BILL NUMBER: AB 1330	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 4, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Furutani
   (Coauthor: Senator Wyland)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 51225.3 of the Education
Code, relating to graduation requirements.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1330, as amended, Furutani. Graduation requirements: career
technical education.
   Existing law prohibits a pupil from receiving a diploma of
graduation from high school unless he or she completes specified
requirements, including, but not limited to, completing one course in
visual or performing arts or foreign language.
   This bill, commencing with the 2012-13 school year and until July
1, 2017, would add completion of a course in career technical
education, as defined, as an alternative to the requirement that a
pupil complete a course in visual or performing arts or foreign
language. 
   The bill would require the governing board of a school district or
county office of education that elects to offer career technical
education courses pursuant to these provisions to provide parents,
teachers, pupils, and the public with specified information relating
to the impact that offering these courses would have on graduation
requirements and admission requirements to the California State
University and the University of California. 
   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.  (a) The Legislature  hereby finds and declares
  finds and declares all   of  the
following:
   (1) The foundational principle of the Education Code is that all
pupils shall have access to equitable educational opportunities and
resources.
   (2) The future of the state is dependent upon minimizing, if not
entirely alleviating, the inequities in our public schools so that
all pupils will have more equitable opportunities to learn skills
needed for entry into the workforce, to pursue postsecondary
educational goals, and to contribute to the social cohesion of the
state.
   (3) Current law specifies the courses a pupil must complete to
graduate from high school. However, too many pupils are dropping out
of high school or graduating without the necessary foundation to
succeed in the workplace or in postsecondary education.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that:
   (1) By specifying the types of coursework that pupils must
complete in order to graduate, pupils will have world class skills
and the workforce of the state will be competitive in the global
economy.
   (2) Pupils will be prepared to meet the academic and technical
skills challenges of the high school curriculum and that they will
take advantage of the range of course options available to them.
   (3) In order to increase the rigor of the coursework and to ensure
that pupils are prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century,
the courses required for high school graduation must be aligned with
the standards and frameworks that are adopted by the State Board of
Education.
  SEC. 2.  Section 51225.3 of the Education Code is amended to read:
   51225.3.  (a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while in
grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of
graduation from high school:
   (1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
otherwise specified:
   (A) Three courses in English.
   (B) Two courses in mathematics.
   (C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
sciences.
   (D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
one-semester course in American government and civics; and a
one-semester course in economics.
   (E) One course in visual or performing arts, foreign language, or,
commencing with the 2012-13 school year, career technical education.

   (i) For  the  purposes of satisfying the
requirement specified in this subparagraph, a course in American Sign
Language shall be deemed a course in foreign language.
   (ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, "a course in career
technical education" means a course in a district-operated career
technical education program that is aligned to the career technical
model curriculum standards and framework adopted by the state board.
   (iii) This subparagraph does not require a school or school
district that currently does not offer career technical education
courses to start new career technical education programs for purposes
of this section. 
   (iv) If a school district or county office of education elects to
allow a career technical education course to satisfy the requirement
imposed by this subparagraph, the governing board of the school
district or county office of education, prior to offering that
alternative to pupils, shall notify parents, teachers, pupils, and
the public at a regularly scheduled meeting of the governing board of
all of the following:  
   (I) The intent to offer career technical education courses to
fulfill the graduation requirement specified in this subparagraph.
 
   (II) The impact that offering career technical education courses,
pursuant to this subparagraph, will have on the availability of
courses that meet the eligibility requirements for admission to the
California State University and the University of California, and
whether the career technical education courses to be offered pursuant
to this subparagraph are approved to satisfy those eligibility
requirements.  
   (III) The distinction, if any, between the high school graduation
requirements of the school district or county office of education,
and the eligibility requirements for admission to the California
State University and the University of California. 
   (F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.
   (2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing board
of the school district.
   (b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents,
administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means
for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may
include practical demonstration of skills and competencies,
supervised work experience or other outside school experience, career
technical education classes offered in high schools, courses offered
by regional occupational centers or programs, interdisciplinary
study, independent study, and credit earned at a postsecondary
institution. Requirements for graduation and specified alternative
modes for completing the prescribed course of study shall be made
available to pupils, parents, and the public.
   (c) Notwithstanding any other  provision of  law,
a school district shall exempt a pupil in foster care from all
coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of
the district that are in addition to the statewide coursework
requirements specified in this section if the pupil, while he or she
is in grade 11 or 12, transfers into the district from another school
district or between high schools within the district, unless the
district makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to
complete the additional requirements in time to graduate from high
school while he or she remains eligible for foster care benefits
pursuant to state law. A school district shall notify a pupil in
foster care who is granted an exemption pursuant to this subdivision,
and, as appropriate, the person holding the right to make
educational decisions for the pupil, if any of the requirements that
are waived will affect the pupil's ability to gain admission to a
postsecondary educational institution and shall provide information
about transfer opportunities available through the California
Community Colleges.
   (d) 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 51225.3 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   51225.3.  (a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while in
grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of
graduation from high school:
   (1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
otherwise specified:
   (A) Three courses in English.
   (B) Two courses in mathematics.
   (C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
sciences.
   (D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
one-semester course in American government and civics; and a
one-semester course in economics.
   (E) One course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.
For  the  purposes of satisfying the requirement
specified in this subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language
shall be deemed a course in foreign language.
   (F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.
   (2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing board
of the school district.
   (b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents,
administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means
for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may
include practical demonstration of skills and competencies,
supervised work experience or other outside school experience, career
technical education classes offered in high schools, courses offered
by regional occupational centers or programs, interdisciplinary
study, independent study, and credit earned at a postsecondary
institution. Requirements for graduation and specified alternative
modes for completing the prescribed course of study shall be made
available to pupils, parents, and the public.
   (c) Notwithstanding any other  provision of  law,
a school district shall exempt a pupil in foster care from all
coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of
the district that are in addition to the statewide coursework
requirements specified in this section if the pupil, while he or she
is in grade 11 or 12, transfers into the district from another school
district or between high schools within the district, unless the
district makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to
complete the additional requirements in time to graduate from high
school while he or she remains eligible for foster care benefits
pursuant to state law. A school district shall notify a pupil in
foster care who is granted an exemption pursuant to this subdivision,
and, as appropriate, the person holding the right to make
educational decisions for the pupil, if any of the requirements that
are waived will affect the pupil's ability to gain admission to a
postsecondary educational institution and shall provide information
about transfer opportunities available through the California
Community Colleges.
   (d) This section shall become operative July 1, 2017.