BILL ANALYSIS
AB 332
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Date of Hearing: April 1, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 332 (Fuentes) - As Introduced: February 18, 2009
SUBJECT : Work-based learning
SUMMARY : Allows school districts to provide work-based learning
opportunities for pupils through existing programs such as
partnership academies and regional occupational programs (ROPs).
Specifically, this bill, an urgency measure :
1)Makes various findings and declarations related to work-based
learning.
2)Defines "work-based learning" as an educational approach or
instructional methodology that uses the workplace or real work
to provide pupils the knowledge and skills that help them
connect school experiences to real-life work activities and
future career opportunities.
3)Provides that work-based learning opportunities for pupils may
be delivered by partnership academies, ROPs, and other
educational programs, and may include but are not limited to,
work experience education, community classrooms, cooperative
career technical education (CTE) programs, and job shadowing.
4)Authorizes school districts that maintain high schools to
establish work-based learning programs, and requires districts
that choose to offer work-based learning opportunities to
ensure that pupils are afforded the same statutory and
regulatory safeguards as pupils in work experience programs.
5)Authorizes districts to purchase liability insurance for
pupils enrolled in programs of study involving work-based
learning off school grounds and to arrange, approve coordinate
and award credit for work-based learning.
6)States that high quality work-based learning experiences may
include, but are not limited to, specified components and
characteristics.
EXISTING LAW
AB 332
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1)Authorizes school districts that maintain high schools to
establish work experience programs for the purpose of
providing pupils with instruction in skills, attitudes, and
understandings necessary for success in employment.
2)Provides for school districts that establish work experience
programs to receive apportionments based on the average daily
attendance in those programs, and provides procedures for the
calculation of the amount of those apportionments.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS : According to the California Department of Education
(CDE), Work Experience Education (WEE) is a course of study
which may be established by the governing board of any school
district or other specified local education agency to provide
paid or unpaid on-the-job experiences for secondary school
students through training agreements with employers.
The operational plan of the WEE program combines an on-the-job
component with related classroom instruction designed to
maximize the value of on-the-job experiences. Student success in
WEE programs depends on the quality of classroom instruction,
effective collaboration between employers and the WEE
coordinators, and the degree of involvement by the students and
their parents or legal guardians.
This bill authorizes programs such as partnership academies and
regional occupational centers and programs to deliver work-based
learning opportunities for pupils.
Work-based learning is defined in this bill as an educational
approach or instructional methodology that uses the workplace or
real work to provide pupils the knowledge and skills that help
them connect school experiences to real-life work activities and
career opportunities. The objective is for work-based learning
to systematically reinforce both academic and technical content.
This approach will require active involvement of industry
partners and teachers to coordinate the curriculum.
The author states, "AB 332 would expand 'work experience type
programs'- such as work-experience; ROC/P; job shadowing; paid
and unpaid internships; and pre-apprenticeship programs- to
broaden the availability of 'work-based learning' programs.
Additionally, the bill will facilitate relationships between the
AB 332
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local education agency and employers by providing each with
clear guidelines, goals, and expectations."
Arguments in support : The California Teachers Association
writes, "CTA believes career technical education in its broadest
sense includes career exploration, job training, work
experience, certificate programs and all basic proficiencies
related to employment and the acquisition of employable skills,
attitudes, and values. Job training/employment training is a
component of career technical education."
Prior legislation : An identical measure, AB 2078 (Fuentes) of
2008 provides that work-based learning opportunities for pupils
may be delivered through existing programs such as partnership
academies and regional occupational programs (ROPs). AB 2078
was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.
The veto message read: "The historic delay in passing the
2008-2009 State Budget has forced me to prioritize the bills
sent to my desk at the end of the year's legislative session.
Given the delay, I am only signing bills that are the highest
priority for California. This bill does not meet that standard
and I cannot sign it at this time."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Antioch Unified School District
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,
AFL, CIO
California Teachers Association
San Francisco Unified School District
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi?a / ED. / (916) 319-2087