ARTICLE 7. Agricultural Career Technical Education [52450 - 52454]
( Heading of Article 7 amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1058, Sec. 81. )
The Legislature of the State of California recognizes that agriculture is the most basic and singularly important industry in the state, that agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and economic stability of the state, and that the maintenance of this vital industry requires a continued source of trained and qualified individuals for employment in agriculture and agribusiness. The Legislature hereby declares that it is within the best interests of the people of the State of California that a comprehensive career technical education program in agriculture be created and maintained by the state’s school system in order to ensure an adequate supply of trained and skilled individuals and to ensure appropriate representation of racial and ethnic groups in all phases of the industry. For this purpose, the Legislature affirms that a state program for agricultural career technical education shall be established. It is the intent of the Legislature that a state program for agricultural education shall be a part of the curriculum of the state school system and made readily available to all school districts who may, at their option, include programs in career technical education in agriculture as a part of the curriculum of that district.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1058, Sec. 82. Effective January 1, 2001.)
The State Department of Education shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this article. The rules and regulations shall not create any new state mandates on school districts or county offices of education as a condition of receiving federal, state, and local funds by those entities.
It is the intent of the Legislature that, although this article does not create any new mandates, school districts and county offices of education are strongly advised to follow the guidelines set forth in this article.
(Added by Stats. 1981, Ch. 571, Sec. 1.)
(a) There is hereby created within the department an agricultural career technical education unit to assist school districts in the establishment and maintenance of educational programs established pursuant to this article.
(b) The staffing of the unit shall at all times be composed of an appropriate number of full-time employees, including the State Supervisor of Agricultural Career Technical Education and the Assistant State Supervisor of Agricultural Career Technical Education. The State Supervisor of Agricultural Career Technical Education shall, under the direction of the Superintendent, assume responsibility for the administration of the state program adopted under this article throughout the public school system as
well as the articulation of the state program to the requirements and mandates of federally assisted career technical education. The Assistant State Supervisor of Agricultural Career Technical Education shall, under the direction of the State Supervisor of Agricultural Career Technical Education, assume responsibility for the coordination of the state program of agricultural career technical education adopted under this article and the coordination of the activities of student agricultural organizations and associations.
(c) (1) An appropriate number of employees of the department shall serve as regional program consultants in agricultural career technical education in a manner that ensures statewide coverage. Duties of a regional program consultant in agricultural career technical education include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Providing
technical assistance to school districts, including teachers, counselors, principals, superintendents, and others as needed to develop, maintain, and strengthen local agricultural programs.
(B) Assisting with the administration of local agricultural programs, including collecting information relating to program participation, interacting with and serving as a point of contact for local educational agencies, participating in regional or state meetings, and serving on committees and task forces, as assigned.
(C) Identifying, conducting, or overseeing professional development opportunities for teachers to improve teacher performance and better integrate agriculture into the curriculum.
(D) Organizing career technical student organization activities that promote leadership development for all pupils, including serving as
a regional advisor for pupil officers.
(E) Acting as a liaison between the department, local educational agencies, postsecondary educational institutions, business and industry groups in agriculture-related fields, and other agencies providing agricultural education.
(2) Each regional program consultant shall be geographically located within the region for which the regional program consultant is assigned, and to the extent possible, geographically located in those areas most readily accessible to the school districts they assist.
(d) The department shall accomplish the staffing of the agricultural career technical education unit in compliance with this article by prioritizing the use of funding provided pursuant to the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) (Public
Law 115-224) for this purpose and by reassigning priorities in staff assignments within the department in a manner that will not result in new costs to the state as a consequence.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 51, Sec. 40. (SB 75) Effective July 1, 2019.)
(a) The State Director of Career Technical Education shall establish and convene an Agricultural Advisory Committee representative of the various and diverse areas of the agricultural industry in California.
(b) The committee shall be composed of the following:
(1) A representative from a university conducting teacher training in career technical agriculture.
(2) A representative from a community college conducting career technical education in agriculture.
(3) A representative from a high school conducting a program of career technical education in agriculture.
(4) A representative from a school conducting general education in agriculture.
(5) A parent of a pupil enrolled in career technical education in agriculture.
(6) Nine other individuals representing diverse agricultural interests from various geographic locations in the state.
The State Supervisor of Agricultural Education shall serve as the committee consultant.
(c) It shall be the purpose of this committee to advise, in an ongoing manner, the State Supervisor of Agricultural Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education on policy matters pertaining to the state program of agricultural career technical education. The advice of the committee shall include, but not be limited to, the development of a curriculum and a strategy for the purpose of establishing a source of trained and qualified individuals in agriculture, a strategy for articulating the state program in agricultural career technical education throughout the state school system, and a consumer education outreach strategy regarding the importance of agriculture in California.
(d) The committee shall serve without compensation, including travel and per diem and shall operate in accordance with the established policies of the State Department of Education.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1058, Sec. 84. Effective January 1, 2001.)
(a) The curriculum of school districts that choose to participate in the state program of agricultural career technical education shall include all of the following components:
(1) Organized classes in the study of agricultural science and technology.
(2) A student-supervised occupational experience program in agriculture.
(3) A program of leadership, organization, and personal development.
(b) Student learning activity developed to supplement these components shall be considered curricular and shall contribute to the grade of the participating student when those activities are integral to assisting the student to achieve the career objective of the class or course.
It is the intent of the Legislature that opportunities are provided for teachers to be employed on a 12-month basis in order to maintain supervised occupational experience on a year-round basis for students enrolled in agricultural career technical programs.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1058, Sec. 85. Effective January 1, 2001.)