Amended
IN
Assembly
June 18, 2018 |
Introduced by Senator Stern |
February 16, 2018 |
Existing law establishes the Jobs for California Graduates Program for the purpose of creating a regional system of local programs to help California’s at-risk youth complete their secondary education and transition into the workforce or enroll in postsecondary education. As part of this program, existing law authorizes the Director of Employment Development to make grants to applicants for the purposes of carrying out Jobs for California Graduates local programs in
the central valley region and requires these local programs to include certain elements, including, among others, a trained youth specialist providing individual and group instruction and informal guidance and continuous improvement of results through the ongoing professional development of managers, supervisors, and specialists.
This bill would additionally require local programs to consult with local workforce development boards on efforts where they can cooperate. By increasing the duties of local workforce development boards, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines
that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Local affiliates of the Jobs for California Graduates Program shall include all of the following elements:
(a)(1)A trained youth specialist employed year-round providing individual and group instruction to 25 to 45 eligible youth recruited and selected by a school-based advisory committee comprised of faculty, administrators, and counselors.
(2)The youth specialist shall provide individual attention to students to help them overcome barriers preventing them from receiving a high school diploma or securing employment, or both, or pursuing a postsecondary education that will lead to a career.
(3)The youth specialist shall provide informal guidance to students on academic, career, and life decisions and, based on the individual needs of students, connect them to professional counseling services to address more serious barriers, such as mental health problems or drug abuse.
(4)The youth specialist shall be actively involved in intensive, one-on-one employer marketing and job development activities to identify entry-level job opportunities for students upon graduation. Likewise, the youth specialist shall assist graduates in the exploration of postsecondary education opportunities and help them navigate the financial aid process to pursue these opportunities.
(b)Youth shall be taught a minimum of 37
employment competencies designed to prepare them to secure a quality entry-level job or pursue a postsecondary education, or both, upon completion of their secondary education.
(c)Placement services shall be provided to students during the summer months or partnerships developed with summer youth employment programs to support yearlong learning. Youth specialists shall maintain contact with youth during the summer months.
(d)A student-led organization, associated with a state and national association, shall build on the competency-based curriculum and provide the opportunity for students to
develop, practice, and refine their leadership and team membership skills.
(e)It shall serve as a school-based “one-stop center” for participating at-risk youth to ensure that they receive appropriate academic and social services from available resources in the school and community.
(f)It shall provide no less than 12 months of followup and support on the job and in postsecondary education after leaving the school.
(g)It shall provide computerized tracking of youth served, services delivered and performance outcomes, such as graduation rate, positive outcome rates, aggregate employment rate, full-time jobs rate, full-time placement rate, further education rate, wages, and return to school rate, at local and state
levels.
(h)It shall provide continuous improvement of results through the ongoing professional development of managers, supervisors, and specialists.
(i)It shall consult with local workforce development boards on efforts where they can cooperate.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.