EDUCATION FOR A GLOBAL ECONOMY

By Wilmer Amina Carter

Multiple Pathways and Career Technical Education to Prepare all Students for Emerging Global Economy

"My 16 years serving on the Rialto School Board reinforced my belief in the value of quality education. I was humbled when the school district named the new Wilmer Amina Carter High School. As a longtime area resident and product of local schools, I may be the first Cal State San Bernardino alumna (with two degrees-- a Bachelor's degree and a Master's) to have any building named in their honor, let alone an entire high school!" ________________________________________________________________ Assembly Member Carter is Chair of the Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education and serves on the Assembly Education Committee, Assembly Select Committee on Schools and Community, Joint Committee on the Master Plan for Higher Education, the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission (an advisory body to the Califiornia State Board of Education), and the Education Commission of the States.

In the prior legislative session, two major bills authored by the Assembly Member were chaptered into law: AB 428 (CTE/A-G notification) and AB 2648 (multiple pathways). Also signed into law: AB 174 + provides county committees with more local control over unification and school district re-organization issues that are non-controversial. In this session, Assembly Member Carter authored:

• AB 2172 + creates a council to expand multiple pathway programs to prepare students for careers and college. This is a follow-up measure to AB 2648. Currently, students interested in a vocational career are tracked in a way that they would not graduate with the requirements for college. AB 2172 serves to blend college preparatory track with career tech so students are better equipped for college or the career. They will have multiple choices.

• AB 2069 + deals with instructional material in schools. It would reinstate a schedule for the adoption of updated instructional materials that was halted last year due to budget constraints. Textbooks are so outdated. Many do not even include a section on the attacks of September 11th.

• AB 2307 + This bill gives the Department of Education authority to use an alternative accountability system for dropout and recovery high schools. Additionally, this alternative model would allow these schools to accurately document the performance of its students. Currently there is no adequate way of testing the academic progress of these students.