Amended in Assembly March 17, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2838

Introduced by Assembly Member O'Donnell

February 19, 2016

An act begin delete relating to public elementary and secondary education. end delete begin insert to amend Section 51225.3 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2838, as amended, O'Donnell. begin delete Public elementary and secondary education. end delete begin insert Pupil instruction: graduation requirements: alternatives: online advanced placement courses. end insert

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Existing law sets forth the courses a pupil is required to complete while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school. The governing board of a school district is required to adopt alternative means for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study for high school graduation. Those alternative means may include, among other things, career technical education classes offered in high schools and courses offered by regional occupational centers or programs.

end insert begin insert

This bill would authorize those alternative means to include online advanced placement courses that are approved by the College Board. The bill would also authorize a school district to contract with a provider of the approved online advanced placement courses to provide the courses free of charge to its pupils.

end insert begin delete

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, local educational agencies are authorized to operate public schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

end delete begin delete

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to public elementary and secondary education in this state.

end delete

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 51225.3 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert , as
amended by Section 1 of Chapter 888 of the Statutes of 2014, is
amended to read: end insert

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. If the governing board of a
school district requires more than two courses in mathematics for
graduation, the governing board of the school district may award
a pupil up to one mathematics course credit pursuant to Section
51225.35.

(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 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, including courses through a regional occupational center
or program operated by a county superintendent of schools or
pursuant to a joint powers agreement.

(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, before 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. If a school district elects to allow a career
technical education course to satisfy the requirement imposed by
this subparagraph, the school district shall comply with subdivision
(m) of Section 48980.

(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)  begin insert (1) end insert begin insert   end insert The governing begin delete board, end delete begin insert board of a school district, end insert 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 educational 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.

begin insert

(2) The alternative means may also include, but are not required
to include, online advanced placement courses that are approved
by the College Board. A school district may contract with a
provider of the approved online advanced placement courses to
provide the courses free of charge to its pupils.

end insert

(c) On or before July 1, 2017, the department shall submit a
comprehensive report to the appropriate policy committees of the
Legislature on the addition of career technical education courses
to satisfy the requirement specified in subparagraph (E) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, the
following information:

(1) A comparison of the pupil enrollment in career technical
education courses, foreign language courses, and visual and
performing arts courses for the 2005-06 to 2011-12 school years,
inclusive, to the pupil enrollment in career technical education
courses, foreign language courses, and visual and performing arts
courses for the 2012-13 to 2016-17 school years, inclusive.

(2) The reasons, reported by school districts, that pupils give
for choosing to enroll in a career technical education course to
satisfy the requirement specified in subparagraph (E) of paragraph
(1) of subdivision (a).

(3) The type and number of career technical education courses
that were conducted for the 2005-06 to 2011-12 school years,
inclusive, compared to the type and number of career technical
education courses that were conducted for the 2012-13 to 2016-17
school years, inclusive.

(4) The number of career technical education courses that
satisfied the subject matter requirements for admission to the
University of California or the California State University.

(5) The extent to which the career technical education courses
chosen by pupils are aligned with the California Career Technical
Education Standards, and prepare pupils for employment, advanced
training, and postsecondary education.

(6) The number of career technical education courses that also
satisfy the visual and performing arts requirement, and the number
of career technical education courses that also satisfy the foreign
language requirement.

(7) Annual pupil dropout and graduation rates for the 2011-12
to 2014-15 school years, inclusive.

(d) For purposes of completing the report described in
subdivision (c), the Superintendent may use existing state resources
and federal funds. If state or federal funds are not available or
sufficient, the Superintendent may apply for and accept grants,
and receive donations and other financial support from public or
private sources for purposes of this section.

(e) For purposes of completing the report described in
subdivision (c), the Superintendent may accept support, including,
but not limited to, financial and technical support, from high school
reform advocates, teachers, chamber organizations, industry
representatives, research centers, parents, and pupils.

(f) This section shall become inoperative on the earlier of the
following two dates:

(1) On July 1, immediately following the first fiscal year after
the enactment of the act that adds this paragraph in which the
number of career technical education courses that, as determined
by the department, satisfy the foreign language requirement for
admission to the California State University and the University of
California is at least twice the number of career technical education
courses that meet these admission requirements as of January 1,
2012. This section shall be repealed on the following January 1,
unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before
that date, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes
inoperative and is repealed. It is the intent of the Legislature that
new career technical education courses that satisfy the foreign
language requirement for admission to the California State
University and the University of California focus on world
languages aligned with career preparation, emphasizing real-world
application and technical content in related career and technical
education courses.

(2) 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.

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begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 51225.3 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert , as amended
by Section 2 of Chapter 888 of the Statutes of 2014, is amended
to read: end insert

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. If the governing board of a
school district requires more than two courses in mathematics for
graduation, the governing board of the school district may award
a pupil up to one mathematics course credit pursuant to Section
51225.35.

(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 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)  begin insert (1) end insert begin insert   end insert The governing begin delete board, end delete begin insert board of a school district, end insert 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 educational 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.

begin insert

(2) The alternative means may also include, but are not required
to include, online advanced placement courses that are approved
by the College Board. A school district may contract with a
provider of the approved online advanced placement courses to
provide the courses free of charge to its pupils.

end insert

(c) If a pupil completed a career technical education course that
met the requirements of subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of
subdivision (a) of Section 51225.3, as amended by the act adding
this section, before the inoperative date of that section, that course
shall be deemed to fulfill the requirements of subparagraph (E) of
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of this section.

(d) This section shall become operative upon the date that
Section 51225.3, as amended by the act adding this section,
becomes inoperative.

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SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation relating to public elementary and secondary education
in this state.

end delete