SECTIONS 9900-9908 - California Statutes

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CODE

SECTION 9900-9908

9900. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
article to support the expansion of the Jobs for California Graduates
pilot project in Merced into a regional system of local programs
based on the Jobs for America's Graduates model. The Jobs for
California Graduates nonprofit, public-private partnership will
create a network of local programs to help California's at-risk youth
complete their secondary education and acquire the basic skills
necessary to successfully transition into the workforce or enroll in
postsecondary education.
(b) The director of the Employment Development Department, from
funds appropriated for this purpose to the Jobs for California
Graduates Program, may make grants to applicants for the purpose of
carrying out programs as authorized by this article. The grants shall
be used to support new and existing Jobs for California Graduates
Programs in the central valley region in one or more of the following
counties: Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno,
Madera, and Kern. The director shall develop criteria for ranking
grant applications, and performance standards and auditing procedures
for evaluating the effectiveness of the grants. The director may
contract with a qualified nonprofit corporation designated by the
national organization, Jobs for America's Graduates, to provide
technical assistance to Jobs for California Graduates local programs.
(c) The regional system of Jobs for California Graduates local
programs shall be designed to accomplish all of the following goals:
(1) To decrease absenteeism rates for at-risk youth.
(2) To improve the performance of at-risk youth in school and in
the workplace.
(3) To improve secondary education completion rates.
(4) To improve employability skills of at-risk youth.
(5) To improve employment placement rates for at-risk youth.
(6) To improve enrollment rates of at-risk youth in postsecondary
education and training.

9901. (a) In order to encourage a regional system of long-lasting,
self-sustaining model local programs, communities served pursuant to
this article shall contribute in-kind and financial resources in
direct support of the model local program, according to the following
schedule:
(1) During its initial year of implementation, a Jobs for
California Graduates local program may receive state funds in an
amount equal to 100 percent of the costs of implementing each Jobs
for California Graduates Program site, but not to exceed sixty
thousand dollars ($60,000).
(2) During any year subsequent to the initial year of
implementation, a model local program may receive state funds in the
amount equal to 75 percent of the costs of implementing the model
local program, but not to exceed forty-five thousand dollars
($45,000).
(b) Community partners providing matching resources to the model
local programs may include private nonprofit corporations,
community-based organizations, workforce investment agencies, school
districts, and other public and private sources.

9902. Local affiliates of the Jobs for California Graduates Program
shall include all of the following elements:
(a) (1) A trained youth specialist employed year-round providing
individual and group instruction to 25 to 45 eligible youth recruited
and selected by a school-based advisory committee comprised of
faculty, administrators, and counselors.
(2) The youth specialist shall provide individual attention to
students to help them overcome barriers preventing them from
receiving a high school diploma or securing employment, or both, or
pursuing a postsecondary education that will lead to a career.
(3) The youth specialist shall provide informal guidance to
students on academic, career, and life decisions and, based on the
individual needs of students, connect them to professional counseling
services to address more serious barriers, such as mental health
problems or drug abuse.
(4) The youth specialist shall be actively involved in intensive,
one-on-one employer marketing and job development activities to
identify entry-level job opportunities for students upon graduation.
Likewise, the youth specialist shall assist graduates in the
exploration of postsecondary education opportunities and help them
navigate the financial aid process to pursue these opportunities.
(b) Youth shall be taught a minimum of 37 employment competencies
designed to prepare them to secure a quality entry-level job or
pursue a postsecondary education, or both, upon completion of their
secondary education.
(c) Placement services shall be provided to students during the
summer months or partnerships developed with summer youth employment
programs to support yearlong learning. Youth specialists shall
maintain contact with youth during the summer months.
(d) A student-led organization, associated with a state and
national association, shall build on the competency-based curriculum
and provide the opportunity for students to develop, practice, and
refine their leadership and team membership skills.
(e) It shall serve as a school-based "one-stop center" for
participating at-risk youth to ensure that they receive appropriate
academic and social services from available resources in the school
and community.
(f) It shall provide no less than 12 months of followup and
support on the job and in postsecondary education after leaving the
school.
(g) It shall provide computerized tracking of youth served,
services delivered and performance outcomes, such as graduation rate,
positive outcome rates, aggregate employment rate, full-time jobs
rate, full-time placement rate, further education rate, wages, and
return to school rate, at local and state levels.
(h) It shall provide continuous improvement of results through the
ongoing professional development of managers, supervisors, and
specialists.

9903. (a) Entities eligible to conduct a Jobs for California
Graduates local program shall include, but need not be limited to,
local education agencies, community colleges, and nonprofit
organizations with an interest in serving at-risk youth.
(b) To maintain eligibility after the initial year of
implementation, participating entities shall conduct the Jobs for
California Graduates Program in accordance with Jobs for America's
Graduates performance standards, receiving no less than a "Meets
Standards" rating on an accreditation review.

9904. To be eligible to receive services through a Jobs for
California Graduates local program under this article, a youth shall
meet at least two of the following criteria:
(a) One or more years behind modal grade for one's age group, with
particular emphasis on those two or more years behind modal grade.
(b) Below average academic grade point average relative to
students in his or her class.
(c) Above average number of absences during the past school year
in comparison to other students in the school.
(d) Placed on probation, suspended, or expelled from school one or
more times during the past two years.
(e) Pregnant or parenting teen.
(f) Physically or mentally challenged.
(g) Involved with substance abuse or criminal activities.
(h) Member of an economically disadvantaged family.
(i) Lives with only one or neither of his or her natural parents.
(j) Receives little or no academic or social support from home or
family.
(k) Mother has not graduated from high school.
(l) Closest friends have limited educational expectations. For
example, they do not expect to graduate from high school or have
already dropped out of high school.

9905. (a) For purposes of establishing and expanding these
programs, the department shall, to the extent feasible, make local
grants available throughout the region.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), it is the intent of the
Legislature that Jobs for California Graduates local programs be
conducted in a broad range of settings, including urban, suburban,
and rural districts, which are representative of all California youth
during the initial year of the regional program, in order to test
the effectiveness of the model local programs throughout the state.

9907. (a) The department shall submit an annual report to the
Legislature on the performance outcomes of the Jobs for California
Graduates local programs on an annual basis.
(b) The department shall report the following outcomes at the end
of the 12-month followup period:
(1) Secondary education completion rate as compared to the Jobs
for America's Graduates standard of 90 percent for senior
participants.
(2) Positive outcomes rate, such as youth employed, enrolled in a
postsecondary institution, or serving in the military, or all of
these, as compared to the Jobs for America's Graduates standard of 80
percent positive outcomes for graduates.
(3) Full-time placement rate, such as youth engaged in full-time
employment, full-time military, or combining postsecondary education
with employment.
(4) All other participant outcomes as required by the Governor
under Section 122(h) of the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

9908. State funds made available pursuant to this article shall be
used to carry out both of the following:
(a) The Jobs for California Graduates local program elements
specified in Section 9902.
(b) Regional management and technical assistance activities,
including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Operation of an office, including the hiring of staff, that
shall be responsible for managing and monitoring model local program
compliance.
(2) Conducting research and evaluation of all Jobs for California
Graduates local programs, retaining a third-party provider as
appropriate.
(3) Making available regional training and development
opportunities for consistent, effective implementation of the model
local programs.
(4) Conducting educational and outreach activities to engage
private and public sector employers, secondary and postsecondary
educational institutions, the military, state and local elected
officials, community and social service organizations, and other
interested parties.
(5) Conducting regional activities for students, including, at a
minimum, a leadership development conference and a career development
conference.
(6) Providing for the continuous improvement of model local
program performance outcomes.
(7) Developing and maintaining state and local partnerships with
private and public employers, secondary and postsecondary educational
institutions, and community and social services organizations.
(8) Providing other support and oversight to promote the
continuous improvement of Jobs for California Graduates local
programs.
(9) Directly operating local programs as appropriate.