Bill Text: CA AB2776 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 2776 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Workforce development: workforce diploma program: California Community Colleges.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-04-24 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. [AB2776 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB2776-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly March 23, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2776

Introduced by Assembly Member Salas

February 16, 2018

An act to add Part 53.3 (commencing with Section 88730) to Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to workforce development.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2776, as amended, Salas. Workforce development: workforce diploma ~~program.~~ program: California Community Colleges.

Existing law establishes systems of public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education in this state. These systems provide instruction at schoolsites and campuses throughout the state. Existing law establishes various programs for adults who are seeking to further their education at the secondary and postsecondary levels and to establish and improve their workforce skills.

This bill would establish a workforce diploma ~~program, consisting~~ program under the administration of the California Community Colleges. The program would consist of components ~~including~~ that would include career diplomas, standard diplomas, pay-for-performance programs, and the use of approved providers who provide designated services to increase the employability of program participants. The bill would provide for an online component of the workforce diploma program. The bill would express the intent of the Legislature to provide $5,000,000 of funding, as specified, to the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges through the annual Budget Act or another statute, to fund a 2-year pilot workforce diploma program.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) California has a history of leading the nation on adult education. Over the last several years a new model has begun to get traction in several forward-looking states such as Ohio and Michigan. There is now a growing call to address the specific needs of millions of individuals in the state who are being left behind economically because they lack a high school credential and the necessary job skills to join California’s workforce, but have aged out of the education system.

(2) Those left behind are often multi-generationally poor, minority, or first generation. Several states have created models that are generating a significant return on investment and changing thousands of lives of the most vulnerable populations.

(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that will create a workforce diploma program and design within the organizational structure of the California Community Colleges that would be:

(1) Fully aligned to the Governor’s education, training, and jobs priorities.

(2) A pilot program utilizing existing adult education funding.

(3) Designed in a manner requiring students to demonstrate monthly attainment of objective milestones.

(4) Linked to fulfilling the skills needs of in-demand industry employment opportunities available in California.

SEC. 2.

Part 53.3 (commencing with Section 88730) is added to Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

PART 53.3. WORKFORCE DIPLOMA PROGRAM

88730.

(a) The Workforce Diploma Program is hereby ~~established, to~~ established under the administration of the California Community Colleges. The program shall be composed of the following components:

(1) A career diploma: diploma and employability skills, aligned to the employability skills identified by the United States Department of Labor, digital literacy, financial literacy, and an industry-recognized credential in an in-demand sector.

(2) A standard diploma: a diploma with intent to proceed to workforce programs or community college programs.

(3) Pay for performance: limiting the risk of the state in investing in innovative new pathways for adult high school completion and career preparation programs.

(4) Approved providers: because of California’s urgent need to develop a talent pipeline to meet the needs of the employers in the state, California should create provider requirements encouraging both public and private entities in K–12 and higher education to participate in one of these ways. The best practices for these programs include the elements listed below:

(A) Experience providing dropout reengagement services for adults.

(B) Ability to provide academic skill intake assessment.

(D) A course catalogue that includes access to all courses required to meet graduation requirements.

(E) Capability to provide remediation coursework.

(F) Means to provide research-validated academic resilience assessment and intervention.

(G) Capacity to provide employability skills certification.

(H) Ability to provide industry-recognized credentials in high-demand sectors.

(I) Capability to provide credit for on-the-job training.

(J) Demonstrated ability to provide a robust support framework, including technology, social support, and academic support.

(K) Accredited by a recognized accrediting body.

(b) The workforce diploma shall also have an online component, as follows:

(1) Managed technology with support: adults who require the flexibility of an online diploma program often lack access to reliable technology. Programs offering online diploma options to adults should include a managed technology solution. The program should be responsible for shipping, repairing, and supporting the technology, including a toll-free tech support number available during business hours.

(2) Wireless, filtered Internet access: technology shall also include Internet access, providing true anytime, anywhere flexibility for students. Internet access is filtered to ensure students stay focused on their schooling and prevent access to undesirable and inappropriate Internet Web sites.

88731.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to ~~provide five~~ do both of the following:

(1) To create a fund in the State Treasury, similar in form and function to the Breaking Barriers to Employment Initiative Fund created by Section 14037 of the Unemployment Insurance Code.

(2) Provide five million dollars ($5,000,000) to the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges from the new fund to fund a pilot of the Workforce Diploma Program over two years through the annual Budget Act or another statute. This allotment would allow programs to follow best practices in serving this population, including the provision of adequate 360-degree support personnel as well as technology support.

(b) Because participants would stay in the program only long enough to complete the graduation requirements they are missing and must meet strict performance requirements to maintain their eligibility for the program, a single seat might be occupied by multiple individuals throughout the year. Also, due to the pay-for-performance model, resources for this program shall go to fund students who are meeting objective progress milestones, such as the following:

(1) Completion of semester-long courses needed to meet graduation requirements.

(2) Completion of an employability skills program.

(3) Attainment of an industry-recognized credential.

(4) Completion of the high school graduation requirements.

(5) Placement into a job.