BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2063


                                                                    Page  1





          Date of Hearing:  April 27, 2016


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                               Lorena Gonzalez, Chair


          AB  
          2063 (Gallagher) - As Amended April 13, 2016


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill authorizes a 14 year old student to participate in  
          work experience education (WEE) and receive credit, as  
          specified, if the principal certifies that the student's  
          participation in WEE is necessary for participation in a career  
          technical education (CTE) program. This bill also clarifies that  
          a student may participate in a job shadowing experience for up  
          to 40 hours in one semester, intersession or summer session, if  
          approved by the principal and is determined necessary for  
          participation in a CTE program. 


          FISCAL EFFECT:








                                                                    AB 2063


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          No significant state fiscal impacts. Expansion of WEE to 14 year  
          olds is permissive and there are only 523 schools that offer WEE  
          currently. 


          COMMENTS:


          1)Purpose. According to the author, exposing students to work  
            experience at a younger age allows them to explore more career  
            options and gives them the knowledge and experience they need  
            to launch their careers or further their education. This bill  
            would make it easier for high school students to participate  
            in WEE by lowering age for participation in work experience  
            education.



          2)Background. Work experience education (WEE) is a course of  
            study that may be established by a governing board of any  
            local education agency (LEA) to provide paid or unpaid  
            on-the-job experiences for high school students through  
            training agreements with employers. WEE includes both paid and  
            non-paid experiences. 



            In recent years, many districts have reduced or eliminated  
            their general work experience programs. While general work  
            experience is important for providing basic workplace skills  
            the state plan for CTE calls for "more readily available  
            vocational work experience that would provide meaningful  
            expansion of learning for students in CTE programs." 












                                                                    AB 2063


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            According to the CDE, in the 2014-15 school year, 523 schools  
            offer some type of WEE program, with 2,007 different courses  
            taught.  There were 17,439 students enrolled in WEE programs.  
            Compared to the enrollment in other CTE courses, these numbers  
            are relatively low. For example, 1,140 schools offer a CTE  
            program on Arts, Media, and Entertainment, (just one of the 15  
            CTE industry sectors) with 7,068 courses taught, and a total  
            of 162,093 students enrolled.  





          Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081