California Assembly Bill AB2445 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2445AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Furutani FEBRUARY 19, 2010  An act relating to education.   An act to add and repeal Section 52372.7 of the Education Code, relating to career technical education.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2445, as amended, Furutani. Education: achievement gap.  Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop, in conjunction with the Office of the Secretary for Education, the community colleges, the University of California, the California State University, the Legislature, the Employment Development Department, teachers, chamber organizations, industry representatives, research centers, parents, school administrators, representatives of regional occupational centers and programs, community-based organizations, labor organizations, and others as deemed appropriate by the Superintendent, a report that explores the feasibility of expanding and establishing career multiple pathway programs, as defined, in California. The report is required to include specified components, including, but not limited to, methods for developing and sharing models of integrated curriculum and instruction, strategies for increasing the course options and instructional time for pupils in high school, and recommendations for supporting regional coalitions in planning and developing the programs. The Superintendent is required to report to the Legislature as to the status of completing the report, and any preliminary recommendations, by July 1, 2009, and to submit a final report with recommendations to the Legislature by December 1, 2009.   This bill, until December 31, 2015, would require the Superintendent, by December 31 of each year, to report to the Legislature on the status of the advisory board to be established pursuant to AB 2172 of the 2009-10 Regular Session.   Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, with approval of the State Board of Education, to develop the Academic Performance Index (API) consisting of a variety of indicators currently reported to the State Department of Education to track the achievement of schools and their pupils.   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to improve education to close the achievement gap.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:   (a) Multiple pathways are an important option for transforming California's high schools in order to close the achievement gap and prepare all pupils for success in the global economy of the 21st century.   (b) Multiple pathways are multiyear programs that offer high school pupils four key components: an integrated core academic curriculum, an integrated core technical curriculum, a series of work-based learning opportunities, and pupil support services.   (c) To compete in a competitive global economy and ensure the long-term viability of the state, California must increase the number of high school graduates who are better prepared to pursue the full range of postsecondary opportunities, apprenticeships, additional training, and two- and four-year colleges.   (d) Multiple pathways programs are a proven and beneficial way to increase graduation rates, prepare pupils for both college and career, and help to close the achievement gap.   (e) In recognition of the importance of the multiple pathways approach, the Legislature adopted and the Governor signed Assembly Bill 2648 of the 2007-08 Regular Session to require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a report that explores the feasibility of establishing and expanding additional multiple pathway programs.   (f) The bill required the report to include specified components, including, but not limited to, methods for developing and sharing models of integrated curriculum and instruction, strategies for increasing the course options and instructional time for pupils in high school, and recommendations for supporting regional coalitions in planning and developing the programs.   (g) The purpose of this act is to establish the foundation for the expansion and enhancement of multiple pathways programs pursuant to the intent of Assembly Bill 2648.   SEC. 2.   Section 52372.7 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   52372.7. (a) By December 31 of each year, the Superintendent shall report to the Legislature on the status of the advisory board to be established pursuant to Section 52372.6 as enacted by Assembly Bill 2172 of the 2009-10 Regular Session. (b) (1) The report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on December 31, 2015.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to improve education to close the achievement gap.