CA final budget invests in career pathways.

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California took a significant step forward toward building robust career pathways throughout the state. The fiscal year 2013-2014 budget provides:

• $25 million to support regional partnerships made up of community colleges, school districts, and other providers to develop plans that help adult learners move more seamlessly from basic education to postsecondary education programs.
• $250 million to fund a new one-time K-14 career pathways competitive grant program. Grants will support partnership-building among employers, educators, community-based providers, integrated learning programs, and educational pathways grounded in the needs of industries. 

The California EDGE Campaign has been instrumental in winning the $25 million for career pathways regional partnerships, and ensuring that funding for the K-14 pathways grant program requires alignment between K-12 schools and community colleges and supports the work of intermediary organizations to build regional partnerships between these schools, employers and other community partners.

The campaign began laying the groundwork for such a win several years ago by creating and staffing a legislative workforce policy group. The group consists of state legislators and staff who are educated by EDGE on proven policies to raise the skills of California's workforce in ways that also meet employers' needs. This work has resulted in several legislators emerging as champions of policies focused on adult education, career pathways, and sector partnerships. Namely, State Senator Ted Lieu has introduced legislation that instructs the state workforce investment board to create a statewide sectors strategy. The bill has cleared the Senate and is still moving through the state’s Assembly.

Read more about EDGE and this career pathways funding.

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