53080-53084
EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 53080-53084
53080. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following: (a) California must make more efficient use of limited resources to do a better job of preparing pupils for an economy that demands that workers have strong academic and career knowledge and skills, are adaptable to change, and are prepared for lifelong learning. (b) The rapid growth of California's population and the labor force requires special efforts to attract, support, and retain businesses that pay high wages to highly skilled workers. Therefore, improvement in the overall quality of the workforce is a vital component of economic development of California. (c) California is experiencing a growing inequality in income distribution at a time when the state's economy is strong, illustrating that economic growth alone cannot be relied upon to help improve this income gap. Therefore, California must develop and sustain educational programs that can provide youths with career guidance, organizational help in developing careers, and networks of support that will serve as the foundation for lifelong learning. (d) The current array of educational and training programs needs to continue to move towards a more coherent system based on public-private collaboration and cooperation. (e) The policies and methods through which California provides education to prepare all young people for lifelong learning, higher education, and highly skilled careers that are highly paid may be the most important component of California's economic growth. (f) Sustaining and further developing a strong school-to-career system needs to be the top priority in establishing the most efficient and effective educational system and in establishing a seamless system of lifelong education and employment for all Californians. (g) California's school-to-career system will be a long-term investment in supplying a highly skilled adaptable workforce. By successfully matching the skills of the emerging workforce with the needs of California's growing economy, the school-to-career system will be one of the most essential components to ensuring the state's competitive edge in an increasingly global economy. (h) School-to-career programs are an educational approach that is designed to improve academic rigor through relevant, real-world experiences by integrating school-based and work-based learning with the formal academic curriculum. School-to-career programs create a much needed nexus between those preparing the future workforce and those employing the future workforce, enabling and encouraging the use of contextual, applied teaching strategies, and providing opportunities for all students to gain exposure to career-related coursework, workplace experiences, internships, and job-site mentoring. A school-to-career system establishes much needed cohesion, coherence, and infrastructure to the kindergarten through postsecondary school system by integrating and building on existing educational programs such as vocational education programs, partnership academies, regional occupational centers and programs, youth apprenticeship programs, and adult education programs. School-to-career programs use the resources of business and the expertise of the educational community to provide a more successful learning environment for all students. School-to-career programs will enable all pupils to earn transferable credentials, prepare them for jobs in highly skilled careers that are highly paid, and increase their opportunities for further education, including four-year colleges and universities. 53081. The State Department of Education shall administer the School-to-Career Program and serve the following roles: (a) Develop or participate in the development of accountability measurements specified in paragraph (8) of subdivision (b) of Section 53082 for school-to-career programs to ensure that the goals of the program are being met. (b) Award grants to eligible applicants that meet or exceed the criteria specified in subdivision (b) of Section 53082. (c) Provide technical and professional assistance to all local partnerships. (d) Consult and offer advice to partnerships. (e) Provide an informational link where local partnerships can collaborate and exchange successful and innovative methods and ideas. 53082. (a) (1) For purposes of this chapter, "local partnership" means a defined system designed to deliver the school-to-career programs funded pursuant to this chapter. A local partnership may include, but is not limited to, a collaborative effort between educators, employers, local government entities, and the public. (2) For purposes of this chapter, "local partnership geographic area" means the geographic area that an established local partnership is designed to serve. (b) To be eligible for a grant pursuant to this chapter, a local entity shall, in the grant application, submit a detailed plan demonstrating the following: (1) All pupils shall be eligible and have access to the activities developed in the geographic region. "All pupils" means every pupil, including, but not limited to, pupils who are college bound, at high risk, disabled pupils, special education pupils, male and female pupils pursuing nontraditional careers, gifted pupils, pupils with limited English proficiency, and economically disadvantaged pupils. (2) The ability to leverage funds and contributions from public and private entities, including, but not limited to, the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301), Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 2301), and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 2801). (3) The ability to build on and integrate other beneficial workforce development and educational programs currently operating in the state, including, but not limited to, tech prep programs as provided through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Amendments of 1998 (P.L. 105-332), Partnership Academies established pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 54690) of Chapter 9 of Part 29, Regional Occupational Centers and programs established pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 52300) of Chapter 9, Project WorkAbility conducted pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 56470) of Chapter 4.7 of Part 30, youth apprenticeship programs, and adult education programs. (4) The ability to provide school-based learning, work-based learning, and service-based learning at an appropriate level for that local partnership geographic area. (5) A significant level of participation and contributions from business and organized labor, including, but not limited to, internal school-to-career coordinator salaries, pupil wages in paid work-based learning, supplies, and equipment necessary for relevant school-to-career activities. (6) The ability to be as inclusive as possible and engage all interested, appropriate, and relevant parties in the activities of the local partnership. The local partnership shall demonstrate participation from representatives of local educational agencies, representatives of local postsecondary educational institutions, representatives of local vocational education schools, local educators, parent organizations, employers, employer organizations, and organized labor. The Interagency Partnership for School-to-Career Programs may, as it deems necessary, require additional participation from other parties, including, but not limited to, community-based organizations, national trade associations, industrial extension centers, rehabilitation agencies and organizations, proprietary institutions of higher education, local government agencies, parent organizations, teacher organizations, private industry councils, and federally recognized Native American tribes and Native American organizations. (7) An instructional program advising pupils of an employee's and employer's rights and obligations in the workplace. (8) Accountability measurements shall demonstrate increased academic performance, postsecondary enrollment, decreased dropout rates, transition to appropriate employment, apprenticeship, or any other job training school when applicable, and measurements of pupil, parent, and employer satisfaction. 53083. (a) Funds for school-to-career programs shall be appropriated to the department for distribution to local partnerships for the purposes specified in subdivision (e). (b) Funds shall be awarded through a competitive grant process where only one local partnership can receive funds for a geographic area. (c) Funds shall be awarded to local partnerships that demonstrate gains in accountability measurements specified in paragraph (8) of subdivision (b) of Section 53082. (d) The department is not required to fund a geographic area if the department concludes that no grant application satisfactorily meets the requirements specified in paragraphs (1) to (8), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 53082. (e) Funds received through the grant process shall be used to perform the critical functions of convening, connecting, measuring, and brokering specific services that serve to build a locally defined system that provides the connections between educators, employers, local government, and the community to improve public education for all pupils in the defined geographic area. Funds may be used for the following connecting activities: (1) Matching pupils with work-based opportunities. (2) Using schoolsite mentors as liaisons between educators, business, parents, and community partners. (3) Providing technical assistance to help employers and educators design comprehensive school-to-career systems. (4) Providing technical assistance to help teachers integrate school- and work-based learning as well as academic and occupational subject matter. (5) Encouraging active business involvement in school- and work-based activities. (6) Assisting pupils in finding appropriate work, continuing their education or training, and linking them to other community services. (7) Evaluating post-program outcomes to assess program success, particularly with reference to selected populations. (8) Linking existing youth development activities with employer and industry strategies to upgrade worker skills. 53084. Funding for this chapter is contingent upon an appropriation for this purpose provided in the annual Budget Act or in any other statute.