Public education governance: regional P-20 councils: advisory committee.

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive (K–12) . Existing law also establishes a system of public postsecondary education in the state that consists of 3 segments: the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges. This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to affirm the employer-education partnership model of a regional P-20 council, as defined, as a desired structure in California to help align preschool, K–12, community college, 4-year college, and graduate and professional education programs and funding to advance strategic educational and economic outcomes. Contingent upon the enactment of an appropriation for this purpose in the annual Budget Act or another statute, this bill would require the State Department of Education, in consultation with specified entities, including, but not limited to, the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, to study best practices of state and regional P-20 councils in California and across the nation to identify key statewide policies and goals that P-20 councils may seek to further, and to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2015. These provisions would be repealed on July 1, 2020.