October Newsletter from Adult Education Advocates in the Montebello Community

C A L I F O R N I A

ADULT EDUCATION

A Newsletter on Adult Education in California

October 2014

SB 173 ADDS TO THE MIX ON CONSORTIA PLANNING

With significant amendments, Senator Carol Liu’s SB 173 passed the legislature and was approved by Governor Brown. As amended, its provisions add to the factors applicable to the present AB 86 work, calling for the following:

• Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) and the state Chancellor’s Office (CO)
to issue assessment and policy guidelines to be used for purposes of student placement in adult
education.

• Requires CDE and CO to issue policy recommendations to the legislature regarding a comprehensive accountability system for adult education.

• Requires CDE and CO to issue recommendations on adult education fees.

• Requires the CO, in conjunction with CDE, to annually report on courses and student
enrollments in adult education, and report on deficits in course offerings based on needs
identified by adult education consortia.

• Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the Academic Senate for California
Community Colleges to submit recommendations by July 1, 2016 on the reciprocity of adult
education instructors in K-12 districts and community colleges.

The good news is that with the enactment of SB 173, the legislature and Governor are affirming that the work of the adult education consortia is being taken seriously. SB 173 further affirms that a new adult education program will begin on July 1, 2015, and the continued work of the consortia will be needed to implement the AB 86 consortia plans. The added factor of the SB 173 accountability also will serve to inform state decision makers on the effectiveness of adult education!programs.

What to Do . . .

MULTIPLE APPROACHES NEEDED TO INFORM LEGISLATORS

As 2015 approaches and the state legislature and governor begin their work, it becomes critical that all state legislators are aware of what is at stake for adult education and that they get information on your programs and your AB 86 consortium work. One approach to informing legislators will not be enough.

Versions of the following are needed: Visits to local offices; Invitations for legislators to see your
programs and participate in your events; and Letters from staffs and students.

The current reality in the state legislature is that an increasing percentage of members comes from families that are much like those of students in adult education. The new President Pro Tem of the State Senate, Kevin de Leon, in his inaugural speech, praised his mother for overcoming significant barriers in raising her family. The support is there in the legislature, but members need the information to become fellow advocates for adult education.

Developed by Adult Education Advocates in the Montebello Community

The History of AB 86

Assembly Bill 86 was introduced on January 10, 2013 (http://openstates.org/ca/bills/20132014/AB86/)

The same day that Governor Brown announced his plan to shift adult education to the community college system:
http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2013-14/pdf/BudgetSummary/FullBudgetSummary.pdf
(see page 23)



"The governor’s budget proposal in January 2013 suggested housing all adult education in the community colleges. This met resistance from the adult education community, leading the governor, in his May Revision, to propose a new “regional consortia” system patterned on the LAO recommendation and now embodied in two pieces of legislation passed in July."
http://www.cft.org/contact-us/198-article/699-adult-education-new-regional-consortia-meld-state-programs.html

"Public outcry was huge in 2012 when Gov. Jerry Brown proposed shifting all adult education programs to community colleges within two years. Protest from faculty prompted the governor to relent. In a compromise move, he endorsed AB 86."
http://www.cta.org/Professional-Development/Publications/2014/03/March-2014-Educator/AdultSchool.aspx 

"Brown relented as part of a budget compromise, deciding instead that districts must keep their adult education programs afloat for the next two years while working with their local community colleges on a plan to streamline the courses by developing regional consortia to oversee the programs."
http://edsource.org/2013/older-adult-and-parent-ed-programs-left-out-of-adult-education-budget-compromise/36251#.VE7QYyLF9ra 

Governor’s Budget Summary – 2013-14

Adult Education and Apprenticeship Realignment

Currently, K‑12 school districts and community colleges are authorized to provide adult
education instruction. However, there is no statewide requirement or mechanism to
coordinate the efforts of these two systems. As a result, the state has an inefficient
and redundant system that is not always structured in the best interest of adult learners.
Further, funding for the K‑12 adult education program is currently flexible, available for any
educational purpose, and many districts are eliminating their programs and redirecting this
funding to support their core instructional programs.

To create a more accountable and centralized adult education learning structure,
the Budget proposes $315.7 million Proposition 98 General Fund to fund a comparable
K‑12 adult education service delivery system. It proposes an increase of $300 million
to support the program within the community colleges. It also shifts $15.7 million for
the Apprenticeship Program. The proposal eliminates the current bifurcated system and
places the community colleges in a position to improve coordination at the regional and
statewide levels. Community colleges are better positioned than K‑12 schools to address
the needs of adult learners because that is their core function. Funding will be allocated
from a new adult education block grant based on the number of students served, and the
colleges will be encouraged to leverage the capacity and expertise currently available at
the K‑12 district adult schools. Additional detail on this proposal is discussed in the Higher
Education Chapter.Governor’s Budget Summary – 2013-14

http://www.ebudget.ca.gov/2013-14/pdf/BudgetSummary/Kthru12Education.pdf

September Newsletter from Adult Education Advocates in the Montebello Community

C  A  L  I  F  O  R  N  I  A

ADULT EDUCATION

A Newsletter on Adult Education in California

September 2014

DELIBERATIONS ON ADULT EDUCATION TRIGGER MAJOR ISSUES:

As the upcoming legislative session gets closer, major adult education issues are surfacing that require thoughtful analysis. The following are offered for initial review, and this is offered with the thought that others may also surface.

Level of 2015-16 Funding for Adult Education:

Prior to the 2009 flexibility authority, K-12 adult education received over $750 million that was restricted to the program. Since flexibility, about half of the funds have been swept for other district purposes. Now a critical question is what would be the right amount for 2015-16.

Seventy AB 86 regional adult education consortia are presently analyzing the need for adult education programs. The consortia work should result in a funding request in excess of any past amounts.  The AB 86 documents indicating statewide figures for adult education substantiates the need.  As examples, in California 7,322,792 adults lack a high school diploma and 15,728, 547 are classified as English learners. Assigning one adult education A.D.A. to each English learner would amount to over $37 billion.

2015-16 Funding from the State to the Local District:

Once an amount is determined, the next issue is how will the funds get to the local district. Should the funds go directly to the district or should they go to a consortium to be distributed to each district. K-12 adult education advocates prefer that the funds go straight to the district because of the following:

• Avoids another level of bureaucracy
• Keeps the adult education connected to the district and allows it to serve the needs of parents and credit recovery for high school students
• Avoids conflicts with facility usage

Consortium Continuation, Parenting, Older Adults, and Closed Programs:

A number of other issues will need to be explored further within the context of a new adult education program.  Consortia participants need to analyze the consortia in terms of  how the work needs to continue with state support.  Districts and consortia need to advise on whether parenting and older adults programs have a future role in the program. Another topic that needs to be included is what should be done about district programs that were eliminated during flexibility.

WHAT TO DO? . . .

Visit your local legislators and their staffs, and also invite them to your programs. Inform them about your consortium activities and the great potential for increasing educational opportunities for adults.

Developed by Adult Education Advocates in the Montebello Community