Code Section

84830.  

(a) The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the State Department of Education shall, pursuant to funding made available in the annual Budget Act, jointly provide two-year planning and implementation grants to regional consortia of community college districts and school districts for the purpose of developing regional plans to better serve the educational needs of adults.

(1) Eligibility shall be limited to consortia consisting of at least one community college district and at least one school district within the boundaries of the community college district, either of which may serve as the consortium’s fiscal agent, as determined by the applicant consortium.

(2) If a community college district chooses not to participate in a consortium, a neighboring community college district may form a consortium with school districts within the boundaries of the nonparticipating community college district.

(3) Consortia may include other entities providing adult education courses, including, but not necessarily limited to, correctional facilities, other local public entities, and community-based organizations.

(b) Grant funds provided pursuant to this section shall be used by each regional consortium to create and implement a plan to better provide adults in its region with all of the following:

(1) Elementary and secondary basic skills, including classes required for a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate.

(2) Classes and courses for immigrants eligible for educational services in citizenship and English as a second language, and workforce preparation classes in basic skills.

(3) Education programs for adults with disabilities.

(4) Short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential.

(5) Programs offering pre-apprenticeship training activities conducted in coordination with one or more apprenticeship programs approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards for the occupation and geographic area.

(c) (1) The classes and courses described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b) shall distribute basic information on American government and civics that includes, but is not limited to, instruction on all of the following:

(A) Federal, state, and local government.

(B) The three branches of government.

(C) The importance of civic engagement.

(D) Registering to vote.

(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that, consistent with the requirements of Sections 51225.3 and 52555, students enrolled in classes and courses described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b) in which instruction in American government and civics is appropriate shall receive instruction in American government and civics.

(d) Each regional consortium’s plan shall include, at a minimum:

(1) An evaluation of current levels and types of adult education programs within its region, including education for adults in correctional facilities; credit, noncredit, and enhanced noncredit adult education coursework; and programs funded through Title II of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, known as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (Public Law 105-220).

(2) An evaluation of current needs for adult education programs within its region.

(3) Plans for parties that make up the consortium to integrate their existing programs and create seamless transitions into postsecondary education or the workforce.

(4) Plans to address the gaps identified pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2).

(5) Plans to employ approaches proven to accelerate a student’s progress toward his or her academic or career goals, such as contextualized basic skills and career technical education, and other joint programming strategies between adult education and career technical education.

(6) Plans to collaborate in the provision of ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty and other staff to help them achieve greater program integration and improve student outcomes.

(7) Plans to leverage existing regional structures, including, but not necessarily limited to, local workforce investment areas.

(e) The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the State Department of Education may identify additional elements that consortia must include in a plan.

(f) (1) On or before March 1, 2014, the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the State Department of Education shall submit a joint report to the Legislature and the Governor. This report shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, both of the following:

(A) The status of developing regional consortia across the state, including identification of unserved geographic areas or emerging gaps in regional program delivery.

(B) The status and allocation of grant awards made to regional consortia.

(2) The report shall be submitted to the Legislature as provided in Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(g) (1) On or before March 1, 2015, the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the State Department of Education shall submit a joint report to the Legislature and the Governor. This report shall include, but is not limited to, both of the following:

(A) The plans developed by regional consortia across the state.

(B) Recommendations for additional improvements in the delivery system serving adult learners.

(2) The report shall be submitted to the Legislature as provided in Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(h) It is the intent of the Legislature to work toward developing common policies related to adult education affecting adult schools at local educational agencies and community colleges, including policies on fees and funding levels.

(i) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide additional funding in the 2015–16 fiscal year to regional consortia to expand and improve the provision of adult education.