Early and middle college high schools and programs.

Existing law provides for the establishment of early and middle college high schools. Existing law requires each middle college high school to be structured as a broad-based, comprehensive instructional program focusing on college preparatory and school-to-work curricula, among other things. Under existing law, pupils in early college high schools begin taking college courses as soon as they demonstrate readiness and the college credit earned may be applied toward completing an associate or bachelor's degree, transfer to a 4-year university, or obtaining a skills certificate. This bill would require each school district, county office of education, or charter school with a middle college high school or program or an early college high school or program to, beginning on or before August 1, 2026, and each August 1 thereafter, prepare and submit a report to the State Department of Education with specified information. The bill would require the department, on or before November 15, 2026, and each November 15 thereafter, to aggregate that reported information and submit a report of the information to the Legislature and the Department of Finance.