BILL NUMBER: SB 253	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 29, 2009
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 31, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Wyland

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2009

   An act to add Section 52377.5 to the Education Code, relating to
career technical education.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 253, as amended, Wyland. Career technical education:
recognition certificates.
   Existing law authorizes a school district to issue diplomas or
certificates evidencing the completion of a prescribed course of
study following a pupil's satisfactory completion of that course of
study.
   This bill would authorize a school district or county office of
education to offer a pupil a career technical education certificate
if the pupil meets specified requirements, including completion of 4
 semester-long career  technical education courses, a
structured work-based learning experience, and a related culminating
project. The bill would prohibit the award of a career technical
education certificate awarded under the bill from being construed as
equivalent to the award of a high school diploma or as a change to
the statutory curriculum or compulsory education requirements.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 52377.5 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
   52377.5.  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school
district or county office of education may award a pupil a career
technical education certificate if all of the following requirements
are met:
   (1) The pupil has satisfactorily completed four  semester-long
 career technical education courses.  To the extent
possible, the courses shall be within the same industry sector as
identified in the California Career Technical Education Model
Curriculum standards adopted by the state board. 
   (2) The pupil has satisfactorily participated in a structured
work-based learning experience related to the career technical
education courses.
   (3) The pupil has satisfactorily completed a culminating project
related to the career technical education courses.
   (b) The award of a career technical education certificate under
this section shall in no way be construed as equivalent to the award
of a high school diploma or as a change to the requirements of
Section 48200 or  51228   51225.3  .