Congratulations to all Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) who qualified for the Golden State Pathways Program (GSPP). The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Career Technical Education (CTE) Unit is committed to providing the highest caliber of support and professional development to the Los Angeles Region. LACOE CTE is honored to be entrusted as the Regional Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) for Los Angeles County. With the prosperity of our students at the forefront, LACOE as the RTAC is planning focused convenings, trainings and workshops for LEA Grantees guided by GSPP framework and essential elements to support planning implementation and advancement of high-quality pathways. We aim to be your destination for best practices, toolkits and innovative resources.   

• • Support LEAs with the continuous improvement of their Golden State Pathways.
  • Leverage evidence-based frameworks, such as the linked learning framework, to provide assistance to grantees.
  • Support prospective applicants and grantees with feedback regarding the development of their planned application, implementation, and continuous improvement of their GSPP. This support extends to other CTE programs, courses, and pathways that have been integrated with, or that have been aligned with, the GSPP.
  • Create a community of practice network that enables grantees to share best practices with other grantees and other interested LEAs.
  • Assist grant recipients with data collection and reporting.

1. 1. Promote pathways in high-wage, high-skill, high-growth areas, including, but not limited to, technology, health care, education, including early education and child development, and climate-related fields that allow pupils to advance seamlessly from high school to college and career and, provide the workforce needed for economic growth.
   2. Encourage collaboration between LEAs, institutions of higher education, local and regional employers, and other relevant community interest holders to develop, or expand the availability of, innovative college and career pathways that simultaneously align with an LEA’s local or regional labor market needs.
   3. Enable more pupils to access postsecondary education opportunities and workforce training opportunities, or to obtain gainful employment in an industry that simultaneously aligns with local, regional, or state labor market needs.
   4. Support the continued development of a skilled and educated workforce, with an emphasis on addressing areas of acute statewide need, such as developing a diverse workforce to meet the need for professional and learning support positions in childcare settings, preschools, and schools maintaining prekindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

In 2022, the California legislature passed the Golden State Pathways Program Grant Act (California Education Code 53020–53025)Links to an external site.

The Golden State Pathways Program (GSPP) provides funding to seamlessly link kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) education, postsecondary education, and careers in high-wage, high-skill, high-growth industry sectors.

To qualify for funding under GSPP, pathways must offer the following elements for all students:

• • An integrated sequence of rigorous coursework that includes the full A-G course sequence, at least 12 postsecondary credits, career technical education (CTE) coursework, and an additional element of California’s College/Career Indicator (CCI);
  • Work-based learning (WBL), with an emphasis on internships and apprenticeships; and
  • Comprehensive student supports.

Additionally, local educational agencies (LEAs) must meet the following pathways-level requirements. All pathways must:

• • Align to high-wage, high-skill, or high-growth (HWSG) jobs in their regional economy or the state economy;
  • Provide articulated pathways from high school to postsecondary education and training that are aligned with the workforce development needs of their regional economy;
  • Collaborate with other LEAs, institutions of higher education, local and regional employers, and other relevant community interest holders; and
  • Leverage available resources or in-kind contributions from public, private, and philanthropic sources to sustain their ongoing operation.

1. 1. Integrated Program of Study
   2. Work-based Learning
   3. Integrated Student Supports
   4. Regional Ecosystem
   5. Coherence & Sustainability