Senate Bill No. 425

Introduced by Senator Hernandez

February 25, 2015

An act to amend Sections 52300 and 52500 of the Education Code, relating to career technical education, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 425, as introduced, Hernandez. Career technical education.

(1) Existing law provides that the Legislature declares that a regional occupational center will serve the state and national interests in providing career technical and technical education to students, including, but not limited to, high school students.

This bill would instead provide that the Legislature declares that the regional occupational center will serve the state and national interests in providing secondary and postsecondary career technical and technical education to those pupils.

(2) Existing law requires adult schools and evening high schools to consist of classes for adults and authorizes minors to be admitted into those classes pursuant to policy adopted by the governing board of the school district and if those minors meet certain eligibility requirements.

This bill would authorize those classes to include postsecondary career technical education programs.

(3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Vote: ²⁄₃. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 52300 of the Education Code is amended
to read:

52300.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert In enacting this article, it is the intent of the
Legislature to provide qualified begin delete students end delete begin insert pupils end insert with the opportunity
to attend a technical school or enroll in a career technical or
technical training program, regardless of the geographical location
of their residence in a county or region. The Legislature hereby
declares that a regional occupational center will serve the state and
national interests in providing begin insert secondary and postsecondary end insert career
technical and technical education to prepare begin delete students end delete begin insert pupils end insert for an
increasingly technological society in which generalized training
and skills are insufficient to prepare high school begin delete students end delete begin insert pupils end insert
and graduates, and out-of-school youth and adults for the many
employment opportunities begin delete which end delete begin insert that end insert require special or technical
training and skills. The Legislature also declares that regional
occupational centers will enable a broader curriculum in technical
subjects to be offered, and will avoid unnecessary duplication of
courses and expensive training equipment, and will provide a
flexibility in operation begin delete which end delete begin insert that end insert will facilitate rapid program
adjustments and meeting changing training needs as they arise.

begin delete

It

end delete

begin insert (b) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert It end insert is recognized by the Legislature that career technical
programs may achieve great flexibility of planning, scope and
operation by the conduct of these programs in a variety of physical
facilities at various training locations.

begin delete

It

end delete

begin insert (c) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert It end insert is the further intent of the Legislature that regional
occupational centers and programs provide career technical and
occupational instruction related to the attainment of skills so that
trainees are prepared for gainful employment in the area for which
training was provided, or are upgraded so they have the higher
level skills required because of new and changing technologies or
so that they are prepared for enrollment in more advanced training
programs.

SEC. 2.  

Section 52500 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

52500.  

Adult schools and evening high schools shall consist
of classes for adults begin insert and may include postsecondary career
technical education programs end insert . Minors may be admitted to those
classes pursuant to board policy and Section 52500.1.

SEC. 3.  

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within
the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into
immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order for regional occupational programs to satisfy federal
requirements in order to participate in federal student aid programs,
it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.