California Senate Bill SB275 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 275AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 31, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 11, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 25, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Senator Hancock FEBRUARY 14, 2011 An act to add Section 52499.68 to the Education Code, relating to career technical education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 275, as amended, Hancock. Career technical education: funding. Existing law provides funding for various career technical education programs, including regional occupational centers and programs, specialized secondary programs, partnership academies, and agricultural career technical education programs. Commencing with the 2015-16 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, this bill would require, for each of these programs, that the Superintendent of Public Instruction apportion to each county office of education an amount based on the same relative proportion that local educational agencies within that county received in the 2007-08 fiscal year. The bill would require that these funds be expended for the purposes for which they were appropriated, except that up to 10% of the funds for each program, upon agreement between the governing board of the school district and the governing board of the regional occupational center or program, may be used to support any combination of these programs for the duration of 3 years for any direct career technical education courses or long-term instructional supports, including, but not limited to, the development of a sequence of courses, career counseling, and employer or work experiences, or of one year for any one-time items, including, but not limited to, field trips and equipment. The bill would provide that these agreements would be renewable thereafter with the agreement of both governing boards.  The bill would additionally authorize the Superintendent to approve requests to increase this funding flexibility to up to 25% if specified criteria are met.  The bill would require the Superintendent to align the accountability measures for regional occupational centers and programs, agricultural career technical  educational   education  programs, partnership academies, and specialized secondary education programs into a uniform accountability metric based on specified indicators and pupil data. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 52499.68 is added to the Education Code, to read: 52499.68. (a) For the 2015-16 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter: (1) Notwithstanding Section 42605 or any other law, from funds appropriated in Items 6110-105-0001, 6110-122-0001, 6110-166-0001, and 6110-167-0001  ,  of Section 2.00 of the annual Budget Act, the Superintendent shall apportion an amount to each county office of education based on the same relative proportion that local educational agencies within that county received in the 2007-08 fiscal year. (2) From the funds described in paragraph (1), each county office of education shall allocate to regional occupational centers and programs in accordance with Section 52321, school districts, and county offices of education, a proportion of these funds based on the same relative proportion that these agencies received in the 2007-08 fiscal year. (3) As a condition of receipt of funds pursuant to this section, the governing board of each regional occupational center or program, in collaboration with individuals representing partner school districts within each region, California partnership academies, agricultural career technical education programs, and other career technical education programs, shall develop a plan for establishing a sequence of courses, and  , by July 1 of that fiscal year, shall  certify to the department that this sequence has been developed, pursuant to Section 52302. (4) (A) Funds allocated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be expended only for  the  purposes of the programs for which they were appropriated, except that up to 10 percent of the funds from each item identified in paragraph (1), upon agreement between the governing board of the school district and the governing board of the regional occupational center or program, may be used to support any combination of these programs for the duration of either of the following time periods: (i) Three years for any direct career technical education courses or long-term instructional supports, including, but not limited to, the development of a sequence of courses, career counseling, and employer or work experiences. (ii) One year for one-time items, including, but not limited to, field trips and equipment. (B) Any agreement made pursuant to clauses (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) is renewable thereafter with the agreement of both governing boards.  (5) Growth funding for regional occupational centers or programs shall be allocated by the Superintendent exclusively for the purposes of statewide equalization, until full equalization occurs, based upon an equal funding allotment for each high school pupil in the service delivery area served by the regional occupational center program. Growth funding after equalization shall be distributed in a manner to maintain equal per pupil funding levels.   (6)   (C) Notwithstanding the 10-percent restriction in subparagraph (A), the Superintendent may approve requests to increase to up to 25 percent the flexibility authorized pursuant to subparagraph (A), provided that both of the following occur:   (i) The request is approved by the affected governing boards.   (ii) The purpose of the request is to support implementation of a new program of study that consists of a planned sequence of courses that integrates high-quality core academic knowledge with technical and occupational skills and knowledge, for the purpose of providing pupils in secondary school who are enrolled in career technical education courses with a pathway to postsecondary career technical education and career goals.   (5)    As a condition of receipt of funds pursuant to this section, programs receiving funds shall collect and report data as required by the department to prepare and update an accountability measure as provided in subdivision (b). (b) (1) To determine the quality and effectiveness of a career technical education course of study or sequence of career technical education courses funded pursuant to subdivision (a), the Superintendent shall align the accountability measures for regional occupational centers and programs, agricultural career technical  educational   education  programs, partnership academies, and specialized secondary education programs into a uniform accountability metric based on any career-ready standards adopted pursuant to the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.) and the following 11 program quality indicators in the California State Plan for Career Technical Education: (A) Leadership at all levels. (B) High-quality curriculum and instruction aligned with state standards. (C) Career exploration and guidance. (D) Pupil support and leadership development. (E) Industry partnerships and advisory committees. (F) System alignment and coherence, including postsecondary institution involvement. (G) After school, extended day, and out-of-school opportunities. (H) Reflection of labor market demands, and provision of current equipment. (I) Skilled faculty and professional development. (J) Career technical education outreach and communication. (K) Data-based pupil evaluation, accountability, and continuous improvement. (2) In addition to the indicators listed in paragraph (1), the accountability measures shall include the rates at which pupils complete a course of study or sequence of career technical education courses that provide the skills and knowledge necessary to attain entry-level employment in business or industry, or to pursue postsecondary education after those pupils graduate from high school. The pupil data shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, all of the following: (A) The number of pupils completing high school. (B) The number of pupils earning an industry-recognized certification or licensure or other measures of technical skill attainment. (C) The number of pupils completing career technical education courses and completing a career technical education program of study, consisting of a sequence of two or more career technical education courses. (D) The number of pupils employed and the types of businesses in which they are employed. (E) The number of pupils enrolled in postsecondary education or apprenticeship programs, or serving in the Armed Forces.