(1) 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 certain things in order to be considered for a grant award, including, among others, a proportional dollar-for-dollar match, as specified, for any funding that an applicant is determined to be eligible to receive under the prescribed allocation formula. If an applicant is unable to fully match the amount of funding that the allocation formula determines that they are eligible to receive, existing law requires the applicant's award to be reduced to the amount necessary for the applicant to meet the match requirement. 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.
This bill would delete that prohibition.
Existing law also requires an applicant to demonstrate that it, or its career technical education program, as applicable, meets certain minimum eligibility standards.
This bill 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 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 would require the department to consult with the California Education and Workforce Development Coordinating Entity 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 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.
(2) 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 establish in the Government Operations Agency the California Education and Workforce Development Coordinating Entity, composed of specified state officers and student, labor, and local workforce development representatives, for the purpose of serving as the statewide career technical education planning and coordinating entity. The bill would require the coordinating entity to perform specified duties, including, among others, streamlining workforce program rules, allocations, and reporting requirements, developing a state plan regarding career technical education, career pathways, and workforce development, supporting implementation of the Master Plan for Career Education, and establishing a diversity, equity, and inclusion subcommittee for implementation of strategic and operational goals regarding underserved populations, as specified.

Statutes affected:
SB 638: 3120 LAB
02/20/25 - Introduced: 3120 LAB
03/26/25 - Amended Senate: 3120 LAB
07/07/25 - Amended Assembly: 53070 EDC, 53070 EDC, 53070.1 EDC, 53070.1 EDC, 53071 EDC, 53071 EDC, 53072 EDC, 53072 EDC, 53074 EDC, 53074 EDC, 53075 EDC, 53075 EDC