Amended in Assembly March 28, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2216

Introduced by Assembly Member Muratsuchi

February 20, 2014

begin delete An act relating to career technical education. end delete begin insert An act to add Section 52335.7 to the Education Code, relating to regional occupational centers and programs. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2216, as amended, Muratsuchi. begin delete Career technical education: programs. end delete begin insert Regional occupational centers and programs: funding. end insert

begin insert

Existing law authorizes the county superintendent of schools of each county, with the consent of the State Board of Education, to establish and maintain a regional occupational center, or regional occupational program, in the county to provide education and training in career technical courses. Existing law also authorizes the governing boards of any school district maintaining high schools in the county, with the consent of the state board and county superintendent of schools, to cooperate in the establishment and maintenance of a regional occupational center or program, except as specified, and authorizes the establishment and maintenance of a regional occupational center or program by 2 or more school districts to be undertaken pursuant to a joint powers authority. Existing law also requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to calculate a revenue limit for each regional occupational center or program, as specified, and requires the Superintendent to apportion funds to the regional occupational center or program based on that calculation.

end insert begin insert

This bill would express findings and declarations regarding career technical education, and would require a regional occupational center or program established and maintained by local educational agencies or a joint powers authority, as specified, to receive an annual appropriation from the General Fund for purposes of providing high-quality career technical education services. The bill would require the appropriated funds to be apportioned directly to the regional occupational center or program based on a formula agreed upon by the local educational agencies participating in the regional occupational center or program.

end insert begin delete

Existing law establishes various career technical education programs, including, but not limited to, regional occupational centers or programs, linked learning, partnership academies, and career pathways programs.

end delete begin delete

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would promote and support high quality career technical education, including, but not limited to, regional occupational centers or programs, linked learning, partnership academies, and career pathway programs, to help prepare and engage pupils for transition to higher education and the workforce.

end delete

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following: end insert

begin insert

(1) A foundational principle in the Education Code is that all
pupils shall have access to equitable educational opportunities
and resources.

end insert begin insert

(2) The future of California is dependent upon minimizing, if
not entirely alleviating, inequities in public schools so that all
pupils will have equitable opportunities to learn skills needed for
entry into the workforce, pursue postsecondary educational goals,
and contribute to the social cohesion of the state.

end insert begin insert

(3) High-quality career technical education (CTE) programs
contribute to pupils’ academic and career achievement by allowing
pupils to smoothly enter the workforce or postsecondary education.

end insert begin insert

(4) Current law authorizes CTE courses as an option for pupils
to satisfy the high school graduation requirement to complete a
course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.

end insert begin insert

(5) High-quality CTE programs, including regional occupational
centers and programs (ROCPs) have served as a major component
to California’s workforce preparation system for the past 35 years.

end insert begin insert

(6) Studies have shown that pupils who participate in ROCPs
have improved high school grade point averages, have higher 12th
grade attendance rates, and have enrolled in postsecondary
educational programs in greater numbers.

end insert begin insert

(7) Regionalization and coordination with local educational
agencies, community colleges, and industry allow CTE programs
to efficiently use limited resources to provide pupils with a broad
array of training opportunities, use of expensive technical
equipment, and specially trained and experienced instructors.

end insert begin insert

(8) Despite the long-standing priority the Legislature has given
to CTE programs, in last year alone, high school CTE program
enrollment has dropped by over 100,000 pupils, which is over 12
percent, and California has lost 19.6 percent of its high school
CTE instructors.

end insert begin insert

(9) High-quality CTE programs are one of the most difficult
programs to rebuild if they are dismantled.

end insert begin insert

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that
would promote and support high-quality CTE programs, including,
but not limited to, ROCPs, linked learning, partnership academies,
and career pathway programs, to help prepare and engage pupils
for transition to postsecondary educational opportunities and the
workforce.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. end insert begin insert 2. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 52335.7 is added to the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert , to
read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 52335.7. end insert   

Notwithstanding any other law, a regional
occupational center or program established and maintained by
local educational agencies or a joint powers authority pursuant
to Section 52301 shall receive an annual appropriation from the
General Fund for purposes of providing high-quality career
technical education services. The appropriated funds shall be
apportioned directly to the regional occupational center or
program based on a formula agreed upon by the local educational
agencies participating in the regional occupational center or
program.

end insert

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that would promote and support high quality career
technical education, including, but not limited to, regional
occupational centers or programs, linked learning, partnership
academies, and career pathway programs, to help prepare and
engage pupils for transition to higher education and the workforce.

end delete