California Assembly Bill AB2721 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2721AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 27, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Blakeslee FEBRUARY 19, 2010  An act to amend Section 52336 of the Education Code, relating to the Career Preparatory Program.   An act to amend Section 51228 of, and to repeal Article 1.7 (commencing with Section 52336) of Chapter 9 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of, the Education Code, relating to career technical education.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2721, as amended, Blakeslee.  High School Apprentice Program.   Career technical education.   Existing   (1)     Existing  law authorizes any business, trade or professional association, union, or state or local governmental agency operating within this state to establish and operate, under the auspices of the local school district, a career preparatory program that meets specified requirements. An entity establishing and operating a program is required to develop and implement a course of instruction for all pupils enrolled in the program that satisfies the graduation requirements set forth in existing law that are applicable to grades 11 and 12. Existing law authorizes an entity establishing and operating a career preparatory program to propose and implement a program that is designed to provide on-the-job training and instruction in specific career technical skills to prepare pupils for future employment. Pupils who successfully complete all aspects of the program receive a certificate of completion that supplements a high school diploma.  This bill would require the course of instruction developed and implemented by an entity establishing and operating a career preparatory program to be expanded so that it will satisfy the graduation requirements applicable to grades 9 to 12, inclusive.   This bill would repeal these provisions.   (2) Existing law defines a "multiple pathway program" as a multiyear, comprehensive high school program of integrated academic and technical study, as specified, that ensures that all pupils have curriculum choices that will prepare them for career entry and a full range of postsecondary options, and that is comprised of certain components relating to the integration of academics and career technical education. Existing law requires each school district maintaining any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to offer to all otherwise qualified pupils in those grades a course of study that fulfills the requirements and prerequisites for admission to the California public institutions of postsecondary education, and that provides an opportunity for those pupils to attain entry-level employment skills in business or industry upon graduation from high school.   This bill would encourage school districts to fulfill these requirements by developing industry-focused multiple pathway programs.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  yes   no  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 51228 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  51228. (a) Each school district maintaining any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, shall offer to all otherwise qualified pupils in those grades a course of study fulfilling the requirements and prerequisites for admission to the California public institutions of postsecondary education and shall provide a timely opportunity to each of those pupils to enroll within a four-year period in each course necessary to fulfill those requirements and prerequisites prior to graduation from high school. (b) Each school district maintaining any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, shall offer to all otherwise qualified pupils in those grades a course of study that provides an opportunity for those pupils to attain entry-level employment skills in business or industry upon graduation from high school. Districts are encouraged to provide all pupils with a rigorous academic curriculum that integrates academic and career skills, incorporates applied learning in all disciplines, and prepares all pupils for high school graduation and career entry.  (c) School districts are encouraged to fulfill the requirements described in subdivisions (a) and (b) by developing industry-focused multiple pathway programs, such as those described in Section 52372.5.   (c)   (d)  A school district that adopts a required curriculum that meets or exceeds the model standards developed and adopted by the state board pursuant to Section 51226 shall be deemed to have fulfilled its responsibilities pursuant to subdivision (b).  (d)   (e)  A school district that adopts a required curriculum pursuant to subdivision  (c)   (d)  that meets or exceeds the model standards developed by the state board pursuant to Section 51226, or that adopts alternative means for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51225.3, may substitute pupil demonstration of competence in the prescribed subjects through a practical demonstration of these skills in a regional occupational center or program, work experience, interdisciplinary study, independent study, credit earned at a postsecondary institution, or other outside school experience, as prescribed by Section 51225.3.  SEC. 2.   Article 1.7 (commencing with Section 52336) of Chapter 9 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the   Education Code   is repealed.   SECTION 1.   Section 52336 of the Education Code is amended to read: 52336. (a) Any business, trade or professional association, union, or state or local governmental agency operating within this state may establish and operate, under the auspices of the local school district, a career preparatory program within this state that meets the requirements of this article. (b) As part of a career preparatory program, an entity establishing and operating the program shall develop and implement a course of instruction for all pupils enrolled in the program that satisfies the requirements of Section 51225.3 applicable to grades 9 to 12, inclusive. (c) Subject to the development of the course of instruction delineated in subdivision (b) and to continuing certification by the department, an entity establishing and operating a career preparatory program may propose and implement a program that is designed to provide on-the-job training and instruction in specific career technical skills to prepare pupils for future employment. (d) An entity establishing and operating a career preparatory program shall present pupils who have successfully completed all aspects of the program with a certificate of completion that shall supplement a high school diploma.