SECTIONS 56470-56474 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 56470-56474

56470. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) That an essential component of transition services developed
and supported by the State Department of Education is project
workability.
(b) That the workability program provides instruction and
experiences that reinforce core curriculum concepts and skills
leading to gainful employment.
(c) That since project workability was established by the State
Department of Education in 1981, substantial numbers of individuals
with exceptional needs have obtained full- or part-time employment.
(d) That project workability is a true partnership established at
the state level through nonfinancial interagency agreements between
the State Department of Education, the Department of Employment
Development, and the Department of Rehabilitation, and has elevated
awareness in the private sector of the employment potential of
individuals with exceptional needs, and focuses its efforts in
developing careers for these youth, and preventing needless economic
and social dependency on state and community agencies and resources.
(e) That local education agencies in California establish linkage
between agencies, eliminate duplication of effort, and develop
precedent-setting employment training practices which should be
preserved and advanced to better assure future productive employable
citizens.

56471. (a) The program shall be administered by the State
Department of Education.
(b) The department shall establish an advisory committee. This
committee will include representatives from local workability
projects to ensure ongoing communications.
(c) The superintendent shall develop criteria for awarding grants,
funding, and evaluating of workability projects.
(d) Workability project applications shall include, but are not
limited to, the following elements:
(1) recruitment, (2) assessment, (3) counseling, (4) preemployment
skills training, (5) vocational training, (6) student wages for
try-out employment, (7) placement in unsubsidized employment, (8)
other assistance with transition to a quality adult life, and (9)
utilization of an interdisciplinary advisory committee to enhance
project goals.

56472. The population served by workability projects may include
secondary students with disabilities, adults with disabilities and
other individuals who experience barriers to successful completion of
school.

56473. Project workability shall be funded pursuant to Item
6100-161-0001 of Section 2.00 of the annual Budget Act.

56474. The superintendent shall continue to seek additional state
and federal funding for project workability.