Today's Law As Amended


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AB-348 Career technical education.(2001-2002)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.

 Section 51220.05 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 51220, to read:

51220.05.
 The adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, that is required to include vocational-technical education, as specified in subdivision (i) of Section 51220, shall be fulfilled, with respect to this requirement, by career technical education that prepares pupils for gainful employment, indenture as an apprentice, or further training and education in occupations needed in the state economy. The objectives of career technical education shall include competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher order reasoning and problem solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills of an individual.

SEC. 2.

 Section 51221.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

51221.5.
 For the purposes of this code, the phrase “vocational-technical education” shall have the same meaning as “career technical education” as described in subdivision (i) of Section 51220.

SEC. 3.

 Section 51226 of the Education Code is amended to read:

51226.
 (a)  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall coordinate the development, on a cyclical basis, of  development of, and the State Board of Education shall adopt,  model curriculum standards for the course of study required by  pursuant to  Section 51225.3 and for a the  career technical education course of study necessary to assist school districts with in  complying with subdivision (b) of Section 51228. The superintendent shall set forth these standards in terms of a wide range of specific competencies, including higher level skills, in each academic subject area. The superintendent shall review currently available textbooks in conjunction with the curriculum standards. The superintendent shall seek the advice of classroom teachers, school administrators, parents, postsecondary educators, and representatives of business and industry in developing these curriculum standards. The superintendent shall recommend policies to the State Board of Education for consideration and adoption by the board. The State Board of Education shall adopt these policies no later than January 1, 1985. However, neither the superintendent nor the board shall adopt rules or regulations for course content or methods of instruction. 
(b) In developing the model curriculum standards, the superintendent shall work in consultation and coordination with an advisory group, including but not limited to, representatives from all of the following:
(1) Business and industry.
(2) Institutions of higher education, including, but not limited to, the California Community Colleges, the University of California, and the California State University.
(3) Classroom teachers.
(4) School administrators.
(5) Parents and guardians.
(6) The Legislature.
The superintendent shall, to the extent applicable, incorporate the integration of career technical and academic education into the development of curriculum standards for career technical education courses. The standards for a career technical education course of study shall be adopted no later than June May  1, 2005. 2003. 

SEC. 4.

 Section 52525 is added to the Education Code, to read:

52525.
 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) A healthy state economy is dependent on an educated and well-prepared workforce. Career technical education plays a critical role in developing the workforce necessary for the economic viability of the state, keeping pupils engaged in the educational process, and providing meaningful skills that translate to productive careers.
(2) Data and projections from the Employment Development Department reveal that between the years of 2000 and 2006, approximately 711,290 jobs that do not require a college degree will need to be filled.
(3) The United States Department of Labor indicates that only about 20 percent of the jobs in the workforce require a baccalaureate degree.
(4) The State Department of Education reports that over 75 percent of the “industrial technology education,” which includes, but is not limited to, automotive, construction, and manufacturing programs in California’s schools have closed since the mid-1970’s.
(5) The Employment Development Department and other sources reveal that current course offerings and enrollments are insufficient to fill the projected need of the state’s future labor market. Existing courses provide only 65 percent of the projected course requirements.

SEC. 5.

 Section 66205.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66205.5.
 The California State University shall, and the University of California is requested to, do all of the following:
(a) Establish a model uniform set of academic standards for high school courses, including career technical courses pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 51220, for the purposes of recognition for admission to the California State University and to the University of California, respectively. In developing the model academic standards, the faculty of the postsecondary segments may work in consultation with administrators and faculty from schools maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Participating schools that maintain kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, shall consult with an advisory group that shall include, but need not be limited to, representatives from all of the following:
(1) The University of California and the California State University.
(2) Business and industry, related to career technical programs in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
(3) Classroom teachers in career technical education.
(4) School administrators.
(5) Parents.
(b) Develop and implement a speedy process whereby high schools may obtain accreditation of their career technical education courses to satisfy specified admissions requirements of the California State University and the University of California, respectively, by July 1, 2002. The accreditation process shall, by August 1 of each school year, notify applying schools whether the application for accreditation has been approved or denied.
(c) Develop a simple procedure whereby a career technical education course that is approved by, and satisfies the admissions criteria of, the California State University or the University of California, respectively, by one high school may be approved as satisfying the admissions criteria of the California State University or the University of California, respectively, to the same extent as the original course.
(d) Take into consideration any previous work completed or policies adopted regarding matters related to subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive, by the California State University or the University of California, respectively.
SEC. 6.
 It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate funds for the purposes of this act in the 2001–02 Budget Act.