Career technical education: expansion: local advisory committees.

(1) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a high school district, the governing board of a joint powers regional occupational center or program, or the county superintendent of schools that conducts any county-operated regional occupational center or program, to establish and maintain, in connection with a high school or regional occupational center or program under its or his or her jurisdiction, cooperative career technical education programs or community classrooms as part of a career technical education course in accordance with prescribed rules and regulations. This bill would state findings and declarations of the Legislature regarding the need for career technical education programs, and would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education to consider ways to expand career technical education programs in middle and high schools in the state. (2) Existing law requires the governing board of each school district participating in a career technical education program to appoint a career technical education advisory committee to develop recommendations on the program and to provide liaison between the district and potential employers. The committee is required to consist of specified representatives. This bill would require that the committee include members of labor and trade organizations and additional representatives, from various career technical education industry sectors, recommended by local industry organizations, except as specified. By requiring the governing board of a school district to work with industry organizations to reconstitute the membership of that committee in order to continue participating in a career technical education program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.