SECTIONS 52450-52454 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 52450-52454

52450. The Legislature of the State of California recognizes that
agriculture is the most basic and singularly important industry in
the state, that agriculture is of central importance to the welfare
and economic stability of the state, and that the maintenance of this
vital industry requires a continued source of trained and qualified
individuals for employment in agriculture and agribusiness. The
Legislature hereby declares that it is within the best interests of
the people of the State of California that a comprehensive career
technical education program in agriculture be created and maintained
by the state's school system in order to ensure an adequate supply of
trained and skilled individuals and to ensure appropriate
representation of racial and ethnic groups in all phases of the
industry. For this purpose, the Legislature affirms that a state
program for agricultural career technical education shall be
established. It is the intent of the Legislature that a state program
for agricultural education shall be a part of the curriculum of the
state school system and made readily available to all school
districts who may, at their option, include programs in career
technical education in agriculture as a part of the curriculum of
that district.

52451. The State Department of Education shall adopt such rules and
regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this
article. The rules and regulations shall not create any new state
mandates on school districts or county offices of education as a
condition of receiving federal, state, and local funds by those
entities.
It is the intent of the Legislature that, although this article
does not create any new mandates, school districts and county offices
of education are strongly advised to follow the guidelines set forth
in this article.

52452. (a) There is hereby created within the State Department of
Education an agricultural career technical education unit to assist
school districts in the establishment and maintenance of educational
programs established pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(b) The staffing of the unit shall at all times be comprised of an
appropriate number of full-time employees; provided, that any
decrease in federal support of this staffing unit shall be applied in
direct proportion to all other staffs so funded, including the State
Supervisor of Agricultural Career Technical Education who shall,
under the direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction,
assume responsibility for the administration of the state program
adopted under this article throughout the public school system as
well as the articulation of the state program to the requirements and
mandates of federally assisted career technical education.
(c) An appropriate number of employees shall serve as program
consultants in agricultural career technical education and shall be
available to provide assistance to local school districts. To the
extent that it is possible, the program consultants shall be
geographically located in those areas most readily accessible to the
school districts they assist. At least one consultant shall be
responsible for the coordination of the state program. At least one
consultant shall be responsible for the coordination of the
activities of student agricultural organizations and associations.
(d) The State Department of Education shall accomplish the
staffing of the agricultural career technical education unit in
compliance with this article by reassigning priorities in staff
assignments within the department in a manner that will not result in
new costs to the state as a consequence.

52453. (a) The State Director of Career Technical Education shall
establish and convene an Agricultural Advisory Committee
representative of the various and diverse areas of the agricultural
industry in California.
(b) The committee shall be composed of the following:
(1) A representative from a university conducting teacher training
in career technical agriculture.
(2) A representative from a community college conducting career
technical education in agriculture.
(3) A representative from a high school conducting a program of
career technical education in agriculture.
(4) A representative from a school conducting general education in
agriculture.
(5) A parent of a pupil enrolled in career technical education in
agriculture.
(6) Nine other individuals representing diverse agricultural
interests from various geographic locations in the state.
The State Supervisor of Agricultural Education shall serve as the
committee consultant.
(c) It shall be the purpose of this committee to advise, in an
ongoing manner, the State Supervisor of Agricultural Education, the
Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of
Education on policy matters pertaining to the state program of
agricultural career technical education. The advice of the committee
shall include, but not be limited to, the development of a curriculum
and a strategy for the purpose of establishing a source of trained
and qualified individuals in agriculture, a strategy for articulating
the state program in agricultural career technical education
throughout the state school system, and a consumer education outreach
strategy regarding the importance of agriculture in California.
(d) The committee shall serve without compensation, including
travel and per diem and shall operate in accordance with the
established policies of the State Department of Education.

52454. (a) The curriculum of school districts that choose to
participate in the state program of agricultural career technical
education shall include all of the following components:
(1) Organized classes in the study of agricultural science and
technology.
(2) A student-supervised occupational experience program in
agriculture.
(3) A program of leadership, organization, and personal
development.
(b) Student learning activity developed to supplement these
components shall be considered curricular and shall contribute to the
grade of the participating student when those activities are
integral to assisting the student to achieve the career objective of
the class or course.
It is the intent of the Legislature that opportunities are
provided for teachers to be employed on a 12-month basis in order to
maintain supervised occupational experience on a year-round basis for
students enrolled in agricultural career technical programs.