Furutani

A bill to add career technical education (CTE) as an option for pupils to fulfill their high school graduation requirement has passed its first policy committee. AB 2446 (Warren Furutani, D-Long Beach) is designed to give students choice and access to rigorous CTE courses.

Over the coming decades, the California economy will offer exciting and well-compensated employment for students who acquire high level technical skills in manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and many other industry sectors. These jobs often require less than a bachelor’s degree, but require a rigorous curriculum that includes core academics and applied learning opportunities.

Sadly, the public schools have suffered a steady erosion of their CTE programs.  Enrollment in CTE classes has plummeted over the last 20 years as classes and teachers have been relentlessly cut back.  A recent study reveals that in 1987 California had 6,922 CTE teachers serving 952,097 students.  By 2008 there were only 4,883 teachers serving 589,233 students.  Class time available for students to take electives continues to shrink.

AB 2446 recognizes the importance of CTE as a fundamental part of a well-rounded public education for all students and CMTA is in support.

The bill passed the Assembly Education Committee and will be heard next in the Appropriations Committee on April 21st.