Article 7. Agricultural Career Technical Education of California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 28. >> Chapter 9. >> Article 7.

The Legislature of the State of California recognizes that agriculture is the most basic and singularly important industry in the state, that agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and economic stability of the state, and that the maintenance of this vital industry requires a continued source of trained and qualified individuals for employment in agriculture and agribusiness. The Legislature hereby declares that it is within the best interests of the people of the State of California that a comprehensive career technical education program in agriculture be created and maintained by the state's school system in order to ensure an adequate supply of trained and skilled individuals and to ensure appropriate representation of racial and ethnic groups in all phases of the industry. For this purpose, the Legislature affirms that a state program for agricultural career technical education shall be established. It is the intent of the Legislature that a state program for agricultural education shall be a part of the curriculum of the state school system and made readily available to all school districts who may, at their option, include programs in career technical education in agriculture as a part of the curriculum of that district.

The State Department of Education shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this article. The rules and regulations shall not create any new state mandates on school districts or county offices of education as a condition of receiving federal, state, and local funds by those entities. It is the intent of the Legislature that, although this article does not create any new mandates, school districts and county offices of education are strongly advised to follow the guidelines set forth in this article.

(a) There is hereby created within the State Department of Education an agricultural career technical education unit to assist school districts in the establishment and maintenance of educational programs established pursuant to the provisions of this article.
  (b) The staffing of the unit shall at all times be comprised of an appropriate number of full-time employees; provided, that any decrease in federal support of this staffing unit shall be applied in direct proportion to all other staffs so funded, including the State Supervisor of Agricultural Career Technical Education who shall, under the direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, assume responsibility for the administration of the state program adopted under this article throughout the public school system as well as the articulation of the state program to the requirements and mandates of federally assisted career technical education.
  (c) An appropriate number of employees shall serve as program consultants in agricultural career technical education and shall be available to provide assistance to local school districts. To the extent that it is possible, the program consultants shall be geographically located in those areas most readily accessible to the school districts they assist. At least one consultant shall be responsible for the coordination of the state program. At least one consultant shall be responsible for the coordination of the activities of student agricultural organizations and associations.
  (d) The State Department of Education shall accomplish the staffing of the agricultural career technical education unit in compliance with this article by reassigning priorities in staff assignments within the department in a manner that will not result in new costs to the state as a consequence.

(a) The State Director of Career Technical Education shall establish and convene an Agricultural Advisory Committee representative of the various and diverse areas of the agricultural industry in California.
  (b) The committee shall be composed of the following:
  (1) A representative from a university conducting teacher training in career technical agriculture.
  (2) A representative from a community college conducting career technical education in agriculture.
  (3) A representative from a high school conducting a program of career technical education in agriculture.
  (4) A representative from a school conducting general education in agriculture.
  (5) A parent of a pupil enrolled in career technical education in agriculture.
  (6) Nine other individuals representing diverse agricultural interests from various geographic locations in the state. The State Supervisor of Agricultural Education shall serve as the committee consultant.
  (c) It shall be the purpose of this committee to advise, in an ongoing manner, the State Supervisor of Agricultural Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Board of Education on policy matters pertaining to the state program of agricultural career technical education. The advice of the committee shall include, but not be limited to, the development of a curriculum and a strategy for the purpose of establishing a source of trained and qualified individuals in agriculture, a strategy for articulating the state program in agricultural career technical education throughout the state school system, and a consumer education outreach strategy regarding the importance of agriculture in California.
  (d) The committee shall serve without compensation, including travel and per diem and shall operate in accordance with the established policies of the State Department of Education.

(a) The curriculum of school districts that choose to participate in the state program of agricultural career technical education shall include all of the following components:
  (1) Organized classes in the study of agricultural science and technology.
  (2) A student-supervised occupational experience program in agriculture.
  (3) A program of leadership, organization, and personal development.
  (b) Student learning activity developed to supplement these components shall be considered curricular and shall contribute to the grade of the participating student when those activities are integral to assisting the student to achieve the career objective of the class or course. It is the intent of the Legislature that opportunities are provided for teachers to be employed on a 12-month basis in order to maintain supervised occupational experience on a year-round basis for students enrolled in agricultural career technical programs.