Existing law establishes the Strong Workforce Program, which provides funding to career technical education regional consortia made up of community college districts and local educational agencies. Existing law also required the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor’s Office) to develop and implement policies, regulations, and guidance necessary to accomplish certain objectives, including providing work-based learning opportunities for students, by June 30, 2017.
AB 323 amends Education Code section 88821 to now require the Chancellor’s Office to revise its policies, regulations, and guidance by June 30, 2026, to ensure that students, employers, or both may be provided with paid work-based learning opportunities, which may be supported with funds apportioned to a community college district through the Strong Workforce Program. To that end, AB 323 also amends Education Code section 88825 to allow community college districts to use apportioned funds to provide direct support to students, employers, or both, for paid work-based learning, including, but not limited to, apprenticeships, internships, externships, and student-run enterprises to increase employability and employment.
(AB 323 amends Sections 88821 and 88825 of the Education Code.)