The Senator Reports

July 2nd, 2009

The Reality of Career-Technical Education
By Senator Mark Wyland

It's unfortunate that career-technical education (CTE) is often perceived as an outdated method of educating students. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, the current California Education Code states that schools must prepare students for both college and a career, making CTE a relevant and modern way to help students succeed.

I'm proud to co-author Senate Bill 381 with Senator Rod Wright (D-Los Angeles), that would maintain this balance by ensuring that when districts adopt a new graduation requirement that leads kids toward college, it simultaneously adopts an alternative graduation requirement that supports students who want to enter the workforce.

Facing a 30% high school drop-out rate, California cannot continue failing kids by not providing alternatives that would enable more students to graduate and keep them out of prison, which is where we find far too many high school drop-outs. Opening up alternative graduation requirements will undoubtedly help students achieve personal success-whether in college or the workforce.

Senator Mark Wyland represents the people of the 38th Senate District, which includes cities in north San Diego County and the south Orange County cities of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

Senator Mark Wyland
1910 Palomar Point Way, Suite 105
Carlsbad, California 92008
760.931.2455 Office
email: senator.wyland@sen.ca.gov

Tri-City Medical Center Gets Extension on Seismic Safety
By Assemblyman Martin Garrick

I am pleased to report Tri-City Medical Center, which services Carlsbad, Vista and Oceanside, recently received good news from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) that would allow the hospital the extra time it needs to comply with seismic safety mandates. After Assembly Bill 411, which I authored specific to the seismic issues facing Tri-City unanimously passed out of the Assembly, I continued to work with hospital stakeholders, OSHPD and local city officials. This week, after engineering tests confirmed its structural integrity, we successfully obtained regulatory approval adjusting the deadline for seismic safety compliance from 2013 to 2030. This decision provides immediate relief to a fast approaching deadline and possible forced closure. It just makes sense that state agencies would work with Tri-City instead of closing them down and I am proud I was able to play a role in this decision. Ultimately, it encourages Tri-City to comply by 2030 and doesn't risk the medical needs of our community.

Assemblyman Martin Garrick serves the communities of Carlsbad, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe, San Marcos, Vista, and portions of San Diego, Escondido and Oceanside as the Assemblyman for the 74th District.