(a) The California Community Colleges and the State Department of Education shall collaborate with each other and with their respective local community colleges and local school districts to ensure the continued success of existing middle college high schools and to promote the establishment of new middle college high schools.

(b) The responsibilities of the California Community Colleges and the State Department of Education pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) With respect to existing middle college high schools, monitor the ongoing viability of the programs, assist with the resolution of policy or financial issues that may arise, and track specific outcomes for students and schools, including attendance rates, graduation rates, college entrance and attendance rates, and employment rates for those students who do not attend college.

(2) With respect to the promotion of new middle college high schools, respond to inquiries from school districts and community colleges about the establishment of middle college high schools, advise local entities on startup costs and ongoing funding mechanisms for the program, consult with local entities on the organizational structure of, and curriculum development for, the middle college high schools, facilitate the completion of any necessary facilities improvements, communicate with local entities at least biannually about the existence of middle college high schools and the availability of State Department of Education and California Community Colleges resources, if any, to assist with the establishment of middle college high schools.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 485, Sec. 44. Effective January 1, 1999.)