Sunday, May 27, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
There is an important discussion going on about the future of Adult Education. Does Adult Education belong and fit into the mission and goals of local K-12 school districts, or should the money go to the Community Colleges? What are the implications of shifting the funds to colleges? Will the students follow the trail, and can they access that system? We are interested in hearing your thoughts.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Weighted Student Formula Eliminates Adult Education
The major school finance reform of the year continues to be
the Governor’s proposal for changing the manner in which school districts are
funded. The proposal would collapse all categoricals into one funding pot. It
needs to be clear to all that Adult Education would be subsumed in the
per-pupil funding to school districts. This is the extreme version of categorical
flexibility, and it is devastating to Adult Education.
Without any evident and strong opposition to the formula, it
appears that the Governor’s proposal will be enacted during this 2012
legislative session.
Weighted Student Formula Supersedes Categorical Flexibility
Categorical flexibility is due to end in 2015. Should the
weighted student formula proposal be enacted, it would take precedence over the
end date, thereby creating a “super” version of categorical flexibility, which
would lead to the further elimination of Adult Education programs throughout
the state.
Continued Lack of Specific Data on Cuts to Adult Education
Without any requirement for the state to collect data, the
challenge has been to gather accurate numbers on the funds being swept at the
local level due to categorical flexibility. Recognizing this void and the
importance of collecting this data, Montebello Adult School initiated a
self-reported survey to obtain information on program cuts resulting from
flexibility. Their regularly updated
survey of over 160 programs indicates that at least 60% of Adult Education
funds have been swept for other purposes.
Nothing to Backfill Loss of Adult Education
As cuts are made to Adult Education, nothing has been
proposed at the state level to address the educational needs of an adult
population that includes 5.4 million individuals without a diploma or GED.
Meanwhile, the economy of California is dependent on this population advancing
to both post secondary education and workforce development.
Major Issues Affecting the Education of Adults can be addressed by:
- Removing Adult Education from categorical flexibility, and
- Removing Adult Education from the proposed weighted student formula.
Contact local and State Legislators and advocate for the above, and support our professional organization, CCAE (California Council for Adult Education).
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Charles
A. Young who lived at 666 Cragmont Ave. in 1940 enrolled at Berkeley Night
Trade School. He was a member of the first astronomy class making large
telescopes. When he died in 1968 the Cassegrainian-Gregorian telescope that he
had built was donated to a school in Berkeley. The observatory is still a part
of the Berkeley hills skyline, but who knows where the telescope is?
Thursday, May 10, 2012
We are calling on students, staff, friends, community partners, and anyone who would like to see Adult Education continue and not go away. Join with the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) as we fight to keep funding in adult education in California.
It's easy to get involved and make a difference. It's free and there are no strings attached.
Please promote sign up through as many people as possible in your sections and chapters.
As of May 10, 2012, we have over 492 supporters! Keep spreading the word!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
If you like Berkeley Adult School, please join the fight to save Adult Education. Complete this quick simple survey NOW https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SupportAdultEdinCA
The starship Enterprise was a metaphor starship Earth, and the vision was that the strength of this starship lay in its diversity.--GEORGE TAKEI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQAmQYc2X6A&feature=share
The starship Enterprise was a metaphor starship Earth, and the vision was that the strength of this starship lay in its diversity.--GEORGE TAKEI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQAmQYc2X6A&feature=share
Both my mother and my father went to Adult School and graduated from High School. All of their children went to college and graduated.--Edward James Olmos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnY7hmYNMAw&noredirect=1
CCAE STRONGLY OPPOSES the Governor's Weighted Student Formula. We need your immediate assistance! Please submit your letter of opposition today! (sample attached)
As you may know, the Governor's proposed Weighted Student Formula (WSF) would consolidate most categorical programs and would no longer provide funding for adult education as it would all be consolidated and provided to districts on a weighted basis for K-12 students only. This ultimately leaves adults in need of basic skills, GEDs, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, short-term career technical training, and more without any options. The populations most affected by this will be underserved and disadvantaged adults who are in desperate need of these services.
With the Governor set to release his May Revise Monday, May 14th and the Legislature gearing up to make decisions related to the future of adult education as it relates to the WF budget proposal, the next few weeks will be critical to sustaining adult education in California. It is essential that our voices be heard in Sacramento .
OPPOSITION LETTERS - SEND IMMEDIATELY!
Please mail, email, and fax letters to your Assembly and Senate Representatives urging them to oppose the Governor's Weighted Student Formula and to protect adult education. In addition to sending letters, please place calls and schedule meetings (member or staff) to discuss the importance of protecting adult education and our opposition to the Governor's proposed budget plan. Please ask your staff, family, friends, students and more to also send letters and place calls. Additionally, the following members are members of the various ethnic caucuses who have long been champions for adult education and those that rely on our programs and services. For those of you within the following members' districts, CCAE encourages you to double your efforts.
Identify Your Legislators (Senate & Assembly)
See http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/
***Important to note that in order to find "your" legislators (Senate & Assembly), you must enter your HOME address. (This information will not be collected or retained; it is just purely to correctly identify who your representatives are based on your voting address.)
Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
Assemblymember Warren Furutani, Chair
Assemblymember Mary Hayashi
Assemblymember Mike Eng
Assemblymember Paul Fong
Senator Ted Lieu
Senator Carol Liu
Assemblymember Fiona Ma
Assemblymember Richard Pan
Assemblymember Mariko Yamada
Assemblymember Das Williams
Legislative Black Caucus
Senator Curren Price, Chair Assemblymember Mike Davis
Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter
Assemblymember Holly Mitchell
Assemblymember Isadore Hall
Assemblymember Steven C. Bradford
Assemblymember Sandre Swanson
Senator Rod Wright
Latino Legislative Caucus
Assemblymember Ricardo Lara, Chair
Assemblymember Luis Alejo
Assemblymember Michael Allen
Assemblymember Charles Calderón
Senator Ron Calderon, Vice Chair
Assemblymember Nora Campos
Senator Lou Correa
Assemblymember Gilbert Cedillo
Senator Kevin De León
Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes
Senator Ed Hernández
Assemblymember Roger Hernández
Assemblymember Ben Hueso
Assemblymember Tony Mendoza,
Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod
Senator Alex Padilla
Assemblymember Henry T. Perea
Assemblymember John A. Pérez
Assemblymember V. Manuel Pérez
Senator Michael J. Rubio
Assemblymember Jose Solorio
Assemblymember Norma J. Torres
Senator Juan Vargas
CCAE's Legislative Advocate has prepared a sample letter for ease of use (attached). We encourage you to personalize the letter with your district-specific impacts and perspectives. A copy will also be downloadable from the website very shortly. Be sure to copy membership@ccaestate.org or fax a copy to 866-941-5129 so we may present hard copies while lobbying the issue.
We greatly appreciate your help generating as many letters, calls, and meetings as possible. In order to prevent the passage of this harmful proposal that will ensure the elimination of adult education in California, it is critical that you take action and fast! Thank you for your time and assistance on this important matter. Be sure to let as many people as possible know about the option to join the fight to keep funding in adult education. Click here for more details <http://ccaestate.org/> .
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!
As you may know, the Governor's proposed Weighted Student Formula (WSF) would consolidate most categorical programs and would no longer provide funding for adult education as it would all be consolidated and provided to districts on a weighted basis for K-12 students only. This ultimately leaves adults in need of basic skills, GEDs, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, short-term career technical training, and more without any options. The populations most affected by this will be underserved and disadvantaged adults who are in desperate need of these services.
With the Governor set to release his May Revise Monday, May 14th and the Legislature gearing up to make decisions related to the future of adult education as it relates to the WF budget proposal, the next few weeks will be critical to sustaining adult education in California. It is essential that our voices be heard in Sacramento .
OPPOSITION LETTERS - SEND IMMEDIATELY!
Please mail, email, and fax letters to your Assembly and Senate Representatives urging them to oppose the Governor's Weighted Student Formula and to protect adult education. In addition to sending letters, please place calls and schedule meetings (member or staff) to discuss the importance of protecting adult education and our opposition to the Governor's proposed budget plan. Please ask your staff, family, friends, students and more to also send letters and place calls. Additionally, the following members are members of the various ethnic caucuses who have long been champions for adult education and those that rely on our programs and services. For those of you within the following members' districts, CCAE encourages you to double your efforts.
Identify Your Legislators (Senate & Assembly)
See http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/
***Important to note that in order to find "your" legislators (Senate & Assembly), you must enter your HOME address. (This information will not be collected or retained; it is just purely to correctly identify who your representatives are based on your voting address.)
Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
Assemblymember Warren Furutani, Chair
Assemblymember Mary Hayashi
Assemblymember Mike Eng
Assemblymember Paul Fong
Senator Ted Lieu
Senator Carol Liu
Assemblymember Fiona Ma
Assemblymember Richard Pan
Assemblymember Mariko Yamada
Assemblymember Das Williams
Legislative Black Caucus
Senator Curren Price, Chair Assemblymember Mike Davis
Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter
Assemblymember Holly Mitchell
Assemblymember Isadore Hall
Assemblymember Steven C. Bradford
Assemblymember Sandre Swanson
Senator Rod Wright
Latino Legislative Caucus
Assemblymember Ricardo Lara, Chair
Assemblymember Luis Alejo
Assemblymember Michael Allen
Assemblymember Charles Calderón
Senator Ron Calderon, Vice Chair
Assemblymember Nora Campos
Senator Lou Correa
Assemblymember Gilbert Cedillo
Senator Kevin De León
Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes
Senator Ed Hernández
Assemblymember Roger Hernández
Assemblymember Ben Hueso
Assemblymember Tony Mendoza,
Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod
Senator Alex Padilla
Assemblymember Henry T. Perea
Assemblymember John A. Pérez
Assemblymember V. Manuel Pérez
Senator Michael J. Rubio
Assemblymember Jose Solorio
Assemblymember Norma J. Torres
Senator Juan Vargas
CCAE's Legislative Advocate has prepared a sample letter for ease of use (attached). We encourage you to personalize the letter with your district-specific impacts and perspectives. A copy will also be downloadable from the website very shortly. Be sure to copy membership@ccaestate.org or fax a copy to 866-941-5129 so we may present hard copies while lobbying the issue.
We greatly appreciate your help generating as many letters, calls, and meetings as possible. In order to prevent the passage of this harmful proposal that will ensure the elimination of adult education in California, it is critical that you take action and fast! Thank you for your time and assistance on this important matter. Be sure to let as many people as possible know about the option to join the fight to keep funding in adult education. Click here for more details <http://ccaestate.org/> .
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!
Friday, May 4, 2012
WASC Visiting Committee Report
Our WASC Accreditation process is now complete, and the Visiting Committee's report is available on our website at: http://bas.berkeley.net/PDFs/WASC-BerkeleyFinal.pdf
Thanks to our entire staff for their participation, and to the Visiting Committee for their review and findings. We are confident and hopeful for a renewed 6 year term.
Thanks to our entire staff for their participation, and to the Visiting Committee for their review and findings. We are confident and hopeful for a renewed 6 year term.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)