AB 2237,
as amended, Olsen. begin deleteElementary and secondary education: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. end deletebegin insertScience, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Partnership Academies.end insert
Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education, with instruction provided by school districts at schoolsites throughout the state. The State Department of Education, under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, has numerous duties with respect to the funding and conduct of the instructional activities undertaken by school districts.
end insertbegin insertThis bill would establish a program for purposes of providing grants to school districts for the establishment of up to 100 partnership academies dedicated to training young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations.
end insertExisting law establishes a system of elementary and secondary education in this state, consisting of public and private elementary and secondary schools providing instruction in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
end deleteThis bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to the provision of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in elementary and secondary schools in this state.
end deleteVote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) All young people should be prepared to think deeply and
4critically so that they can become innovators, educators,
5researchers, and leaders capable of solving the most pressing
6challenges facing our nation and world, both today and tomorrow.
7However, currently, not enough of our youth have access to quality
8science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning
9opportunities, and too few students see these disciplines as
10springboards to their careers.
11(b) Only 81 percent of Asian American high school pupils and
1271 percent of white high school pupils attend high schools where
13the full range of mathematics and science courses, namely Algebra
14I, Geometry, Algebra II, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics,
15are offered. Access to these courses for American Indian, Native
16Alaskan, black, and Hispanic high school pupils is significantly
17worse. A child’s race, ZIP code, or socioeconomic status should
18never determine his or her STEM fluency. Children must be
19provided with the opportunity to be career- and college-ready in
20order to thrive in a modern STEM economy.
21(c) Only 16 percent of American high school seniors are
22proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career. Even
23among those who do go on to pursue a college or university major
24in STEM fields, only about half choose to work in a STEM-related
25career. In 2014, California’s K-12 public education system ranked
2643rd in
the nation. Surveys reveal that only 29 percent of
27Americans rated our nation’s K-12 education system in STEM
28subjects as above average or the best in the world. In our
29competitive global economy, these statistics are unacceptable.
30(d) Partnership academies provide smaller learning communities
31with a career-focused theme. Academy components include
P3 1rigorous academics and career technical education, a committed
2team of teachers, and active business and postsecondary
3partnerships.
4(e) Therefore, the Legislature needs to provide more
5opportunities for pupils in our state’s public schools to access
6high-quality STEM preparation through a variety of opportunities,
7including additional funding for establishing STEM-related
8partnership
academies.
begin insertArticle
14 (commencing with Section 33480) is added
10to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the end insertbegin insertEducation
11Codeend insertbegin insert, to read:end insert
12
This article shall be known, and may be cited as,
17Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Partnership
18Academies.
(a) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
20Partnership Academies is hereby established. Commencing with
21the 2016-17 school year, the department, in coordination with the
22Superintendent shall, with funds appropriated in the annual Budget
23Act, issue grants for the establishment of 100 partnership
24academies dedicated to training young people in science,
25technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations,
26including, but not limited to, application software developer,
27computer user support specialist, computer programmer, computer
28hardware engineer, industrial engineer, civil engineer,
29architectural engineer, aerospace engineer, dietetic technician,
30medical scientist, microbiologist, general medical practitioner,
31dental services provider, and chemist.
32(b) (1) The selection of school districts to establish STEM
33partnership academies, and the planning and development of these
34academies, shall be conducted pursuant to the procedures and
35requirements established as specified in Section 54691. Planning
36and development grants under this article shall be made available
37for up to 100 partnership academies in addition to the total number
38of grants established pursuant to Section 54691.
39(2) A school district applying to convert an existing school
40program into a partnership academy that meets the criteria for a
P4 1partnership academy pursuant to Section 54692 and paragraph
2(3) may receive first-year implementation funds, as appropriate,
3in accordance with this article.
4(3) To be eligible for funding pursuant to this article, each
5proposed partnership academy
shall satisfy both of the following
6requirements:
7(A) (i) Coursework and internship or preapprenticeship
8programs of the proposed academy shall focus significant time on
9the use of emerging technologies and state-of-the-art equipment.
10(ii) The proposed partnership academy shall demonstrate
11compliance with clause (i) through its efforts to obtain input from
12industry and professional trade organizations.
13(B) Staff development opportunities shall be included in the
14proposed partnership academy plan to ensure that teaching staff
15has the opportunity to be trained in the use of emerging
16technologies and become familiar with new equipment and current
17practices in STEM fields.
It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
19legislation relating to the provision of science, technology,
20engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in elementary
21and secondary schools in this state.
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