California Senate Bill SB253 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: SB 253AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 20, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 15, 2009 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 29, 2009 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 31, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Senator Wyland FEBRUARY 24, 2009  An act to add Section 52377.3 to the Education Code, relating to career technical education.   An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 51225.3 of the Education Code, relating to graduation requirements.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 253, as amended, Wyland.  Career technical education: recognition certificates.   Graduation requirements.   Existing law prohibits a pupil from receiving a diploma of graduation from high school unless he or she completes specified requirements, including, but not limited to, completing one course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.   This bill, commencing with the 2011-12 school year and until July 1, 2016, would add completion of a course in career technical education, as defined, as an alternative to the requirement that a pupil complete a course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.   Existing law authorizes a school district to issue diplomas or certificates evidencing the completion of a prescribed course of study following a pupil's satisfactory completion of that course of study.   This bill would authorize a school district or county office of education to offer a pupil a career technical education certificate if the pupil meets specified requirements, including completion of 4 semester-long career technical education courses, a structured work-based learning experience, and a related culminating project. The bill would prohibit the award of a career technical education certificate awarded under the bill from being construed as equivalent to the award of a high school diploma or as a change to the statutory curriculum or compulsory education requirements.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares the following:   (1) The foundational principle of the Education Code is that all pupils shall have access to equitable educational opportunities and resources.   (2) The future of the state is dependent upon minimizing, if not entirely alleviating, the inequities in our public schools so that all pupils will have more equitable opportunities to learn skills needed for entry into the workforce, to pursue postsecondary educational goals, and to contribute to the social cohesion of the state.   (3) Current law specifies the courses a pupil must complete to graduate from high school. However, too many pupils are dropping out of high school or graduating without the necessary foundation to succeed in the workplace or in postsecondary education.   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that: (1) By specifying the types of coursework that pupils must complete in order to graduate, pupils will have world class skills and the workforce of the state will be competitive in the global economy. (2) Pupils will be prepared to meet the academic and technical skills challenges of the high school curriculum and that they will take advantage of the range of course options available to them. (3) In order to increase the rigor of the coursework and to ensure that pupils are prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century, the courses required for high school graduation must be aligned with the standards and frameworks that are adopted by the state board.   SEC. 2.   Section 51225.3 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  51225.3. (a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school: (1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless otherwise specified: (A) Three courses in English. (B) Two courses in mathematics. (C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical sciences. (D) Three courses in social studies, including United States history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a one-semester course in American government and civics; and a one-semester course in economics. (E) One course in visual or performing arts  or foreign language. For the purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be deemed a course in foreign language.   ,   foreign language, or, commencing with the 2011-12 school year, career technical education.   (i) For the purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be deemed a course in foreign language.   (ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, "a course in career technical education" means a course in a district-operated career technical education program that is aligned to the career technical education model curriculum standards and framework adopted by the state board, including courses through a regional occupational program or center operated by a county superintendent of schools or pursuant to a joint powers agreement.   (iii) This subparagraph does not require a school or school district that currently does not offer career technical education courses to establish new career technical education programs for purposes of this section.  (F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code. (2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing board of the school district. (b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents, administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may include practical demonstration of skills and competencies, supervised work experience or other outside school experience, career technical education classes offered in high schools, courses offered by regional occupational centers or programs, interdisciplinary study, independent study, and credit earned at a postsecondary institution. Requirements for graduation and specified alternative modes for completing the prescribed course of study shall be made available to pupils, parents, and the public. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district shall exempt a pupil in foster care from all coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of the district that are in addition to the statewide coursework requirements specified in this section if the pupil, while he or she is in grade 11 or 12, transfers into the district from another school district or between high schools within the district, unless the district makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the additional requirements in time to graduate from high school while he or she remains eligible for foster care benefits pursuant to state law. A school district shall notify a pupil in foster care who is granted an exemption pursuant to this subdivision, and, as appropriate, the person holding the right to make educational decisions for the pupil, if any of the requirements that are waived will affect the pupil's ability to gain admission to a postsecondary educational institution and shall provide information about transfer opportunities available through the California Community Colleges.  (d) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and, as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.   SEC. 3.   Section 51225.3 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   51225.3. (a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school: (1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless otherwise specified: (A) Three courses in English. (B) Two courses in mathematics. (C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical sciences. (D) Three courses in social studies, including United States history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a one-semester course in American government and civics; and a one-semester course in economics. (E) One course in visual or performing arts or foreign language. For the purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be deemed a course in foreign language. (F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code. (2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing board of the school district. (b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents, administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may include practical demonstration of skills and competencies, supervised work experience or other outside school experience, career technical education classes offered in high schools, courses offered by regional occupational centers or programs, interdisciplinary study, independent study, and credit earned at a postsecondary institution. Requirements for graduation and specified alternative modes for completing the prescribed course of study shall be made available to pupils, parents, and the public. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district shall exempt a pupil in foster care from all coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of the district that are in addition to the statewide coursework requirements specified in this section if the pupil, while he or she is in grade 11 or 12, transfers into the district from another school district or between high schools within the district, unless the district makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the additional requirements in time to graduate from high school while he or she remains eligible for foster care benefits pursuant to state law. A school district shall notify a pupil in foster care who is granted an exemption pursuant to this subdivision, and, as appropriate, the person holding the right to make educational decisions for the pupil, if any of the requirements that are waived will affect the pupil's ability to gain admission to a postsecondary educational institution and shall provide information about transfer opportunities available through the California Community Colleges. (d) This section shall become operative July 1, 2016.   SECTION 1.   Section 52377.3 is added to the Education Code, to read: 52377.3. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district or county office of education may award a pupil a career technical education certificate if all of the following requirements are met: (1) The pupil has satisfactorily completed four semester-long career technical education courses. To the extent possible, the courses shall be within the same industry sector as identified in the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum standards adopted by the state board. (2) The pupil has satisfactorily participated in a structured work-based learning experience related to the career technical education courses. (3) The pupil has satisfactorily completed a culminating project related to the career technical education courses. (b) The award of a career technical education certificate under this section shall in no way be construed as equivalent to the award of a high school diploma or as a change to the requirements of Section 48200 or 51225.3.