BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 848
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 848 (Campos)
As Amended May 11, 2011
Majority vote
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT 6-0 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Swanson, Morrell, Alejo, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, |
| |Allen, Furutani, Yamada | |Bradford, Charles |
| | | |Calderon, Campos, Davis, |
| | | |Gatto, Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| | | |Mitchell, Solorio |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, |
| | | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires high schools, school districts, community
colleges and other specified entities that receive
reimbursements from apprenticeship instruction programs, to
report annually, to the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) or the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges
(Chancellor), information about the success of the students who
participate in apprenticeship programs. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the SPI or Chancellor, whichever is appropriate, to
require recipients of related and supplemental instructions
funding to report annually, prior to receiving reimbursement,
information concerning the following:
a) The number and percentage of apprentices who have
received postsecondary educational credit;
b) The amount of credit earned; and,
c) The number and percentage of apprentice graduates who
have completed a postsecondary degree.
2)Requires the SPI or Chancellor, whichever is appropriate, to
determine the format in which the annual report will covey
pupil progress toward degree completion for each participating
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institution.
3)Requires the SPI or Chancellor, whichever is appropriate, to,
upon request, provide the information obtained in this annual
report the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS).
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, General Fund administrative costs, likely less than
$100,000, to the California Department of Education (CDE) and
California Community Colleges (CCCs) to report specified
information about building and trade apprenticeship programs, as
specified. Current law requires CDE to collect specified
information from apprenticeship programs and CCCs contribute
program information to this report.
COMMENTS : According to the author, there is currently no data
provided to DAS on the number of CCCs that offer credit for
apprenticeship programs. As a result, DAS is unable to advise
apprentices about existing opportunity to purse a postsecondary
education during their apprentice training. The author states
this bill is the critical first step in identifying the nature
in which each CCC district provides credit for apprenticeship.
The author notes that the information collected by this process
will be assessed by the state and apprenticeship stakeholders
and thereby allow improvements and uniformity in postsecondary
credit allocation.
According to DAS, apprenticeship is a system of learning while
earning, and "learning by doing." DAS notes that apprenticeship
programs combine training on the job with related and
supplemental instruction at school. In addition to training,
DAS states that apprentices attend classes to receive technical
instruction related to their field. This training usually takes
place in a public school and often in a community college
setting. According to DAS, the instruction is meant to
supplement the apprentices' on the job training and give
apprentices a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical
aspects of their work.
CDE supports related and supplementary instruction (RSI) in 35
regional occupational centers and programs (ROCP) and adult
education programs (local education agencies) with over 200
apprenticeship programs supporting over 40,000 registered
apprentices. CDE states that funds are appropriated to local
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education agencies through the principal apportionment system
based on the actual number of hours in RSI coursework. CDE
states that each local education agency is capped on the number
of hours of instruction it can claim for reimbursement.
According to the Chancellor's Office many employers partner with
the CCCs or with the CDE's Regional Occupational Programs and
Centers and Adult Schools to provide apprenticeship training to
their employees. The Chancellor's Office states that CCCs have
approximately 25,000 apprentices enrolled in over 160
apprenticeship programs comprised of a total of 66 trades and
crafts titles located on 39 campuses.
In a letter expressing sponsorship of this bill, the State
Building and Construction Trades Council of California (SBCTCC)
states that credit allocation for apprenticeship programs varies
among CCC districts and between CCC campuses. SBCTCC asserts
that this bill will help identify how CCC allocate credit for
RIS and help provide more uniformity among districts and between
campuses.
The Associated Builders and Contractors of California (ABC)
opposes this bill, arguing that statistics such as these are
already reported to the DAS. Information sought by this bill
can already be generated by contacting the DAS and asking for
program graduation statistics. As a result, ABC believes that
this bill adds an unnecessary new cost for gathering information
that is already accessible.
Analysis Prepared by : Shannon McKinley / L. & E. / (916)
319-2091
FN: 0000923