WEE District Plans Writing, Updating and CDE Approval Updated 10/2009

Ed Code …The Legislature recognizes that there is a need to provide for the review of work experience education programs offered by school districts offering these programs at least once every three years, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction……

Step One Find the current district plan –Work Experience Teachers –Curriculum Office –As a last resort, contact the CDE and ask for a copy of your district plan

Step Two Review the Plan –Are you teaching according to the plan? –Are you issuing credits according to the plan –Does the plan do what you need it to do –If you have multiple programs, obtain input from all stakeholders

Step Two cont. Review the Plan –If the plan is doing what you need it to do, you need to DO NOTHING! BUT, –If it is not doing what you need it to do, FIX IT!

Step Three-The Fix Obtain and read a copy of the CDE approved “Secondary District Plan For Work Experience Education (WEE) Application” To be referred to as THE APPLICATION

The Fix Develop a curriculum model that restates the most of the assurances listed in THE APPLICATION

The Fix Attach your district WEE curriculum to THE APPLICATION The WEE curriculum should include: –How WEE credits are granted to WEE students –A copy for the Training Agreement/Plan

The Fix The WEE curriculum should include: –Units of Instruction for each semester –Any District Work Permit Restrictions including Regular and Work Experience Permits –Any memos of understanding with different entities (Workability, etc.)

The Fix The WEE curriculum should include: –The Employer Evaluation –Any other documents the district might want to include….Syllabus, Letters to Employers, Grading/Credit scales, etc.

The Fix Mail a local governing board approved application and supporting documents to the CDE LET US NOW REVIEW THE APPLICATION”S ASSUEANCES FOR GREATER UNDERSTSANDING AND CLAIRIFICATION.

The Assurances The District WEE Plan needs to be approved by the local school board The WEE teacher/coordinator is the entity mainly responsible for implementation of the District WEE Plan The WEE teacher/coordinator shall have a teaching credential for the secondary level

Assurances The WEE teacher/coordinator shall have two years of work experience outside the teaching profession. (8 quarters of SS) The WEE teacher/coordinator has knowledge of the educational purposes, standards, laws, and regulations regarding WEE

Assurances The WEE student must be 16 –exceptions –Student in grade 11 or higher –Principal exemption (see handout) The student must attend school a minimum day-SEE NEXT SLIDE FOR NEW LAW

New Minimum Day Law The minimum school day in any…high school…may be computed by determining the number of minutes of attendance in ay two consecutive schooldays and dividing that number by two. If the resulting quotient is 240…even if the number of minutes attended in any one school day is less than 240, but not less than 180. EC (a)

New Minimum Day Law Exceptions –The minimum day…for a pupil enrolled in a work experience education program…in which the regularly scheduled period is greater than 60 minutes in length, the minimum day is one or more periods totaling at least 180 minutes in duration. (EC 46144) –Continuation high school students (EC 46145) –Graduating WEE students in the last semester of their senior year (EC 46147)

Assurances The WEE teacher caseload can not exceed 125 students per one full time certificated teacher/coordinator. The WEE teacher/coordinator is responsible for preparing and conducting related classroom instruction equal to one instructional period per week.

Assurances A course description is attached to the application that includes the major units of instruction for each semester for the type of Work Experience being offered. The WEE teacher/coordinator shall conduct a minimum of two on site visits per semester and one during the summer school session.

The Training Agreement/Plan Every WEE program shall have a written formal training agreement/training plan identifying the responsibilities of the school district, employer, parent and student is developed for each student.

The Training Agreement/Plan The training agreement/plan must include: –The student objectives to be accomplished at the work site. –The work site offers a reasonable probability of continuous employment for the student during the period for which the student is enrolled. –The employer has the appropriate equipment, material and facilities to provide learning opportunities.

The Training Agreement/Plan –The work conditions will not endanger the health, safety, welfare, or morals of the student. –The employer provides adequate adult supervision –The employer provides Workers’ Compensation Insurance –The employer maintains student’s hourly records and cooperates in rating the students achievement. –The employer can not discriminate

Work Permits The WEE teacher issues the work permit for all students enrolled in the WEE program. Note: Here is where a district can designate the amount of hours and restrictions the district wishes to place on regular and WEE work permits.

Granting Credit The district procedure for granting credit shall be included with the application. –The maximum number of credits a student can earn in WEE is 40. –No more than 10 credits can be earned in one semester. –Exploratory WEE students can earn a maximum of 20 credits, 10 max per semester

Professional Development A provision is made for WEE professional development for new and continuing WEE teacher/coordinators and other support personnel in WEE.

District Record Keeping The district must keep the following records for each student enrolled in WEE. –The type of WEE the student is enrolled in –Where the student is employed –The type of job the student holds –The students work permit if applicable –The employer’s report of student’s hourly work record

District Record Keeping –The students evaluation –Report of employer consultations –Rating of each student, including their grade –Formal Training Agreement/Plan

More Assurances WEE shall be in compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and with Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations WEE shall be in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

A Final Word The District Superintendent should sign the application in the appropriate location The agenda item and the minutes for the Local Governing Board approval of the plan should be included with the application to the CDE Three copies of the application need to be submitted to the CDE.