SECTIONS 53080-53084 - California Statutes

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.