California Assembly Bill AB2216 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2216AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Muratsuchi FEBRUARY 20, 2014  An act relating to career technical education.   An act to add Section 52335.7 to the Education Code, relating to regional occupational centers and programs.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2216, as amended, Muratsuchi.  Career technical education: programs.  Regional occupational centers and programs: funding.   Existing law authorizes the county superintendent of schools of each county, with the consent of the State Board of Education, to establish and maintain a regional occupational center, or regional occupational program, in the county to provide education and training in career technical courses. Existing law also authorizes the governing boards of any school district maintaining high schools in the county, with the consent of the state board and county superintendent of schools, to cooperate in the establishment and maintenance of a regional occupational center or program, except as specified, and authorizes the establishment and maintenance of a regional occupational center or program by 2 or more school districts to be undertaken pursuant to a joint powers authority. Existing law also requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to calculate a revenue limit for each regional occupational center or program, as specified, and requires the Superintendent to apportion funds to the regional occupational center or program based on that calculation.   This bill would express findings and declarations regarding career technical education, and would require a regional occupational center or program established and maintained by local educational agencies or a joint powers authority, as specified, to receive an annual appropriation from the General Fund for purposes of providing high-quality career technical education services. The bill would require the appropriated funds to be apportioned directly to the regional occupational center or program based on a formula agreed upon by the local educational agencies participating in the regional occupational center or program.   Existing law establishes various career technical education programs, including, but not limited to, regional occupational centers or programs, linked learning, partnership academies, and career pathways programs.   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would promote and support high quality career technical education, including, but not limited to, regional occupational centers or programs, linked learning, partnership academies, and career pathway programs, to help prepare and engage pupils for transition to higher education and the workforce.  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.   (a)     The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:   (1) A foundational principle in the Education Code is that all pupils shall have access to equitable educational opportunities and resources.   (2) The future of California is dependent upon minimizing, if not entirely alleviating, inequities in public schools so that all pupils will have equitable opportunities to learn skills needed for entry into the workforce, pursue postsecondary educational goals, and contribute to the social cohesion of the state.   (3) High-quality career technical education (CTE) programs contribute to pupils' academic and career achievement by allowing pupils to smoothly enter the workforce or postsecondary education.   (4) Current law authorizes CTE courses as an option for pupils to satisfy the high school graduation requirement to complete a course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.   (5) High-quality CTE programs, including regional occupational centers and programs (ROCPs) have served as a major component to California's workforce preparation system for the past 35 years.   (6) Studies have shown that pupils who participate in ROCPs have improved high school grade point averages, have higher 12th grade attendance rates, and have enrolled in postsecondary educational programs in greater numbers.   (7) Regionalization and coordination with local educational agencies, community colleges, and industry allow CTE programs to efficiently use limited resources to provide pupils with a broad array of training opportunities, use of expensive technical equipment, and specially trained and experienced instructors.   (8) Despite the long-standing priority the Legislature has given to CTE programs, in last year alone, high school CTE program enrollment has dropped by over 100,000 pupils, which is over 12 percent, and California has lost 19.6 percent of its high school CTE instructors.   (9) High-quality CTE programs are one of the most difficult programs to rebuild if they are dismantled.   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would promote and support high-quality CTE programs, including, but not limited to, ROCPs, linked learning, partnership academies, and career pathway programs, to help prepare and engage pupils for transition to postsecondary educational opportunities and the workforce.   SEC.   2.   Section 52335.7 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   52335.7. Notwithstanding any other law, a regional occupational center or program established and maintained by local educational agencies or a joint powers authority pursuant to Section 52301 shall receive an annual appropriation from the General Fund for purposes of providing high-quality career technical education services. The appropriated funds shall be apportioned directly to the regional occupational center or program based on a formula agreed upon by the local educational agencies participating in the regional occupational center or program.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would promote and support high quality career technical education, including, but not limited to, regional occupational centers or programs, linked learning, partnership academies, and career pathway programs, to help prepare and engage pupils for transition to higher education and the workforce.