school districts shall be eligible for waivers
pursuant to Section 58509 to more efficiently operate and adapt to
the needs of pupils and communities.
(9) Participating school districts shall receive priority for
appropriate competitive grant funding distributed by the department.
(c) (1) A school district that maintains grades 9 to 12,
inclusive, may apply to the Superintendent to operate a Multiple
Pathway Pilot Program in accordance with this section. The department
shall review these applications and the Superintendent may initially
approve up to 20 applications, and may approve additional
applications on an annual basis thereafter. approve no
more than 20 applications.
(2) The review and approval of applications pursuant to paragraph
(1) shall be conducted on a competitive basis and consideration shall
be given to factors related to the geographic diversity, type, and
size of a school district, and the extent to which a school district'
s pilot program would receive financial and in-kind support from the
business and civic community or funding from government or foundation
grants.
(d) (1) On or before September 30, 2016, the Superintendent shall
transmit a report to the Legislature and the Governor that documents
an independent evaluation that includes both of
the following:
(A) The costs and merits of the pilot program, including pupil
outcome data that includes, but is not limited to, pupil dropout and
graduation rates, the number and percentage of participating pupils
who meet the requirements and prerequisites for admission to
California public institutions of postsecondary education, and
workforce outcome data, that which may
include the number or percentage of pupils who earn a certificate,
license, or the equivalent in a designated occupation.
(B) The Superintendent's recommendations regarding the need for
additional statutory changes to facilitate the statewide expansion of
the Multiple Pathway Pilot Program , including information
on any waivers granted pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (b)
and a description of how the waivers facilitated the operation of
multiple pathway programs. .
(2) A report submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(e) The Superintendent may develop regulations necessary to
implement the provisions of this section.
(f) The Superintendent shall use existing state and federal
resources to implement the provisions of this section.
(f)
(g) This section shall become inoperative on July 1,
2017, and, as of January 1, 2018, is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2018,
deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is
repealed.
SEC. 3. Section 58509 of the Education Code is
amended to read:
58509. For the operation of alternative schools as herein
defined, or for the operation of multiple pathway programs pursuant
to the pilot program established in Section 52372.7, the
Superintendent may, upon application of a school district, waive any
provisions of this code other than Section 52372.7, those provisions
relating to earthquake safety, and the provisions of this chapter.