Article 1. Legislative Intent of California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 28. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 1.

This chapter may be known as the George Miller, Jr., Education Act of 1968.

The Legislature hereby recognizes that, because of the common needs and interests of the citizens of this state and the nation, there is a need to establish a common state curriculum for the public schools, but that, because of economic, geographic, physical, political and social diversity, there is a need for the development of educational programs at the local level, with the guidance of competent and experienced educators and citizens. Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to set broad minimum standards and guidelines for educational programs, and to encourage local districts to develop programs that will best fit the needs and interests of the pupils, pursuant to stated philosophy, goals, and objectives.

It is the intent of the Legislature that explicit, rigorous statewide academic standards be adopted for all pupils enrolled in public schools.

The Legislature hereby recognizes that it is the policy of the people of the State of California to provide an educational opportunity to the end that every pupil leaving school shall have the opportunity to be prepared to enter the world of work; that every pupil who graduates from any state-supported educational institution should have sufficient marketable skills for legitimate remunerative employment; that every qualified and eligible adult citizen shall be afforded an educational opportunity to become suitably employed in some remunerative field of employment; and that these opportunities are a right to be enjoyed without regard to economic status or the characteristics listed in Section 220. The Legislature further recognizes that all pupils need to be provided with opportunities to explore and make career choices and to seek appropriate instruction and training to support those choices. The Legislature therefore finds that fairs as community resource and youth leadership activities are integral to assisting and guiding pupils in making choices and therefore encourage the further expansion of cooperative activities between schools, youth leadership activities, and community resources. Among community resources of particular significance in providing information on various career opportunities are vocational and occupational exhibits, demonstrations and activities conducted at fairs.

In order to carry out the intent of Section 51004, the Department of Education shall annually encourage school districts to plan programs and activities which utilize the resources of fairs and youth leadership activities as an integral part of the vocational instructional program and career decisionmaking.

The Legislature finds that the increasing integration of computers and computer technology into our economy has profound implications for our society, and equally important implications for state educational policy. The Legislature also finds that the methods of distribution of computer resources in the public schools will have a substantial effect upon the state's ability to meet the economic, political, and social challenges of the new technological era. Without adequate and early exposure to a basic computer education and computer resources, many students may be placed at a significant disadvantage in their opportunities to secure success in academics and the job market in the future. As females compose 51 percent of the student population in the state's public elementary and secondary schools, and ethnic minorities constitute over one-third of that population, it is imperative that California adopt a policy to ensure equitable access to technological education programs.

(a) It is the policy of the State of California that all students enrolled in the state's public elementary and secondary schools, regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, geographic location, or socioeconomic background, shall have equitable access to educational programs designed to strengthen technological skills, including, but not limited to, computer education programs.
  (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that state appropriations for educational programs designed to strengthen technological skills, including, but not limited to, computer education programs, shall have the goal of ensuring equitable access to those programs for all students.
  (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that this section shall not be construed to preclude funding of programs designed to serve certain categories of students as part of the state's efforts to target areas of high need.

The State Board of Education shall ensure that the state curriculum and framework, where appropriate, include instruction on Cesar Chavez and the history of the farm labor movement in the United States, and the role of immigrants, including Filipino Americans, in that movement, and that the state criteria for selecting textbooks include information to guide the selection of textbooks that contain sections that highlight the life and contributions of Cesar Chavez, the history of the farm labor movement in the United States, and the role of immigrants, including Filipino Americans, in that movement.

The month of May is hereby deemed to be Labor History Month throughout the public schools, and school districts are encouraged to commemorate this month with appropriate educational exercises that make pupils aware of the role the labor movement has played in shaping California and the United States.