BILL ANALYSIS
SB 253
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 253 (Wyland)
As Amended July 15, 2009
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :35-0
EDUCATION 11-0
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|Ayes:|Brownley, Nestande, | | |
| |Ammiano, Arambula, | | |
| |Buchanan, Carter, Eng, | | |
| |Garrick, Miller, Solorio, | | |
| |Torlakson | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Authorizes a school district or county office of
education to offer a pupil a career technical education (CTE)
certificate if the pupil meets specified requirements.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes a certificate be awarded if a pupil has
satisfactorily met all of the following:
a) Completed four semester-long CTE courses that are, to
the extent possible, within the same industry sector as
identified in the California Career Technical Education
Model Curriculum standards adopted by the State Board of
Education (SBE);
b) Participated in a structured work-based learning
experience related to the CTE courses; and,
c) Completed a culminating project related to the CTE
courses.
2)Prohibits the award of a career technical education
certificate awarded under this bill from being construed as
equivalent to the award of a high school diploma or as a
change to the statutory high school graduation requirements or
compulsory education requirements.
SB 253
Page 2
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes various CTE programs for public schools including
but not limited to regional occupational centers and programs
(ROC/Ps), partnership academies, adult education programs, and
career technical education programs in high schools and
community colleges.
2)Requires any business, trade or professional association,
union, or state or local governmental agency that operates,
under the auspices of the local school district, a career
preparatory program to award program completers a certificate
of completion that supplements a high school diploma.
3)States that no diploma, certificate or other document which is
conferred upon a pupil as evidence of his completion of a
prescribed course of study or training shall bear any
distinctive marking or words which indicate that the pupil
upon whom it was conferred was, for purposes of the course of
study or training, placed within a particular classification
based upon his intellectual or mental capacity, and specifies
that the provisions of this section shall not be construed to
prevent a diploma, certificate or other document from
indicating that the pupil upon whom it is conferred maintained
exceptionally high grades during his course of study or
training, or that he completed his course with honors, or to
prevent the governing board of any school district from
publicizing such information.
4)Provides that no diploma, certificate or other document,
except transcripts and letters of recommendation, shall be
conferred on a pupil as evidence of completion of a prescribed
course of study or training, or of satisfactory attendance,
unless the pupil has met the standards of proficiency in basic
skills prescribed by the governing board of the high school
district, or equivalent thereof.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS : The state has established minimum graduation
requirements for all students and local school districts are
authorized to adopt high school graduation requirements beyond
the statutorily required courses.
SB 253
Page 3
Research has shown that CTE opportunities for pupils may provide
relevance to the high school curriculum and engage pupils who
may be at risk of dropping out. Existing law establishes
various CTE programs for public schools including but not
limited to ROC/Ps, partnership academies, adult education
programs, agricultural programs, tech-prep programs, and CTE
courses that may be offered in secondary schools and community
colleges. The SBE adopted the Career Technical Education Model
Curriculum standards in 2005 and the CTE Framework for
California Schools for grades 7-12 in 2007.
This bill seeks to place emphasis on CTE and allows school
districts to offer a pupil a CTE certificate if the pupil meets
specified requirements. According to the author, there are
currently ten states that offer a technical/vocational diploma
or endorsement.
This bill prohibits the award of a CTE certificate from being
construed as equivalent to a high school diploma or as a change
to the statutory graduation requirements.
The author states, "Establishing a CTE certificate or
endorsement will send an important message to our youth and
society about the value of CTE coursework in our communities and
in our schools."
Arguments in support: The California School Boards Association
writes, "SB 253 authorizes school districts to award career
technical education certificates to [a] pupil, as specified. By
allowing students to earn a supplemental certificate to their
high school diploma, this bill could encourage more students to
take CTE classes while in high school."
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi?a / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0001979