AB 2324
Vocational education: youth caregivers.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Chaptered
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Sign in to record your position, submit testimony, or contact your legislator.
Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill creates a Youth Caregiver Support and Career Pathway program to recognize and support young people who provide care for family members. It requires the state to develop curriculum and guidance for a career pathway focused on in-home caregiving and direct support professions, with a particular emphasis on youth caregivers supporting household family members. The program will include training, credits for caregiving, and collaboration with various state agencies and organizations to address the unique needs of these young individuals.
Key provisions
- Requires the Governor’s Council for Career Education to assess youth caregiver needs and recommend workplace learning strategies.
- Mandates the creation of a Youth Caregivers Career Pathway program within the Personal Care and Services career pathway.
- Requires the California Workforce Pathways Joint Advisory Committee (CWPJAC) to appoint an advisory group of subject matter experts.
- Calls for the inclusion of in-home caregiving and credits for caregiving towards high school graduation in the program curriculum.
- Directs the California Department of Education to consider adding content on youth caregivers within the Personal Care and Services career pathway.
- Authorizes work-based learning opportunities within the family home.
- Requires consultation with relevant state departments and organizations to ensure program effectiveness.
- Establishes a definition of ‘youth caregiver’ for the purpose of the program.
Who is affected
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
Reasons to oppose this legislation.
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yoursRead the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
AB2324:v95#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
Assembly Bill No. 2324
CHAPTER 95
An act to add Section 12053.5 to the Education Code, relating to vocational education.
[ Approved by Governor July 16, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State July 16, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2324, Jeff Gonzalez. Vocational education: youth caregivers.
Existing law authorizes school districts that maintain high schools to establish work experience programs for the purpose of providing pupils with instruction in skills, attitudes, and understandings necessary for success in employment. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to coordinate the development, on a cyclical basis, of model curriculum standards for required courses of study, including a career technical education course of study for pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, as specified.
This bill would, at the next revision of the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards, require the State Department of Education to consider adding content on the role of youth caregivers within the Personal Care and Services career pathway, as provided. The bill would require, by July 1, 2028, the department to provide guidance for the implementation of the Personal Care and Services career pathway, and would explicitly authorize certain types of guidance, including (1) a focus on skills specific to Personal Care and Services occupations, including, but not limited to, in-home caregiving for youth caregivers supporting household family members, and (2) eligibility for youth caregivers caring for a family member in the family member’s home for credits through work experience education programs, as provided.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Family caregivers play an essential role in ensuring the health and safety of millions of Californians, including older adults and those with developmental, physical, or mental health disabilities.
(b) According to The Century Foundation and Caring Across Generations, there are an estimated 4,400,000 Californians providing unpaid care to family members with a monetary value of $81,000,000,000.
(c) The Legislature acknowledges that while caregiving can be personally satisfying, culturally necessary, and a natural part of the human condition, it can also be emotionally, physically, and financially challenging.
(d) Most public policy to support caregivers has centered on adult caregivers, but youth caregivers have been largely ignored in the United States and California.
(e) California’s home- and community-based services are bolstered by hundreds of thousands of youth caregivers who experience many of the challenges of adult caregivers but may also need additional assistance with their academic, social, and career development.
(f) While some youth caregivers thrive with a sense of purpose and advanced maturity, many others experience isolation from peers, depression, and resentment.
(g) Youth caregivers represent 22 percent of the nation’s high school dropouts, making it difficult to get a job or go to college.
(h) Youth caregivers from non-White households are disproportionately impacted, experiencing heavier workloads, increased anxiety, antisocial behavioral reactions, mood swings, and feelings of helplessness.
(i) Youth caregivers report feeling sad or depressed at least once per day at rates much higher than noncaregiver youth.
(j) California is experiencing a workforce shortage in direct support professionals in health and human services and is not keeping pace with the needs of people with disabilities or aging adults.
SEC. 2.
Section 12053.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:
12053.5.
(a) For purposes of this section, “youth caregiver” is defined as a child or youth of an age typical of a pupil in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, who provides help or care to any person who has an ongoing health problem or chronic illness, or who is elderly, frail, disabled, or mentally ill.
(b) (1) At the next revision of the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards, the department, in consultation with the Standards Development Committees established to update the Healthcare and Human Services Career Cluster, shall consider adding content on the role of youth caregivers within the Personal Care and Services career pathway.
(2) By July 1, 2028, the department, in consultation with the Standards Development Committees and relevant departments, agencies, and nonprofit organizations, shall provide guidance for the implementation of the Personal Care and Services career pathway that may include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(A) A focus on skills specific to Personal Care and Services occupations, including, but not limited to, in-home caregiving for youth caregivers supporting household family members.
(B) The training and content local educational agencies may provide in courses within the Personal Care and Services career pathway, including, but not limited to, the principles of Home and Community-Based Services Waivers, and other principles and practices of the direct support profession relevant to the care and support of people with developmental, mental health, and physical disabilities, and the needs of older adults.
(C) The need to consider youth caregivers’ risk factors in caring for family members, such as mental and emotional health, social development, academic and educational attainment, physical health, and other areas impacting the youth caregiver, and the provision of necessary referrals for support services to address identified challenges.
(D) A work-based learning strategy included in the work experience education district plan pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 51760) of Chapter 5 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 that may consider the family home a viable location for work-based learning within the Personal Care and Services career pathway.
(E) Eligibility for youth caregivers caring for a family member in the family member’s home for credits through work experience education pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 51760) of Chapter 5 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 for credits for providing that care.