KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to California

SB-343 • 2026

Career technical education: high school graduation requirements: apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs.

Career technical education: high school graduation requirements: apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Grayson
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how schools will implement or enforce changes related to apprenticeships and preapprenticeships.

Career Technical Education: High School Graduation Requirements

This legislation allows high school students to use certain apprenticeship or preapprenticeship programs to meet some of their graduation requirements and provides a waiver for specific career technical education credentials.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows schools to count successful completion of approved apprenticeship or preapprenticeship programs towards the visual or performing arts, foreign language, or career technical education requirement needed for high school graduation if these programs are either approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards or registered with the U.S. Department of Labor.
  • Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to grant a waiver from certain teaching credential requirements if an individual has industry-recognized certification in specific trades designated by the commission.

Who It Names or Affects

  • High school students participating in apprenticeship or preapprenticeship programs.
  • Teachers seeking career technical education teaching credentials.

Terms To Know

Apprenticeship
A program where a person learns a skilled trade through on-the-job training and classroom instruction.
Preapprenticeship
A preparatory program that helps individuals prepare for an apprenticeship by providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how schools will implement or enforce these changes.
  • It is unclear what specific trades will be eligible for teacher credential waivers until the Commission on Teacher Credentialing develops its list.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2026-01-05 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ED.

  3. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on ED.

  4. 2025-02-13 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 15.

  5. 2025-02-12 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 343, as amended, Grayson.
Designated subjects career technical education teaching credentials: waiver.
Career technical education: high school graduation requirements: apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs.
Existing law requires a pupil to complete designated coursework while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school. The coursework requirements include, among others, the completion of one course in visual or performing arts, foreign language, or career technical education.
Existing law establishes the Division of Apprenticeship Standards within the Department of Industrial Relations and requires the division, among other things, to evaluate apprenticeship and preapprenticeship programs to ensure that the program evaluated is complying with its standard, as specified.
This bill would authorize school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to deem a pupil who successfully completes coursework provided in an apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program to have fulfilled, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school, the one course in visual or performing arts, foreign language, or career technical education requirement if the apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program meets specified requirements, including, among others, that it is approved by the division or registered with the United States Department of Labor.
Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to, among other things, establish standards for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits, as specified. Existing law imposes minimum requirements for a preliminary multiple subject, single subject, or education specialist teaching credential. Existing law specifies minimum requirements for the 3-year preliminary designated subjects career technical education teaching credential and the 5-year clear designated subjects career technical education teaching credential.
This bill would require the commission to grant a waiver from the minimum requirements for the 3-year preliminary designated subjects career technical education teaching credential and the 5-year clear designated subjects career technical education teaching credential to an individual meeting
prescribed requirements, including, among other things, having a valid industry-recognized certification in a trade designated by the commission. The bill would require the commission to develop and maintain a list of designated trades eligible for the waiver, as provided.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF