(a) (1) Commencing with the 2018-19 fiscal year, the amount appropriated in the annual Budget Act for support of the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators and the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers shall be used to establish a K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinator within the geographical boundaries of each community college district, unless otherwise determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office. K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators shall be selected through a competitive process jointly administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office, for the provision of technical assistance and support to local educational agencies in implementing career technical education courses, programs, and pathways under both the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program established pursuant to Section 53070 and the K-12 component of the Strong Workforce Program. Duties of the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators selected pursuant to this section include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Providing technical assistance and support to local educational agencies to implement career technical education courses, programs, and pathways and integrate available local, regional, state, and private resources to ensure that pupils will achieve successful workforce outcomes. As part of this duty, each K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinator, in consultation with the State Department of Education, shall ensure that K-12 career technical education programs are aligned with the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 51226.

(B) Collaborating on behalf of the local educational agencies within the region with local community colleges, industry partners, local workforce investment boards, and other relevant agencies or organizations to support and align K-12 career technical education programs. As part of this duty, each K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinator shall stay current with the needs of K-12 career technical education programs and their regional and local labor markets in order to provide guidance, in collaboration with local educational agencies, to the chancellor’s office, the Strong Workforce regional consortium, and industry representatives.

(C) Acting as first point of contact for local educational agencies, industry representatives, and employers with the intent of assisting local educational agencies to respond to industry needs and facilitating industry connection with K-12 career technical education programs.

(D) Cultivating collaborative communities so that local educational agencies and industry can collaborate and provide peer-to-peer knowledge exchange in areas of common interest to inform the development of high-quality education programs.

(E) Working in conjunction with the Deputy Sector Navigators and State Department of Education Industry Sector Leads to improve linkages and alignment of career education pathways between middle schools, high schools, public postsecondary institutions, and the workforce.

(2) An individual associated with any of the following may apply to serve as a K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinator, or any of the following may subcontract with an individual with expertise in K-12 education and workforce development to serve as a K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinator:

(A) School districts.

(B) County offices of education.

(C) Charter schools.

(D) Regional occupational centers or programs operated by a joint powers authority or county office of education.

(3) The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office shall agree upon an outcome-based assessment that allows for an evaluation of the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators’ ability to perform the duties identified in paragraph (1). Data required for purposes of this evaluation shall be submitted by the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office at least annually, commencing in the 2019-20 fiscal year.

(b) (1) Commencing with the 2018-19 fiscal year, the amount appropriated in the annual Budget Act for support of the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators and the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers shall be used to support the activities of the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers established under the California Career Pathways Trust. One K-14 Technical Assistance Provider shall be selected for each consortium through a competitive process jointly administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office, for the provision of technical assistance and support to local educational agencies in implementing career technical education courses, programs, and pathways under both the California Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program established pursuant to Section 53070 and the K-12 component of the Strong Workforce Program. Duties of the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers selected pursuant to this section include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Providing leadership, guidance, and technical assistance to create, support, expand, and improve career technical education opportunities for local educational agencies. As part of this duty, each K-14 Technical Assistance Provider, in consultation with the State Department of Education, shall ensure that K-12 career technical education programs are aligned with the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 51226.

(B) Acting as a liaison between the consortium and the State Department of Education, and serving as a consultant to the K-12 Selection Committee.

(C) Interacting with the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators, the Deputy Sector Navigators, and the State Department of Education Industry Sector Leads to improve linkages and career education pathways between middle schools, high schools, public postsecondary institutions, and the workforce.

(D) Identifying professional development opportunities for the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators and educational entities, including educational leaders and counselors.

(E) Regularly facilitating the convening of grantees to develop a network of educators to share best practices and cultivate state resources that can be used by agencies charged with providing assistance within the statewide system of support authorized pursuant to Section 52059.5.

(2) Any of the following may apply to serve as a K-14 Technical Assistance Provider, or subcontract with an individual with expertise in K-12 education and workforce development to serve as a K-14 Technical Assistance Provider:

(A) School districts.

(B) County offices of education.

(C) Charter schools.

(D) Regional occupational centers or programs operated by a joint powers authority or county office of education.

(E) Community college districts.

(3) The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office shall agree upon an outcome-based assessment that allows for an evaluation of the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers’ ability to perform the duties identified in paragraph (1). Data required for purposes of this evaluation shall be submitted by the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office at least annually, commencing in the 2019-20 fiscal year.

(4) In selecting the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the chancellor’s office shall give priority to applicants who served as a K-14 Technical Assistance Provider under the California Career Pathways Trust pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 53015.

(c) To promote the successful transition to the K-12 Strong Workforce Program, notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), for the 2018-19 fiscal year only, the amount appropriated in the annual Budget Act for support of the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators and the K-14 Technical Assistance Providers shall also be available for the purposes of integrating the K-12 component into the regional consortia and hiring and developing the K-12 Workforce Pathway Coordinators and K-14 Technical Assistance Providers.

(d) Any funds not used for the purposes identified in subdivision (a), (b), or (c) shall be added to the amount appropriated in the annual Budget Act for the K-12 component of the Strong Workforce Program, and provided to each consortium to create, support, or expand career technical education programs at the K-12 level that are aligned with the workforce development efforts occurring through the Strong Workforce Program.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 51, Sec. 63. (SB 75) Effective July 1, 2019.)