Bill Text: CA SB253 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Graduation requirements.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-08-23 - Assembly Rule 69(d) suspended. (Page 6463.) Re-referred to Com. On RULES pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2. [SB253 Detail]
Download: California-2009-SB253-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 253 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 20, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 15, 2009
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 29, 2009
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 31, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Senator Wyland
FEBRUARY 24, 2009
An act to add Section 52377.3 to the Education Code,
relating to career technical education. An act to
amend, repeal, and add Section 51225.3 of the Education Code,
relating to graduation requirements.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 253, as amended, Wyland. Career technical education:
recognition certificates. Graduation requirements.
Existing law prohibits a pupil from receiving a diploma of
graduation from high school unless he or she completes specified
requirements, including, but not limited to, completing one course in
visual or performing arts or foreign language.
This bill, commencing with the 2011-12 school year and until July
1, 2016, would add completion of a course in career technical
education, as defined, as an alternative to the requirement that a
pupil complete a course in visual or performing arts or foreign
language.
Existing law authorizes a school district to issue diplomas or
certificates evidencing the completion of a prescribed course of
study following a pupil's satisfactory completion of that course of
study.
This bill would authorize a school district or county office of
education to offer a pupil a career technical education certificate
if the pupil meets specified requirements, including completion of 4
semester-long career technical education courses, a structured
work-based learning experience, and a related culminating project.
The bill would prohibit the award of a career technical education
certificate awarded under the bill from being construed as equivalent
to the award of a high school diploma or as a change to the
statutory curriculum or compulsory education requirements.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and
declares the following:
(1) The foundational principle of the Education Code is that all
pupils shall have access to equitable educational opportunities and
resources.
(2) The future of the state is dependent upon minimizing, if not
entirely alleviating, the inequities in our public schools so that
all pupils will have more equitable opportunities to learn skills
needed for entry into the workforce, to pursue postsecondary
educational goals, and to contribute to the social cohesion of the
state.
(3) Current law specifies the courses a pupil must complete to
graduate from high school. However, too many pupils are dropping out
of high school or graduating without the necessary foundation to
succeed in the workplace or in postsecondary education.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that:
(1) By specifying the types of coursework that pupils must
complete in order to graduate, pupils will have world class skills
and the workforce of the state will be competitive in the global
economy.
(2) Pupils will be prepared to meet the academic and technical
skills challenges of the high school curriculum and that they will
take advantage of the range of course options available to them.
(3) In order to increase the rigor of the coursework and to ensure
that pupils are prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century,
the courses required for high school graduation must be aligned with
the standards and frameworks that are adopted by the state board.
SEC. 2. Section 51225.3 of the
Education Code is amended to read:
51225.3. (a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while in
grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of
graduation from high school:
(1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
otherwise specified:
(A) Three courses in English.
(B) Two courses in mathematics.
(C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
sciences.
(D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
one-semester course in American government and civics; and a
one-semester course in economics.
(E) One course in visual or performing arts or foreign
language. For the purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in
this subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be
deemed a course in foreign language. ,
foreign language, or, commencing with the 2011-12 school year, career
technical education.
(i) For the purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in
this subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be deemed
a course in foreign language.
(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, "a course in career
technical education" means a course in a district-operated career
technical education program that is aligned to the career technical
education model curriculum standards and framework adopted by the
state board, including courses through a regional occupational
program or center operated by a county superintendent of schools or
pursuant to a joint powers agreement.
(iii) This subparagraph does not require a school or school
district that currently does not offer career technical education
courses to establish new career technical education programs for
purposes of this section.
(F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.
(2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing board
of the school district.
(b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents,
administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means
for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may
include practical demonstration of skills and competencies,
supervised work experience or other outside school experience, career
technical education classes offered in high schools, courses offered
by regional occupational centers or programs, interdisciplinary
study, independent study, and credit earned at a postsecondary
institution. Requirements for graduation and specified alternative
modes for completing the prescribed course of study shall be made
available to pupils, parents, and the public.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district
shall exempt a pupil in foster care from all coursework and other
requirements adopted by the governing board of the district that are
in addition to the statewide coursework requirements specified in
this section if the pupil, while he or she is in grade 11 or 12,
transfers into the district from another school district or between
high schools within the district, unless the district makes a finding
that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the additional
requirements in time to graduate from high school while he or she
remains eligible for foster care benefits pursuant to state law. A
school district shall notify a pupil in foster care who is granted an
exemption pursuant to this subdivision, and, as appropriate, the
person holding the right to make educational decisions for the pupil,
if any of the requirements that are waived will affect the pupil's
ability to gain admission to a postsecondary educational institution
and shall provide information about transfer opportunities available
through the California Community Colleges.
(d) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2016, and,
as of January 1, 2017, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2017, deletes or
extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.
SEC. 3. Section 51225.3 is added to the
Education Code , to read:
51225.3. (a) A pupil shall complete all of the following while in
grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of
graduation from high school:
(1) At least the following numbers of courses in the subjects
specified, each course having a duration of one year, unless
otherwise specified:
(A) Three courses in English.
(B) Two courses in mathematics.
(C) Two courses in science, including biological and physical
sciences.
(D) Three courses in social studies, including United States
history and geography; world history, culture, and geography; a
one-semester course in American government and civics; and a
one-semester course in economics.
(E) One course in visual or performing arts or foreign language.
For the purposes of satisfying the requirement specified in this
subparagraph, a course in American Sign Language shall be deemed a
course in foreign language.
(F) Two courses in physical education, unless the pupil has been
exempted pursuant to the provisions of this code.
(2) Other coursework requirements adopted by the governing board
of the school district.
(b) The governing board, with the active involvement of parents,
administrators, teachers, and pupils, shall adopt alternative means
for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study that may
include practical demonstration of skills and competencies,
supervised work experience or other outside school experience, career
technical education classes offered in high schools, courses offered
by regional occupational centers or programs, interdisciplinary
study, independent study, and credit earned at a postsecondary
institution. Requirements for graduation and specified alternative
modes for completing the prescribed course of study shall be made
available to pupils, parents, and the public.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district
shall exempt a pupil in foster care from all coursework and other
requirements adopted by the governing board of the district that are
in addition to the statewide coursework requirements specified in
this section if the pupil, while he or she is in grade 11 or 12,
transfers into the district from another school district or between
high schools within the district, unless the district makes a finding
that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the additional
requirements in time to graduate from high school while he or she
remains eligible for foster care benefits pursuant to state law. A
school district shall notify a pupil in foster care who is granted an
exemption pursuant to this subdivision, and, as appropriate, the
person holding the right to make educational decisions for the pupil,
if any of the requirements that are waived will affect the pupil's
ability to gain admission to a postsecondary educational institution
and shall provide information about transfer opportunities available
through the California Community Colleges.
(d) This section shall become operative July 1, 2016.
SECTION 1. Section 52377.3 is added to the
Education Code, to read:
52377.3. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school
district or county office of education may award a pupil a career
technical education certificate if all of the following requirements
are met:
(1) The pupil has satisfactorily completed four semester-long
career technical education courses. To the extent possible, the
courses shall be within the same industry sector as identified in the
California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum standards
adopted by the state board.
(2) The pupil has satisfactorily participated in a structured
work-based learning experience related to the career technical
education courses.
(3) The pupil has satisfactorily completed a culminating project
related to the career technical education courses.
(b) The award of a career technical education certificate under
this section shall in no way be construed as equivalent to the award
of a high school diploma or as a change to the requirements of
Section 48200 or 51225.3.
