BILL ANALYSIS
SB 381
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 19, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
SB 381 (Wright) - As Amended: July 16, 2009
Policy Committee: Education Vote:6-3
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill, beginning with the 2010-11 school year, prohibits a
school district from adopting graduation requirements that
include the completion of additional coursework that meets or
exceeds the A-G requirements unless the district also requires
the pupil to complete a sequence of at least three career and
technical education (CTE) courses. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the governing board of a school district to ensure
that the sequence of CTE courses are aligned with the CTE
content standards.
2)Specifies that the requirement to complete a sequence of at
least three CTE courses does not apply to a school district
that has adopted, by June 30, 2009, the completion of all
minimum A-G coursework adopted as condition of graduation.
3)Requires each school district maintaining any grades 7-12 to
offer all qualified pupils the opportunity to enroll within a
four-year period (prior to the graduation of high school) in
each course necessary to provide the opportunity for those
pupils to attain entry-level employment skills in business or
industry, as specified.
4)Encourages a school district to provide all pupils with a
rigorous academic curriculum that integrates academic and
career skills, incorporates learning in all disciplines, and
prepares all pupils for high school graduation and career
entry.
FISCAL EFFECT
SB 381
Page 2
1)Beginning in the 2010-11 fiscal year (FY), potential annual
GF/98 state reimbursable mandated costs of approximately
$454.8 million to require high school pupils, as a condition
of graduation, to complete a sequence of at least three CTE
courses. These costs are associated with materials,
professional development, and course planning. This bill
requires pupils to complete the CTE courses, if the school
district also requires pupils to complete an A-G course as a
condition of graduation, beginning in 2010-11. The majority,
if not all, school of school districts currently require the
completion of at least one A-G course as a condition of
graduation (see comment #2 below). This cost may be reduced
depending on the number of school districts that do not
maintain the completion of an A-G course. However, because
A-G courses are required for admission to the University of
California (UC) and the California State University (CSU), it
is highly unlikely this would occur.
2)Beginning in the 2010-11 FY, potential annual GF/98 state
reimbursable mandated costs of approximately $120.4 million to
require high school pupils, as a condition of graduation, to
complete a sequence of at least three CTE courses. This cost
may be reduced depending on the number of school districts
that do not maintain the completion of an A-G course.
3)Beginning in the 2010-11 FY, potential one-time GF/98 state
reimbursable mandated costs of approximately $15 million to
require high school pupils, as a condition of graduation, to
complete a sequence of at least three CTE courses. These
costs are associated with CTE facilities and may be offset
with state school construction bond funds.
COMMENTS
1)Background . Existing law requires pupils to meet the
following minimum course requirements in order to graduate
from high school:
---------------------------------------
| Subject | # of |
| | Courses |
|-------------------------+-------------|
| English | 3 |
|-------------------------+-------------|
SB 381
Page 3
| Math | 2 |
|-------------------------+-------------|
| Science | 2 |
|-------------------------+-------------|
| Social Studies | 3 |
|-------------------------+-------------|
| VPA or Foreign | 1 |
|Language | |
|-------------------------+-------------|
| Physical Education | 2 |
|-------------------------+-------------|
| Total |13 |
---------------------------------------
Statute also authorizes a school district governing board to
specify additional requirements. For example, a governing
board may require pupils to complete community service hours
or additional coursework (i.e., CTE courses or A-G courses,
which meet the UC or CSU admission requirements). This
authorization has lead to several school districts, including
San Jose Unified School District, requiring the completion of
additional coursework that meet the A-G requirements as a
condition of graduation. This bill would not apply to school
districts who have adopted the requirement that pupils
complete all minimum A-G coursework as a condition of
gradation prior to June 30, 2009.
The UC and the CSU require high school students to complete a
specified pattern of coursework to be eligible for admission.
This course pattern of 15 courses is commonly known as the A-G
requirements. Courses that meet the A-G requirements must be
previously reviewed and approved by UC. Students who do not
have access to the A-G required courses in high school are
essentially unable to qualify for admission to either UC or
CSU upon high school graduation.
In November 2007, the Little Hoover Commission released a
report entitled Career Technical Education: Creating Options
for High School Success, which stated: "Students participating
in some of the state's CTE programs that have been evaluated
are staying in school and graduating at rates higher than
their peers. They are more likely to pass the high school exit
exam; they are more likely to earn higher wages in jobs after
high school; and, they are at least as likely to go on to
postsecondary educational programs. Some studies show that
SB 381
Page 4
those students at highest risk of dropping out benefit most
from CTE participation."
According to the SDE, there were 589,233 high school students
enrolled in CTE in 2007-08. Also, SDE reports 25,752 CTE
courses offered to pupils during this time period. SDE
states: "Over the last nine years, CTE district course
enrollments have declined by 254,239 students. This is
despite the fact that total high school student enrollment
continues to increase."
This bill prohibits, beginning with the 2010-11 school year, a
school district from requiring, as a condition of graduation,
the completion of A-G coursework unless the district also
requires the completion of three sequenced CTE courses, as
specified.
2)Non-fiscal bill and potential reimbursable state mandate .
Though this bill was keyed non-fiscal, the committee requested
this measure because of the potential reimbursable
state-mandated costs associated with requiring three
additional CTE courses, if the school district requires the
completion of an A-G course as a condition of graduation, as
specified.
This bill requires a school district that mandates a pupil
complete additional A-G coursework as a condition of
graduation to also complete a sequence of three CTE courses.
Current law is permissive as to whether or not a school
district requires additional coursework, which may include A-G
courses, CTE courses, etc., as a condition of graduation.
There were 417 school districts with a total of 1,204 high
schools under their jurisdiction in 2007-08. The majority, if
not all, require pupils to complete at least one A-G course as
a condition of graduation. Therefore, this bill would
currently apply to the majority of districts in the state,
unless the district chose to eliminate their current
requirements to complete an A-G course as a condition of
gradation.
Since a majority of school districts require pupils to
complete at least one A-G course as a condition of graduation,
it is possible that school districts may submit a
reimbursement claim to the Commission on State Mandates (CSM)
SB 381
Page 5
for requiring high school pupils to complete a sequence of
three CTE courses. The claim may request costs associated with
materials, training, hiring teachers, and facilities. The
committee would also note that even if school districts
currently require the completion of CTE courses as a condition
of graduation, they may submit a claim based on the
requirements set forth in this bill because it establishes a
requirement for the completion of CTE courses as a condition
of graduation.
This measure does provide an exception to school districts
that, prior to June 30, 2009, adopted graduation requirements
that require the completion of all A-G coursework. The
committee is aware of two school districts that have adopted
such policies: Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and
San Jose Unified School Districts. However, LAUSD will not
impose this requirement until the graduating class of 2016.
Therefore, it is unclear as to whether or not they would be
exempt from the requirements of this bill.
3)Existing law authorizes the establishment of regional
occupational center programs (ROC/Ps) and Partnership Academy
(PA) programs that combine CTE program aspects with academic
coursework. PA programs are three-year programs, grades
10-12, structured as a school-within-a-school. Academies
incorporate many features of the high school reform movement
that include creating a close family-like atmosphere,
integrating academic and CTE, and establishing viable business
partnerships. Emphasis is also placed on student achievement
and positive post secondary outcomes, as well as the
integration of a standards-based academic and CTE curriculum.
ROC/Ps provide high school students 16 years of age and older
and also adult students, with valuable CTE so students can:
(a) enter the workforce with skills and competencies to be
successful; (b) pursue advanced training in higher educational
institutions; and/or (c) upgrade existing skills and
knowledge. There were 74 ROC/Ps serving 478,623 students in
2007-08.
In January 2007, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted
the CTE Standards and Framework to guide CTE curriculum
discussions for grades 7-12 pupils with learning goals in 58
career pathways organized around 15 industry sectors. The CTE
Framework is "is the blueprint for educators to implement the
SB 381
Page 6
CTE model curriculum standards adopted by the SBE. It provides
context for the content laid out in the standards, discusses
best practices, and explores important issues in
implementation."
4)Opposition . Several organizations, including the Mexican
American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), Public
Advocates, the California Teachers Association (CTA), and the
American Civil Liberties Union, argue that requiring pupils to
complete three additional CTE courses does not ensure pupil
access to a rigorous curriculum that provides them with career
and college options after graduation. For example, CTA states
"We believe students should be prepared for both options and
that academic and CTE standards should be aligned and
integrated to the maximum extent possible. Mandated
curriculum/graduation requirements must take into
consideration the diverse needs of the learner."
These groups further argue that by not providing specific
resources to implement the requirements of this bill the state
is deterring school districts from providing the A-G
curriculum.
5)Related legislation .
a) AB 554 (Furutani), which was held on this committee's
suspense file in May 2009, increased the number of courses
required for high school graduation from 13 to 14 and
offered pupils a choice between a course in visual
performing arts, foreign language, or CTE to fulfill the
additional course requirement.
b) AB 2648 (Bass), Chapter 681, Statutes of 2008, required
the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in conjunction
with specified parties, to develop a report that explores
the feasibility of establishing and expanding multiple
pathway programs (A-G curriculum and CTE) in high schools.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081