BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1123
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Date of Hearing: June 15, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Patrick O'Donnell, Chair
SB
1123 (Leyva) - As Introduced February 17, 2016
SENATE VOTE: 38-0
SUBJECT: Pupil instruction: high school graduation
requirements
SUMMARY: Extends for five years the sunset on the option for
students to fulfill a high school graduation requirement by
successfully completing a career technical education (CTE)
course. Specifically, this bill:
1)Extends, from July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2022, the sunset on the
option to fulfill a high school graduation requirement by
successfully completing a CTE course.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Specifies requirements for graduation from high school,
including three courses in English; two courses in
mathematics; two courses in science; three courses in social
studies; one course in visual or performing arts, foreign
language, or CTE; and two courses in physical education.
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2)Sunsets the option to fulfill a graduation requirement with a
course in CTE on July 1, 2017.
3)Defines "a course in career technical education" as a course
in a district-operated career technical education program that
is aligned to the career technical model curriculum standards
and framework adopted by the State Board of Education,
including courses through a regional occupational center or
program operated by a county superintendent of schools or
pursuant to a joint powers agreement.
4)Requires the governing board of a school district or county
office of education that elects to allow a career technical
education course to satisfy a graduation requirement, before
offering that alternative to students, to notify parents,
teachers, students, and the public at a regularly scheduled
meeting of the all of the following:
a) the intent to offer CTE courses to fulfill a graduation
requirement
b) the impact that offering career technical education
courses will have on the availability of courses that meet
the eligibility requirements for admission to the
California State University (CSU) and the University of
California (UC), and whether the career technical education
courses to be offered are approved to satisfy those
eligibility requirements
5)Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to
submit a report to the Legislature, by July 1, 2017, on the
effects of the addition of a career technical education
courses to satisfy a graduation requirement.
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FISCAL EFFECT: This bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS:
Need for the bill. The author's office states, "Under current
law, students have the option of taking a CTE course to fulfill
the existing high school graduation requirement to complete a
course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.
However, this option will expire on July 1, 2017 and negatively
impact student's ability to participate in CTE based courses at
school. This alternative gives students another choice in their
education in order to help them stay engaged during high school.
Research shows that students who complete both an academic and
a career technical education sequence of courses in high school
have a higher likelihood of being enrolled in postsecondary
education and being employed in professional, managerial, or
skilled jobs."
Pending report on the effect of the CTE course option. Current
law requires the CDE to submit a report to the Legislature, by
July 1, 2017, on the addition of CTE courses to satisfy a
graduation requirement. This bill extends the sunset on the CTE
graduation requirement option to allow time for the Legislature
to review the report prior to acting again on the sunset.
The report is required to include the following information:
A comparison of the student enrollment in career
technical education courses, foreign language courses, and
visual and performing arts (VAPA) courses for the 2005-06
to 2011-12 school years to the enrollment in CTE courses,
foreign language courses, and VAPA courses for the 2012-13
to 2016-17 school years.
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The reasons that students give for choosing to enroll in
a CTE course to satisfy a graduation requirement, as
reported by school districts.
The type and number of CTE courses that were conducted
for the 2005-06 to 2011-12 school years compared to the
type and number of CTE courses that were conducted for the
2012-13 to 2016-17 school years.
The number of CTE courses that satisfied the subject
matter requirements for admission to the UC or the CSU.
The extent to which the career technical education
courses chosen by students are aligned with the California
CTE standards, and prepare students for employment,
advanced training, and postsecondary education.
The number of CTE courses that also satisfy the VAPA
requirement, and the number of CTE courses that also
satisfy the foreign language requirement.
Annual student dropout and graduation rates for the
2011-12 to 2014-15 school years.
Increasing number of CTE courses approved as "a-g" courses. As
noted above, current law requires the CDE to report to the
Legislature on the number of CTE courses that satisfied the
subject matter requirements for admission to the UC or the CSU,
known as the "a-g" course requirements.
According to the CDE, there has been a marked increase in the
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number of CTE courses approved as "a-g" courses in recent years.
In 2001 there were 258 approved courses, but by 2013 there were
over 10,000 such courses, representing 25% of the 40,000 CTE
courses offered statewide. The largest number of approved
courses were in the Arts, Media, and Entertainment category,
followed by Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Health
Science and Medical Technology.
Prior legislation. AB 1330 (Furutani), Chapter 621, Statutes of
2011, established the option for students to fulfill a high
school graduation requirement by successfully completing a CTE
course.
SB 253 (Wyland) of the 2009- 2010 Session would have added the
option for students to fulfill the VAPA high school graduation
requirement by successfully completing a career technical
education course. SB 253 died on the Assembly Floor.
AB 2446 (Furutani) of the 2009-2010 Session would have added the
option for students to fulfill the VAPA high school graduation
requirement by successfully completing a career technical
education course. AB 2446 was vetoed by Governor
Schwarzenegger.
AB 554 (Furutani) of the 2009-2010 Session would have increased
the number of courses required for high school graduation from
13 to 14 and offered students a choice between a VAPA course,
foreign language, or career technical education to fulfill the
additional course requirement. AB 554 was held in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.
SB 672 (Torlakson) of the 2007-2008 Session would have required
high schools participating in the California Enhanced
Instructional Time Program, as specified, to adopt a graduation
policy requiring students to complete two career technical
education courses. This bill failed in the Assembly Education
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Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Association of California School Administrators
California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association
California Business Education Association
California Federation of Teachers
Kern County Superintendent of Schools
An individual
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916)
319-2087
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