Partnership academies: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Existing law establishes the California Partnership Academies to promote state-school-private sector partnerships combining academic and vocational training to high school pupils who present a high risk of dropping out of school, and motivating them to stay in school and graduate. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue grants to school districts, as specified, to plan, establish, and maintain these academies. Existing law requires the Superintendent to establish eligibility criteria for school districts that apply for these grants. This bill would require the Superintendent to prioritize proposals for new partnership academies based upon a school district's enrollment of unduplicated pupils, pupils from groups historically underrepresented in career technical education or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs or professions, and at-promise pupils. The bill would authorize the Superintendent to also prioritize school districts located in a rural or economically disadvantaged area. The bill would, for purposes of the partnership academy requirements, expressly include STEM courses anytime career technical education courses are referenced.