Assembly Bill No. 1929
CHAPTER 145

An act to amend Sections 53071, 88826, and 88828 of the Education Code, relating to career technical education.

[ Approved by Governor  July 18, 2024. Filed with Secretary of State  July 18, 2024. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1929, McKinnor. Career technical education: data collection.
Existing law establishes the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, administered by the State Department of Education, with the purpose of encouraging, maintaining, and strengthening the delivery of high-quality career technical education programs, as specified. Existing law requires grant applicants under the program to meet minimum requirements, including, among other things, reporting to the Superintendent of Public Instruction specified data relating to pupils and their career technical education coursework.
This bill would require that data to be disaggregated by race and gender.
Existing law establishes the Strong Workforce Program to provide funding to career technical education regional consortia made up of community college districts and local educational agencies, as specified. Existing law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to implement performance accountability outcome measures for the Community College component of the program, as provided, and requires these outcome measures to include, to the extent possible, demographic data to allow policymakers and the general public to evaluate progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion, and earnings of underserved demographic groups. Existing law requires the chancellor’s office to submit an annual report on the Community College component of the program to the Governor and the Legislature that includes, among other things, data summarizing those outcome accountability performance measures. Existing law requires, as part of the K–12 component of the program, a local educational agency applicant, or the applicant’s career technical program, as applicable, to report data that can be used by policymakers, local educational agencies, community college districts, and their regional partners to support and evaluate the program, including, to the extent possible, demographic data used to evaluate progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion, and earnings of underserved demographic groups, as provided. Existing law requires this reporting to include specified metrics.
This bill would require the above-described performance accountability measures and data associated with the Strong Workforce Program to be disaggregated by race and gender, as provided.
The bill also would correct a cross-reference.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 53071 of the Education Code is amended to read:

53071.
 The department shall administer this program as a competitive grant program. An applicant shall demonstrate all of the following to be considered for a grant award:
(a) (1) A proportional dollar-for-dollar match as follows for any funding that an applicant is determined to be eligible to receive under the allocation formula established pursuant to Section 53076:
(A) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, one dollar ($1) for every one dollar ($1) received from this program.
(B) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016, one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) for every one dollar ($1) received from this program.
(C) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017, two dollars ($2) for every one dollar ($1) received from this program.
(D) (i) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, and each fiscal year thereafter, two dollars ($2) for every one dollar ($1) received from this program.
(ii) Beginning July 1, 2021, the proportional dollar-for-dollar match shall be encumbered in the fiscal year for which an applicant is applying to receive a grant under the program.
(2) In the event an applicant is unable to fully match the amount of funding that the allocation formula determines that they are eligible to receive, the applicant’s award shall be reduced to the amount necessary for the applicant to meet the requirements of this subdivision. Under no circumstances shall an applicant be awarded an amount higher than the amount that the allocation formula determines them to be eligible to receive under the program.
(3) That local match may include funding from school district and charter school local control funding formula apportionments pursuant to Section 42238.02, the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) (Public Law 115-224), the California Partnership Academies, the Agricultural Career Technical Education Incentive Grant, or any other allowable source except as provided in paragraph (4).
(4) That local match shall not include funding from the K–12 component of the Strong Workforce Program established pursuant to Section 88827 or the Career Technical Education Facilities Program established pursuant to Section 17078.72.
(5) An applicant’s matching funds shall be used to support the program or programs for which the applicant was awarded a grant.
(b) A three-year plan for continued financial and administrative support of career technical education programs that demonstrates a financial commitment of no less than the amount expended on those programs in the previous fiscal year. The plan, at a minimum, shall include the identification of available funding within an applicant’s current or projected budget to continue to support career technical education programs and a written commitment to do so. If an applicant consisting of more than one school district, county office of education, charter school, or regional occupational center or program operated by a joint powers authority or county office of education, or any combination of these entities, is applying for grant funding from this program, identification of available funding and a written commitment shall be demonstrated by each participating constituent entity.
(c) The applicant, or the applicant’s career technical education program, as applicable, meets all of the following minimum eligibility standards:
(1) Offers high-quality curriculum and instruction aligned with the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards, including, but not limited to, providing a coherent sequence of career technical education courses that enable pupils to transition to postsecondary education programs that lead to a career pathway or attain employment or industry certification upon graduation from high school, including programs that integrate academic and career technical education and that offer the opportunity for participants to prepare for postsecondary enrollment and to earn postsecondary credits through Advanced Placement courses, International Baccalaureate courses, or by formal agreement with a postsecondary partner to provide dual enrollment opportunities.
(2) Provides pupils with quality career exploration, guidance, and a continuum of work-based learning opportunities aligned with academic coursework, which may include paid internships.
(3) Provides pupil support services, including counseling and leadership development, to address pupils’ social, emotional, career, and academic needs.
(4) Provides for system alignment, coherence, and articulation, including ongoing and structural regional or local partnerships with postsecondary educational institutions, documented through formal written agreements allowing for dual enrollment opportunities.
(5) Forms ongoing and meaningful industry and labor partnerships, evidenced by written agreements and through participation on advisory committees and collaboration with business and labor organizations to provide opportunities for pupils to gain access to preapprenticeships, internships, industry certifications, and work-based learning opportunities as well as opportunities for industry to provide input to the career technical education programs and curriculum.
(6) Provides opportunities for pupils to participate in after school, extended day, and out-of-school internships, competitions, leadership development opportunities, career and technical education student organizations, and other work-based learning opportunities.
(7) Reflects regional or local labor market demands, and focuses on current or emerging high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupations, and is informed by the regional plan of the local Strong Workforce Program consortium.
(8) Leads to an industry-recognized credential or certificate, or appropriate postsecondary education or training, employment, or a postsecondary degree.
(9) Is staffed by skilled teachers or faculty, and provides professional development opportunities for any teachers or faculty members supporting pupils in those programs.
(10) Provides opportunities for pupils who are individuals with exceptional needs to participate in all programs.
(11) (A) Reports data to the Superintendent, no later than November 1 of each fiscal year, as a program participation requirement, to allow for an evaluation of the program.
(B) Data reported pursuant to this paragraph shall include, but not be limited to, the quality indicators described in the California State Plan for Career Technical Education required by the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), and each of the following metrics, disaggregated by race and gender:
(i) The high school graduation rate.
(ii) The number of pupils completing career technical education coursework.
(iii) The number of pupils meeting academic and career-readiness standards as defined in the College/Career Indicator associated with the California School Dashboard.
(iv) The number of pupils obtaining an industry-recognized credential, certificate, license, or other measure of technical skill attainment.
(v) The number of former pupils employed and the types of businesses in which they are employed.
(vi) The number of former pupils enrolled in each of the following:
(I) A postsecondary educational institution.
(II) A state apprenticeship program.
(III) A form of job training other than a state apprenticeship program.
(C) No later than November 30 of each fiscal year, the California Workforce Pathways Joint Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 12053, shall review the data metrics specified in subparagraph (B) and make recommendations to the Department of Finance, the Governor, and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature as to both of the following topics:
(i) Whether these data metrics remain the most appropriate metrics to measure and evaluate program outcomes for both new and renewal applicants.
(ii) Whether other metrics should be included.
(D) The department shall make the data reported pursuant to subparagraph (B) available to the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, in the manner and form requested by the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, on or before December 30 of each fiscal year to ensure that data is included in the California Community Colleges LaunchBoard data platform.

SEC. 2.

 Section 88826 of the Education Code is amended to read:

88826.
 (a) This section applies to the Community College component only.
(b) The chancellor’s office shall post on its internet website, for ease of access, all regional plans and their subsequent progress plans, and solicit feedback from each consortium on recommendations they have for overall program improvement.
(c) The chancellor’s office shall implement performance accountability outcome measures for the Community College component of the program that provide the Governor, the Legislature, and the general public with information that quantifies employer and student outcomes for those participating in the program. These performance accountability measures shall, to the extent possible, align with the performance accountability measures of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Public Law 113-128). Outcome measures shall include demographic data, disaggregated by race and gender, to allow policymakers and the general public to evaluate progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion, and earnings of underserved demographic groups.
(d) (1) Commencing in 2018, the chancellor’s office shall submit a report on the Community College component of the program to the Governor and the Legislature on or before the January 1 immediately subsequent to the fiscal year which the report addresses. This report shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Data summarizing outcome accountability performance measures collected by the chancellor’s office pursuant to subdivision (c), disaggregated by race and gender.
(B) A summary of recommendations for program improvement collected by the chancellor’s office pursuant to subdivision (b).
(C) Recommendations for future allocations to consortiums based upon program outcomes, including, at a minimum, the number of certificates granted to, and wage increases of, students who have completed a career technical education program.
(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

SEC. 3.

 Section 88828 of the Education Code is amended to read:

88828.
 This section applies to the K–12 component only. Each consortium shall administer a competitive grant program to distribute funding allocated pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 88827 to eligible grant recipients. Consortia are encouraged to collaboratively develop a uniform grant application process that includes a process for grant renewals and for a grant applicant to appeal a grant award decision of the K–12 Selection Committee. As part of the application process, each consortium shall ask applicants to indicate whether they have received a grant under the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program established pursuant to Chapter 16.5 (commencing with Section 53070) of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2. For each fiscal year, the chancellor’s office shall work with the State Department of Education to produce a list of grant recipients that receive funding under this program as well as through the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, including the grant amounts awarded through each program and the purpose for which each grant was awarded. Local educational agencies applying to receive a grant from a consortium shall comply with all of the following:
(a) The local educational agency shall be located within the geographical boundaries of the consortium, and engage in regional efforts to align workforce, employment, and education services.
(b) The local educational agency shall use its consortium’s plan developed pursuant to Section 88823 to inform their efforts to create, support, implement, or expand upon career technical education courses, course sequences, programs, and pathways, and to the extent possible, integrate available local, regional, state, and private resources to improve the successful outcomes of pupils enrolled in career technical education courses, course sequences, programs, and pathways. To the extent an applicant’s career technical education program, or programs, offered in the 2018–19 fiscal year do not align with its consortium’s plan developed pursuant to Section 88823, the applicant shall be deemed to meet this requirement by including in its grant application the steps that it will take during the 2018–19 fiscal year to align its career technical education program, or programs, with its consortium’s plan.
(c) (1) The local educational agency shall provide matching funds for any grant funding received from this program as follows:
(A) For regional occupational centers or programs operated by a joint powers authority or county office of education, one dollar ($1) for every one dollar ($1) received from this program.
(B) For local educational agencies, two dollars ($2) for every one dollar ($1) received from this program.
(2) The local match may include funding from school district and charter school local control funding formula apportionments pursuant to Section 42238.02, the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) (Public Law 115-224), the partnership academies program pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 54690) of Chapter 9 of Part 29 of Division 4 of Title 2, the agricultural career technical education incentive program pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 52460) of Chapter 9 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2, or any other allowable source, except as provided in paragraph (3).
(3) The local match described in this subdivision shall not include any funding received by the applicant from the California Career Pathways Trust established pursuant to Section 53010, the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program established pursuant to Section 53070, or the Career Technical Education Facilities Program established pursuant to Section 17078.72.
(4) An applicant’s matching funds shall be used to support the program, or programs, for which the applicant was awarded a grant.
(d) The applicant, or the applicant’s career technical education program, as applicable, shall meet all of the following minimum eligibility standards:
(1) Is informed by, aligned with, and expands upon regional plans and planning efforts occurring through the Strong Workforce Program.
(2) Offers high-quality curriculum and instruction aligned with the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 51226, including, but not limited to, providing a coherent sequence of career technical education courses that enable pupils to transition to postsecondary education or training programs that lead to a career pathway or attain employment upon graduation from high school.
(3) Provides pupils with quality career exploration and guidance.
(4) Provides pupil support services, including, but not limited to, counseling and leadership development.
(5) Provides opportunities for pupils to participate in after-school, extended-day, and out-of-school internships, competitions, and other work-based learning opportunities.
(6) Leads to an industry-recognized credential or certificate, appropriate postsecondary training or employment, or a postsecondary degree.
(7) Is staffed by skilled teachers or faculty and provides professional development opportunities for those teachers or faculty members.
(8) (A) Reports data that can be used by policymakers, local educational agencies, community college districts, and their regional partners to support and evaluate the program, including demographic data, disaggregated by race and gender, used to evaluate progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion, and earnings of underserved demographic groups.
(B) Data reported pursuant to this paragraph shall include, but is not limited to, metrics aligned with the core metrics required by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (Public Law 113-128), the College/Career Indicator included in the California School Dashboard, and the quality indicators described in the California State Plan for Career Technical Education required by the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), and the following metrics, disaggregated by race and gender:
(i) The high school graduation rate.
(ii) The number of pupils completing career technical education coursework.
(iii) The number of pupils obtaining an industry-recognized credential, certificate, license, or other measure of technical skill attainment.
(iv) The number of former pupils employed and the types of businesses in which they are employed.
(v) The number of former pupils enrolled in each of the following:
(I) A postsecondary educational institution, disaggregated by public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit institutions.
(II) A state apprenticeship program.
(III) Another form of job training.
(C) No later than November 30 of each fiscal year, the Workforce Pathways Joint Advisory Committee established pursuant to Section 12053 shall review the data metrics specified in subparagraph (B) and make recommendations to the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of both houses of the Legislature and to the Department of Finance as to whether they are the most appropriate metrics to measure and evaluate program outcomes for both new and renewal applicants, and whether other metrics should be included.
(D) Data collected pursuant to this section shall be reported by the grant recipient to the State Department of Education and their K–14 Technical Assistance Provider by November 1 immediately following the fiscal year for which the data is being reported. The K–14 Technical Assistance Provider shall annually notify the K–12 Selection Committee in each region of any grant recipient that fails to provide the required outcome data. The K–12 Selection Committee, in consultation with the consortium, may terminate or rescind contracts and grants from grantees that fail to provide the required outcome-based data pursuant to this paragraph.
(E) The State Department of Education shall make the data reported pursuant to subparagraph (D) available to the chancellor’s office on a date to be jointly determined by the State Department of Education and the chancellor’s office, to ensure the data is included on the California Community Colleges LaunchBoard data platform.
(F) No later than January 31, 2024, and on or before January 31 every five years thereafter, the State Department of Education shall submit a report, pursuant to Section 53076.2 and this section, to the Department of Finance, the Governor, and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature evaluating the progress that local educational agencies have made in expanding the availability of high-quality, industry-valued career technical education and workforce development opportunities; improving coordination and alignment with postsecondary educational institutions and workforce agencies and programs; and, to the extent possible, the progress in closing equity gaps in program access and completion.