AB 646, as introduced, Cooley. Public education governance: Regional P-20 councils.
Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive (K-12). Existing law also establishes a system of public postsecondary education in the state that consists of 3 segments: the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges.
This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to affirm the employer-education partnership model of a regional P-20 council as a desired structure in California to help align preschool, K-12, community college, 4-year college, and graduate and professional education programs and funding to advance strategic educational and economic outcomes. The bill would authorize a school district, community college district, or campus of the California State University or University of California to establish or participate in a regional P-20 council, and authorize a regional P-20 council to include representatives of private sector employers. The bill would require a regional P-20 council established under the bill to identify educational objectives that are consistent with the objectives of council members and with statewide education policies and goals.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Chapter 1.3 (commencing with Section 10050)
2is added to Part 7 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code,
3to read:
4
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
8following:
9(1) P-16 councils were first established in several states in the
101990s to convene state leaders representing early learning (the “P”
11stands for preschool) through the first four years of college (the
12“16”). More recently, some states have extended the scope of these
13councils to include doctoral and professional schools (the “20”).
14(2) According to a 2008 report of the Education Commission
15of the States, 38 states had established a P-16 or P-20 council and
1611 states had regional P-16 or P-20 councils.
17(3) California will benefit from a system of regional
P-20
18councils, composed of both employers and educational leaders of
19educational entities that provide instruction for all levels from
20early childhood learning to doctoral and professional programs,
21to help align educational programs, policies, and funding to meet
22strategic educational and economic objectives.
23(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to affirm the
24employer-education partnership model of a regional P-20 council
25as a desired structure in California to help align preschool, K-12,
26community college, four-year college, and graduate and
27professional education programs and funding to advance strategic
28educational and economic outcomes.
A school district, community college district, or campus
30of the California State University or University of California may
31establish or participate in a regional P-20 council, which may
32include representatives of regional private sector employers as
33well as public educational entities. A regional P-20 council
P3 1established under this section shall identify educational objectives
2that are consistent with the objectives of council members and
3with statewide education policies and goals. A regional P-20
4council shall be aligned, as much as feasible, with the regional
5structures in the State Department of Education, the California
6Community Colleges, and the Department of Industrial Relations.
7A school district or community college district that participates in
8a regional P-20 council may establish eligibility for funding under
9the
Career Technical Education Pathways Program (Part 52
10(commencing with Section 88530) of Division 7 of Title 3),
11contingent on the district’s conformity with the standards of that
12program and the availability of funds.
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