Existing law provides funding for career technical education (CTE) programs, including through, among others, the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, the Strong Workforce Program, and a K–12 component of the Strong Workforce Program, with the purpose of creating, maintaining, supporting, encouraging, strengthening, and expanding the delivery of CTE programs in the state, as provided. This bill would establish the Career Technical Education Technical Assistance and Equity Pilot Program, a 3-year pilot program related to technical assistance in CTE, with a focus on equity and inclusion. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to designate, based on specified criteria, a county office of education to serve as the lead agency for administering the program. The bill would also require the Superintendent to designate 2 pilot regions to receive intensive technical assistance services, as provided. The bill would appropriate $4,000,000 from the General Fund to the Superintendent for allocation to the lead agency for purposes of implementing the pilot program for the 2026–27 fiscal year. The bill would require the lead agency to, among other things, (1) further develop and disseminate exemplary models for inclusive CTE pathways that effectively serve pupils with disabilities, English learners, and other historically underserved populations, (2) create scalable frameworks and toolkits for industry-education partnerships, (3) provide technical assistance, capacity building, and coordination support to participating county offices of education within the designated pilot regions, (4) develop and maintain a public-facing internet website, and (5) submit annual reports to the Superintendent, the Governor, and the Legislature, as provided. The bill would encourage county offices of education within designated pilot regions to participate in the technical assistance services provided by the lead agency, and would require participating county offices of education to, among other things, designate staff to coordinate CTE technical assistance within their jurisdiction. The bill would require the lead agency to prioritize support to county offices of education serving high proportions of historically underserved populations or demonstrating significant equity gaps in CTE access and outcomes. The bill would require school districts and charter schools that choose to receive direct technical assistance from their county office of education to participate in specified data collection and reporting processes, share promising practices and lessons learned, and commit to implementing recommendations and improvement strategies developed through the technical assistance process. The bill would require the pilot program to be funded through an annual appropriation in the Budget Act for the duration of the 3-year pilot program, require the appropriated funds to be allocated to the lead agency, authorize the lead agency to expend the allocated funds for specified purposes, and establish that the lead agency is subject to audit by the California State Auditor. The bill would require the Superintendent to designate the lead agency and pilot regions no later than 6 months following the effective date of the bill and the lead agency to commence providing services no later than the beginning of the fiscal year following designation. The bill would require the lead agency, no later than 6 months before the conclusion of the 3-year pilot period, to submit a comprehensive evaluation report to the Superintendent, the Governor, and the Legislature, as provided, and to post the report on the lead agency's public-facing internet website. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032. This bill would state that its provisions are severable.
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. Existing law provides, for the 2021–22 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, that $300,000,000 shall be available to the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the program. Existing law requires an applicant to demonstrate a proportional dollar-for-dollar match and sets that amount for the 2021–22 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, at $2 for every $1 received from the program. Existing law prohibits an applicant from being awarded an amount higher than the amount that the allocation formula determines them to be eligible to receive under the program. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in administering the program, to perform specified duties, including, among other duties, to (1) determine, in collaboration with the executive director of the State Board of Education, and make public on a preliminary basis at least 30 days before a regularly scheduled meeting of the state board, the allocation formula, (2) distribute funding on a multiyear schedule, (3) require grant recipients to submit program reports, (4) manage the grant process, and (5) promote the success of K–12 career technical education programs, as provided. This bill would require the department, instead of the Superintendent, to perform the above-described duties. The bill would, for purposes of allocations commencing no later than the 2027–28 fiscal year and pursuant to the above-described requirements, also require the department to determine, in consultation with the executive director of the state board, a revised allocation formula that ensures that all funds appropriated for the program in any given fiscal year are fully allocated to program applicants in that fiscal year, as provided.
(1) Beginning on July 1, 2026, for the financial aid award year of 2026–27 and each award year thereafter, existing federal law establishes the federal Workforce Pell Grant program to award grants to eligible students who are enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in a short-term educational program that, among other things, provides an education aligned with the requirements of high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations, as provided. Existing law establishes the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, which is composed of various departments responsible for protecting and promoting the rights and interests of workers in California. Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the primary state agency for the administration of state-authorized student financial aid programs available to students attending all segments of postsecondary education. This bill would prohibit a postsecondary educational institution from disbursing federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds to students enrolled in the institution's short-term programs, and advertising, marketing, or informing students about the availability of those funds unless the institution has (A) obtained authorization from the commission, on behalf of the Governor, that the institution meets the requirements of specified provisions related to the federal Workforce Pell Grant program, and (B) obtained approvals and met all requirements set forth by the United States Department of Education. This bill would prohibit the commission from authorizing a postsecondary educational institution to receive federal Workforce Pell Grant program funds for a short-term program if the institution, among other things, partners, contracts, or affiliates with an entity that is not accredited by a specified accrediting agency, as provided. The bill would authorize the commission to use the California Priority Programs List to determine whether a short-term program satisfies specified requirements under the federal Workforce Pell Grant program, as provided. (2) Existing federal law, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) , provides for workforce development activities, including activities in which states may participate. Existing state law, the California Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (CalWIOA) , establishes the California Workforce Development Board to assist the Governor in the development, oversight, and continuous improvement of California's workforce investment system and the alignment of the education and workforce investment systems to the needs of the 21st century economy and workforce. CalWIOA creates the Consolidated Work Program Fund in the State Treasury, for the receipt of all moneys deposited pursuant to WIOA and requires moneys in the fund to be made available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the Employment Development Department for expenditure consistent with the purposes of WIOA. Existing law contains various programs for job training and employment investment, including work incentive programs, as specified, and establishes local workforce investment boards to perform duties related to the implementation and coordination of local workforce investment activities. Existing law requires local workforce investment boards to spend a minimum percentage of specified funds for adults and dislocated workers on federally identified workforce training programs and allows the boards to leverage specified funds to meet the funding requirements, as specified. Existing law requires a local workforce development area that does not meet the expenditure requirements to submit a corrective action plan to the Employment Development Department that provides reasons for not meeting the requirements and describes actions taken to address the identified expenditure deficiencies. Existing law also requires the department to calculate for each local workforce development board whether the local workforce development board met the expenditure requirements and make annual reports regarding the training and supportive services expenditures. This bill, starting July 1, 2028, instead of requiring the local workforce development boards to spend a minimum percentage of specified funds for adults and dislocated workers, would require the boards to ensure that at least 50% of participants enrolled in the adult and dislocated worker programs receive workforce training services, and would prescribe the training services that count toward the participant training requirement. The bill would require a local workforce development area that does not meet the participant training requirement to submit a corrective action plan to the Employment Development Department that provides reasons for not meeting that requirement and describes actions taken to address the identified participant training deficiencies. By imposing new requirements on local workforce development boards, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the Employment Development Department to calculate for each local workforce development board, among other things, whether the local workforce development board met the participant training requirement and make annual reports regarding the number of participants enrolled in adult and dislocated worker program, the percentage of those enrolled participants receiving training services, and the training expenditures and supportive service expenditures made by local workforce development boards, as specified. The bill would also make nonsubstantive conforming changes. 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
(1) Existing law requires each campus of the California Community Colleges to establish the position of Basic Needs Coordinator to assist students with on- and off-campus housing, food, mental health, and other basic needs services and resources, among other responsibilities, and to establish a Basic Needs Center where basic needs services and resources, including food services and resources, and staff are made available to students, as specified. Existing law requires each community college campus to report specified information related to basic needs services and resources to the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and requires the chancellor's office to develop and submit to the Governor and the Legislature an annual report based on, among other things, the data and information reported by campuses. This bill would require, for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 fiscal years, each community college campus to provide classified employees with access to food pantry services offered by the Basic Needs Centers and report data and information related to that access to the chancellor's office, as specified, and would require the annual reports submitted by the chancellor's office to include that data and information. By expanding the services provided by Basic Needs Centers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law establishes the Middle Class Scholarship Program (MCSP) under the administration of the Student Aid Commission. Existing law, subject to an available and sufficient appropriation, makes an undergraduate student eligible for a scholarship award under the MCSP if the student is enrolled at the University of California or the California State University, or enrolled in upper division coursework in a community college baccalaureate program, and meets certain eligibility requirements. Existing law generally sets the MCSP award at an amount that equals the difference between the student's cost of attendance and the sum of other scholarships, grants, or fee waivers, including those administered by federal, state, and institutions, awarded to the student in excess of $7,898 in expected student contribution, and, for dependent students with a household income exceeding $100,000, a percentage of the parents' contribution, as specified. If a federal, state, or institutionally administered student need-based scholarship, grant, or fee waiver of less than $300 is identified following determination of a student's MCSP award, this bill, for purposes of determining the student's MCSP award amount, would not require the student's MCSP award to be recalculated. The bill would require each institution participating in the MCSP to sign an institutional participation agreement with the commission acknowledging the institution's willingness to administer the MCSP program, as specified. (3) Existing law establishes the Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree Grant Program to reduce the overall cost of education for students and to decrease the time it takes students to complete degree programs offered by community colleges. Existing law requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to distribute grants to community college districts that meet specified criteria to develop and implement associate degrees or career technical education certificate programs earned entirely by completing courses that eliminate conventional textbook costs by using alternative instructional materials and methodologies, including open educational resources. Existing law authorizes grant recipients to use the funds for developing and implementing degrees to obtain professional development and technical assistance to assist in the development of degrees. This bill would authorize grant recipients to also use the funds for developing and implementing degrees to obtain professional development and technical assistance to assist in the development of open educational resource materials. The bill would authorize the chancellor's office to allocate any unallocated resources appropriated for purposes of the program, on or after June 30, 2025, to a community college district to contract for the establishment of statewide open educational resources infrastructure, as provided. (4) Existing law requires the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to adopt regulations providing for the payment of apportionments to community college districts on a specified schedule. Existing law, notwithstanding that provision referenced above, adjusts the payment of apportionments to community college districts for the 2024–25 fiscal year to defer $243,693,000 of those payments to the 2025–26 fiscal year in accordance with a designated schedule. This bill would specifically reference two items of appropriation made in the Budget Act of 2025 as the funding source of the deferral payment described above. (5) The California Constitution establishes the Public School System Stabilization Account in the General Fund to provide a reserve for public school funding. The California Constitution requires, pursuant to specified calculations, the Controller to transfer certain moneys from the General Fund into the Public School System Stabilization Account for subsequent allocation to school districts and community college districts in fiscal years when the minimum state funding obligation for the support of school districts and community college districts falls below specified levels. The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature, upon the Governor's proclamation declaring a budget emergency, as described, to enact a statute that, among other things, appropriates funds in the Public School System Stabilization Account for the support of school districts and community college districts. This bill would appropriate $49,734,000 from the Public School System Stabilization Account to be transferred by the Controller to Section B of the State School Fund for the support of community college districts, as provided. (6) Existing law encourages community colleges to develop and implement Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) programs directed at identifying students affected by social, economic, and educational disadvantages, increasing the number of eligible students served under MESA programs, and increasing student success in transferring and completing baccalaureate degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors at 4-year higher education institutions, as specified. Existing law requires the board of governors to adopt regulations for purposes of MESA programs and requires those regulations to be consistent with specified requirements and accomplish certain goals. This bill, beginning in the 2026–27 fiscal year, would prohibit the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges from reserving more than 3.5% of funds appropriated for MESA programs on administrative and discretionary costs of supporting MESA programs, and would authorize the chancellor, in consultation with the California Community College Association of MESA Directors, to allocate the reserved funds solely for statewide coordination and enhancement of MESA programs. (7) Existing law appropriates $20,000,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support emergency financial assistance grants to students attending a community college. Existing law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to allocate these funds to community college district's based on each district's share of total California Dream Act application (CADAA) filers that also received a Cal Grant systemwide. This bill would authorize the chancellor's office to reallocate those funds to community college districts to ensure all eligible CADAA filers receive a grant. The bill would require the chancellor's office to report to the appropriate policy committees and budget subcommittees of the Legislature on the progress of community college districts in awarding the emergency financial assistance grants to students, as specified. (8) This bill, for the 2025–26 fiscal year, would make funding appropriated in the Budget Act of 2025 in certain items of appropriation for community colleges available for transfer by the Controller to Section B of the State School Fund for purposes of distributing those funds to community college districts. (9) (A) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 66023.5 of the Education Code proposed by SB 271 to be operative only if this bill and SB 271 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (B) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 70022 of the Education Code proposed by AB 88 and SB 67 to be operative only if this bill and either, or both, of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (10) 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 the statutory provisions noted above. (11) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.
(1) Existing law requires each campus of the California Community Colleges to establish the position of Basic Needs Coordinator to assist students with on- and off-campus housing, food, mental health, and other basic needs services and resources, among other responsibilities, and to establish a Basic Needs Center where basic needs services and resources, including food services and resources, and staff are made available to students, as specified. Existing law requires each community college campus to report specified information related to basic needs services and resources to the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and requires the chancellor's office to develop and submit to the Governor and the Legislature an annual report based on, among other things, the data and information reported by campuses. This bill would require, for the 2026–27 and 2027–28 fiscal years, each community college campus to provide classified employees with access to food pantry services offered by the Basic Needs Centers and report data and information related to that access to the chancellor's office, as specified, and would require the annual reports submitted by the chancellor's office to include that data and information. By expanding the services provided by Basic Needs Centers, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law establishes the Middle Class Scholarship Program (MCSP) under the administration of the Student Aid Commission. Existing law, subject to an available and sufficient appropriation, makes an undergraduate student eligible for a scholarship award under the MCSP if the student is enrolled at the University of California or the California State University, or enrolled in upper division coursework in a community college baccalaureate program, and meets certain eligibility requirements. Existing law generally sets the MCSP award at an amount that equals the difference between the student's cost of attendance and the sum of other scholarships, grants, or fee waivers, including those administered by federal, state, and institutions, awarded to the student in excess of $7,898 in expected student contribution, and, for dependent students with a household income exceeding $100,000, a percentage of the parents' contribution, as specified. If a federal, state, or institutionally administered student need-based scholarship, grant, or fee waiver of less than $300 is identified following determination of a student's MCSP award, this bill, for purposes of determining the student's MCSP award amount, would not require the student's MCSP award to be recalculated. The bill would require each institution participating in the MCSP to sign an institutional participation agreement with the commission acknowledging the institution's willingness to administer the MCSP program, as specified. (3) Existing law establishes the Zero-Textbook-Cost Degree Grant Program to reduce the overall cost of education for students and to decrease the time it takes students to complete degree programs offered by community colleges. Existing law requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to distribute grants to community college districts that meet specified criteria to develop and implement associate degrees or career technical education certificate programs earned entirely by completing courses that eliminate conventional textbook costs by using alternative instructional materials and methodologies, including open educational resources. Existing law authorizes grant recipients to use the funds for developing and implementing degrees to obtain professional development and technical assistance to assist in the development of degrees. This bill would authorize grant recipients to also use the funds for developing and implementing degrees to obtain professional development and technical assistance to assist in the development of open educational resource materials. The bill would authorize the chancellor's office to allocate any unallocated resources appropriated for purposes of the program, on or after June 30, 2025, to a community college district to contract for the establishment of statewide open educational resources infrastructure, as provided. (4) Existing law requires the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to adopt regulations providing for the payment of apportionments to community college districts on a specified schedule. Existing law, notwithstanding that provision referenced above, adjusts the payment of apportionments to community college districts for the 2024–25 fiscal year to defer $243,693,000 of those payments to the 2025–26 fiscal year in accordance with a designated schedule. This bill would specifically reference two items of appropriation made in the Budget Act of 2025 as the funding source of the deferral payment described above. (5) The California Constitution establishes the Public School System Stabilization Account in the General Fund to provide a reserve for public school funding. The California Constitution requires, pursuant to specified calculations, the Controller to transfer certain moneys from the General Fund into the Public School System Stabilization Account for subsequent allocation to school districts and community college districts in fiscal years when the minimum state funding obligation for the support of school districts and community college districts falls below specified levels. The California Constitution authorizes the Legislature, upon the Governor's proclamation declaring a budget emergency, as described, to enact a statute that, among other things, appropriates funds in the Public School System Stabilization Account for the support of school districts and community college districts. This bill would appropriate $49,734,000 from the Public School System Stabilization Account to be transferred by the Controller to Section B of the State School Fund for the support of community college districts, as provided. (6) Existing law encourages community colleges to develop and implement Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) programs directed at identifying students affected by social, economic, and educational disadvantages, increasing the number of eligible students served under MESA programs, and increasing student success in transferring and completing baccalaureate degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors at 4-year higher education institutions, as specified. Existing law requires the board of governors to adopt regulations for purposes of MESA programs and requires those regulations to be consistent with specified requirements and accomplish certain goals. This bill, beginning in the 2026–27 fiscal year, would prohibit the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges from reserving more than 3.5% of funds appropriated for MESA programs on administrative and discretionary costs of supporting MESA programs, and would authorize the chancellor, in consultation with the California Community College Association of MESA Directors, to allocate the reserved funds solely for statewide coordination and enhancement of MESA programs. (7) Existing law appropriates $20,000,000 from the General Fund to the board of governors to support emergency financial assistance grants to students attending a community college. Existing law requires the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to allocate these funds to community college district's based on each district's share of total California Dream Act application (CADAA) filers that also received a Cal Grant systemwide. This bill would authorize the chancellor's office to reallocate those funds to community college districts to ensure all eligible CADAA filers receive a grant. The bill would require the chancellor's office to report to the appropriate policy committees and budget subcommittees of the Legislature on the progress of community college districts in awarding the emergency financial assistance grants to students, as specified. (8) This bill, for the 2025–26 fiscal year, would make funding appropriated in the Budget Act of 2025 in certain items of appropriation for community colleges available for transfer by the Controller to Section B of the State School Fund for purposes of distributing those funds to community college districts. (9) (A) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 66023.5 of the Education Code proposed by SB 271 to be operative only if this bill and SB 271 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (B) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 70022 of the Education Code proposed by AB 88 and SB 67 to be operative only if this bill and either, or both, of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (10) 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 the statutory provisions noted above. (11) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.
Existing law establishes the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program, administered as a competitive grant program by the State Department of Education, with the purpose of encouraging, maintaining, and strengthening the delivery of high-quality career technical education programs. Existing law requires an applicant to demonstrate that it, or its career technical education program, as applicable, meets certain minimum eligibility standards. This bill, commencing June 1, 2026, would revise and recast those minimum eligibility standards, as specified, including standards related to (A) collaborating with labor and business entities, (B) ensuring career programs and career pathways are aligned with workforce needs and labor market demand, (C) providing opportunities for certain pupil populations, and (D) reporting information for purposes of program evaluation, as provided. The bill, commencing June 1, 2026, would also require successful applicants to demonstrate a holistic approach to providing career technical education and career pathways, as provided. In developing the request for grant applications and considering grant applications under the program, existing law requires the State Department of Education to consult with the executive director of the State Board of Education and entities having career technical education expertise, including the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. This bill, commencing June 1, 2026, would require the department to consult with the California Education Interagency Council instead of the chancellor for those purposes. When determining proposed grant recipients, existing law requires positive consideration to be given to specified characteristics in an applicant, including that the applicant is located in an area with a high unemployment rate. This bill, commencing June 1, 2026, would require positive consideration to also be given to an applicant located in an area with a high poverty rate. The bill would define high unemployment rate and high poverty rate. Existing law establishes the Government Operations Agency, which consists of several state entities, including, but not limited to, the State Personnel Board, the Department of General Services, and the Office of Administrative Law. This bill would require the California Education Interagency Council established in the Government Operations Agency to perform, in an advisory capacity, certain duties, as specified, including, among others, developing recommendations regarding career technical education, college and career pathways, and workforce development recognizing segmental plans and other pertinent plans, and providing advice and recommending tools designed to support students across their educational careers, as specified. The bill would require the Office of the California Education Interagency Council to support the California Education Interagency Council, as specified, including by, among other things, developing and maintaining an internet website that provides access to the California Education Interagency Council's agendas, reports, work products, and resources. Certain sections of this bill would become operative only if AB 1098 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is enacted.
Existing law requires the governing board of each school district to fix the length of the schoolday for grades and classes of the schools maintained by the school district, subject to certain conditions and requirements. Under existing law, in continuation high schools and continuation education classes, a day of attendance is 180 minutes of attendance and a pupil is prohibited from being credited with more than 15 hours of attendance per school week, proportionately reduced for those school weeks having weekday holidays on which classes are not held. This bill would authorize the governing board of a school district that maintains a continuation high school or continuation education classes to offer youth workforce development programs, as defined, to pupils on one or 2 weekdays per school week if it ensures that those pupils are otherwise enrolled in at least 15 hours of class attendance per school week. The bill would require a school district that implements a youth workforce development program for these purposes to establish procedures to track pupil attendance and pupil participation while engaging in a youth workforce development program.
Existing law authorizes a community college district to enter into a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership with the governing board of a school district, a county office of education, or the governing body of a charter school with the goal of developing seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness. This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in collaboration with the dual enrollment advisory board, which the bill would establish, to develop a statewide dual enrollment framework to provide guidance for how dual enrollment programs should operate in the state to reach specified goals. The bill would require the dual enrollment advisory board membership to be composed of specified individuals, as provided. The bill would require the Superintendent and the advisory board, in developing the framework, to do certain things, including, among others, reviewing existing laws, policies, and efforts in California and other states on dual enrollment, course choice, pupil remediation, articulation and transfer, and transition courses, and providing a guide of best practices to accomplish specified dual enrollment-related policies. The bill would require the Superintendent to, by January 1, 2027, submit the framework to certain legislative committees, as provided.
Existing law establishes the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations and requires the division, among other things, to evaluate apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs to ensure that the program evaluated is complying with its standards, as specified. Existing law requires the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to perform various functions with respect to apprenticeship programs and the welfare of apprentices. This bill would establish the Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to be administered by the division and would authorize the division to work with the State Department of Education and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges in order to, among other things, identify resources to support youth apprenticeships. The bill would require a program applicant for a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program to submit documentation to the chief, as specified. The bill would require the chief, before approving a Career Apprenticeship Bridge Program, to present the application, as described, to the State Department of Education to review whether specified requirements are met. The bill would authorize the chief, among other things, to issue rules and regulations that govern Career Apprenticeship Bridge Programs, as specified.
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. Existing law requires, for the 2021–22 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, $300,000,000 to be available to the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the program. Existing law requires a grant applicant to demonstrate a proportional dollar-for-dollar match and sets that amount at $2 for every $1 received from the program. Existing law prohibits an applicant from being awarded an amount higher than the amount that the allocation formula determines them to be eligible to receive under the program. Existing law authorizes a grant recipient under the program to consist of one or more, or any combination, of school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, or regional occupational centers or programs operated by joint powers authorities or county offices of education, as provided. Existing law provides that an applicant receiving a grant from the program in a prior fiscal year is eligible to apply to receive a renewal grant if the applicant's career technical education program continues to meet specified requirements, as provided. This bill would delete the prohibition against an applicant being awarded more than the amount determined by the allocation formula and would provide, for the 2025–26 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, that the amount to be made available to the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the program to be the amount appropriated in the prior fiscal year as adjusted by a specified percentage, as provided. The bill would instead provide that an applicant receiving a grant from the program in a prior fiscal year is required to receive a renewal grant for 3 additional years, as provided. The bill would require, beginning with the 2025–26 fiscal year, up to 90% of the grants awarded pursuant to the program to be designated for renewal grants and up to 10% to be designated for grants for new applicants, unless otherwise determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, as provided. The bill would require the Superintendent to cease distribution of funding and recover previously distributed funding if certain conditions occur, including, among others, that the grant recipient did not implement the program substantively as was initially proposed, as provided.
