Senate Democrats Launch California Middle Class Pipeline Project to Rebuild the Middle Class in the Golden State
SACRAMENTO – Today, with bipartisan support, the Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill 638, authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego). Last week, the California State Senate unveiled its Affordability Package, which includes Senator Padilla’s Senate Bill 638, which would create the California Middle Class Pipeline Project. Tasked with eliminating traditional barriers to career technical education and workforce development programs, the Pipeline Project would work with educational institutions and private industry to reimagine career technical education in the state, bringing it in line with the needs of the 21st century economy. The bill would also fund grants for workforce development programs in high-unemployment and low-income regions of the state.
The income gap between the wealthiest families and working class communities is widening in California and across the nation. According to a study by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), families at the top of the income distribution—the 90th percentile—earned 11 times more than families at the 10th percentile ($336,000 vs. $30,000, respectively). These widening disparities in income are attributed to many factors, but education level remains a key factor in an individuals earning power in the California economy. Similar studies suggest by 2030, one out of every three jobs in California will require some college but less than a bachelor’s degree and about 40% of jobs in California will require at least a bachelor’s degree. PPIC found that men with less education struggled to find stable careers in economic sectors constantly changing due to evolving technologies. One of the barrier for workers with lower educational attainment are existing barriers to technical education and apprenticeships that limit economic opportunities.
“Our state is at a critical juncture – more Californians need access to pathways that lead to quality jobs, but our system limits those without higher education when that opportunity isn’t in the cards for every family,” said Senator Padilla. “We cannot let allow our system itself to become a barrier to quality employment. We need to rethink our approach to economic opportunity and work to meet Californians where they are at.”
Career technical education (CTE) plays a critical role in connecting those without higher education degrees to high quality jobs paying living wages, but too often there are barriers preventing the communities that need these programs the most from accessing them. Senate Bill 638, a vital piece of the Affordability Package unveiled by Senate Democrats, would reimagine how the state supports and coordinates these programs.
“Too many Californians are economically stranded in low wage jobs and don’t have the means to acquire the skills necessary for high wage opportunities,” said Senator Padilla. “SB 638 will supercharge programs that connect people with good paying jobs, reimagine our career technical education system, and expand access to those programs to better prepare Californians for the 21st century economy.”
Senate Bill 638 would establish the California Middle Class Pipeline Project, a groundbreaking new collaboration between K-12 school districts, community colleges, and local industries to expand strong workforce opportunities across the state, including apprenticeship programs. Specifically, the program will focus on regional needs, including the demands of emerging industries such as information technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and the green economy. The Pipeline Project would streamline the state’s career education system to ensure that all relevant stakeholders—in both education and local business—work together to help connect Californians with the necessary supports and services they need to enter quality training programs.
In addition to the Middle Class Pipeline Project, SB 638 also creates grant opportunities in high-unemployment and low-income regions of the state by providing local educational agencies with funding to expand and develop programs that will provide Californians with the skills they need to access high quality employment.
SB 638 passed the Senate Education Committee by a bipartisan vote of 7-0. To learn more about the Senate Affordability Package, click here.
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Steve Padilla represents the 18th Senate District, which includes the communities of Chula Vista, the Coachella Valley, Imperial Beach, the Imperial Valley, National City, and San Diego. Prior to his election to the Senate in 2022, Senator Padilla was the first person of color ever elected to city office in Chula Vista, the first Latino Mayor, and the first openly LGBT person to serve or be elected to city office. Website of Senator Steve Padilla: https://sd18.senate.ca.gov/