Some noteworthy news here. I've been doing most of my web-posting on the fly, on our school's Facebook page. Please visit that page for more, and mostly student-centered posts and info. https://www.facebook.com/Berkeley.Adult.School

Firstly, the long process of the Adult Education State Plan, aka Linking Adults to Opportunity: Transformation of the California Adult Education Program has now been distilled into an Implementation Guide that the Dept. of Education/Adult Ed Office is pushing is located here...http://www.otan.us/strategicPlanning/index.html. We in the field are reading over the Implementation Guide and discussing the actions that we already do and how to hold the CDE accountable for their part. If you are an Adult Education stakeholder, I strongly encourage you to read this document, and share your thoughts with the folks that matter: CDE/AEO, CCAE, CAEAA and ACSA.

Secondly, here is the content of a recent newsletter from our professional organizations, CCAE, CAEAA and ACSA.

CALIFORNIA

ADULT EDUCATION

A Newsletter on Adult Education in California September 2012

Proposition 30 Leads Narrowly in Polls

The crucial measure for supporting California’s public education continues to show a narrow lead in most recent polls. Passage of the “30” is necessary to avoid mid-year cuts to public education in the state. The present 2012-13 state budget is premised on Proposition 30 passing. The budget also has the trigger mechanism that requires immediate cuts amounting to over $5 billion to education should the measure be unsuccessful.

Assembly Bill 18 Vetoed So Now the Weighted Student Formula

Governor Brown vetoed the measure calling for a commission to study how to reform school finance. AB 18 by Assembly member Julia Brownley asked for a 21-member commission to present recommendations after analyzing the Governor’s proposed Weighted Student Formula and Brownley’s block granting approaches. Both proposals call for collapsing categorical programs and providing more streamlined funding without the specificity of categorical programs. Adult Education is the third largest categorical program, and it would have been part of the discussions. Prior to it being converted into a study bill, AB 18 specified which categorical programs would be collapsed into which block grants. In that version of AB 18, Adult Education would have been allowed to continue as an autonomous program. Governor Brown vetoed the bill, his message stating that the AB 18 study would have delayed the legislature acting on his Weighted Student Formula.

California Needs Adult Education Because…

·         More than 1.2 million California residents of labor-force age are unemployed.

·         One out of five adults over the age of 18 does not have a high school diploma.

What to Do………

Continue to focus on generating support and getting out the vote for Proposition 30. Without 30, Adult Education programs can expect major cuts. The Governor’s proposed budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year will be released on January 10th, and predictably it will have the Weighted Student Formula as an element. An exploration of the options and impact on Adult Education programs would be valuable. 

Lastly, please do what you can to get out the vote, and support Prop. 30 above all choices.

Legislative update from our professional organizations

California Adult Education Administrator Association (CAEAA)

California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) 

Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)

 

AB 18 WOULD DETERMINE ADULT EDUCATION’S FUTURE

Assembly Bill 18 (Brownley) was completely amended on June 19, 2012 to establish the California School Finance Commission to recommend alternative methods for funding K-12 education. This commission would review school finance reforms as proposed in AB 18 and the Governor’s Weighted Student Formula. Both proposals sought to collapse most categorical programs into a per pupil general funding model without restrictions. Prior to amending, AB 18 designated Adult Education as a separate stand-alone program with its own funding stream.

AB 18 stipulates that the commission work is to be done during the one month of January 2013. This means that its 13 members would need to be identified by January, and preliminary work would have to be done before convening the group. The commission appointments shall consist of the following:

• Six members by the Governor
• Three members by the Assembly Speaker
• Three members by the Senate Rules Committee
• The State Superintendent, or his/her designee, as chair

The recommendations emanating from this commission’s work could determine whether Adult Education funds remains flexible or is a separate program.

THOSE WHO COUNT ON ADULT EDUCATION

As funding formulas are reviewed it is important to state the value of Adult Education in meeting California’s needs:

• High School Diploma and GED: California adult population includes 5.3 million adults without a high school diploma or GED.
• Immigrants: Immigrants lacking a high school diploma or GED are 15 % less likely to become naturalized citizens.
• Post secondary Preparation: Twenty-seven percent of those aged 18-44 is unprepared academically for college or middle skill jobs.
• Education and Crime: High school dropouts are 5 to 8 times more likely to be incarcerated.

WHAT TO DO

The focus needs to be two-fold: Push for the passage of the revenue initiatives, Proposition 30 to prevent further cuts; and make sure that the AB 18 Commission recognizes the value of Adult Education by presenting a recommendation to continue its funding as a unique and stand alone program.

GOOD NEWS


The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has granted Berkeley Adult School a full six-year accreditation term, with a midterm review, expiring June 30, 2018.


This action was taken after a careful study of the Visiting Committee Report which noted many laudable aspects of our school. 


Thanks to the Visiting Committee, WASC and especially to the Berkeley Adult School staff and stakeholders, who made our continued accreditation possible. Conducting the in-depth self-study and preparing for the Visiting Committee required a tremendous effort. Maintaining and effective quality program for students in the face of today's challenges is a truly commendable feat. 


The full Berkeley Adult School Self-Study report and the Visiting Committee's Report may be found on our school website, http://bas.berkeley.net/

The Fall 2012 catalog is now available on our website: http://bas.berkeley.net/

I'll continue to posts relevant information here, and remember to check other student-friendly posts on the Berkeley Adult School Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Berkeley.Adult.School

The Council for the Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) has posted several reports relating to Adult Education, and here is a summary: 

On July 25th, CAAL released In A Time of Scarce Resources: Near Term Priorities in Adult Education, a 34-page publication by Forrest Chisman and Gail Spangenberg.

CAAL does not advocate any particular measures in Scarce Resources, but presents a summary, analysis, and discussion of responses submitted by more than two dozen invited adult education leaders in relation to 11 questions posed late last year.  A main purpose of the paper is to motivate adult education planners, service providers, and policymakers to recognize the need to focus on highest priority next steps to take in this period of extreme funding constraints.  A second goal is to provide a context and point of departure for further discussions at all levels. 

Survey respondents were in close agreement in four major areas, each treated in the main part of the report:  the need to adopt more high intensity-managed enrollment instructional models, the need for much more professional development (despite cost considerations), the high importance of extending outreach and achieving economies of scale through more extensive use of technology (especially computers, blended models of distance learning, and the social media), and possibilities for creative funding.  A second section of the paper discusses a menu of ideas offered by the respondents in many other content areas.  While these do not necessarily indicate clear directional preferences, most deserve deeper consideration.  A major topic discussed in this latter section is whether core curriculum standards should be aligned to the GED. 

The authors note that "state and local circumstances will necessarily influence whether, when, and to what extent adult educators can adopt the specific suggestions offered."   But they stress that we can achieve a great deal, despite stagnant funding, if we set priorities and are all traveling in the same direction toward a comprehensive shared vision for the future.

Click HERE to obtain a copy of the report. 

OTHER NEWS & REPORTS   News from CLASP --  (1) Sinking or Swimming: Findings from a Survey of State Adult Education Tuition and Financing Policies is a 28-page paper, full of tables and figures, prepared in cooperation with the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education, June 2012, by Marcie Foster with Lennox McLendon.  Among the findings are that nonfederal support amounts to about $1.30 for every $1.00 of federal funds, that states distribute federal and state funding in significantly different ways, and that without state funding support students' costs for taking the new GED are likely to increase.  (2) CLASP is partnering with 10 states in new alliances to define "quality career pathways."   The effort, called the Alliance for Quality Career Pathways, aims to create a framework of benchmarks and measures of success for national use.  States making up the Alliance are Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Let's Get Serious About Our Nation's Human Capital: A Plan to Reform the U.S. Workforce Training System, June 2012, by Stephen Steigleder and Louis Soares has been released by the Center for American Progress (CAP).  This visionary 70-page paper, citing the work of the National Commission on Adult Literacy and other recent evidence, gives a candid assessment of our current workforce development system and offers a comprehensive plan to reform the system to better meet national needs.  CAP would combine/streamline more than 20 federal workforce programs, including the Adult Education program, into two agencies.  It also proposes a Workforce Investment Bank funded at about $10 billion annually. In June, EdSource put out a short 13-page report titled At Risk: Adult Schools in California.  It documents the damage done to adult education in the state since the draconian cuts made in the past year or so, and explores ways to keep the adult schools open.  The Conclusion section notes that grassroots support to keep adult education programs going has been growing throughout the state.  The California Council for Adult Education has launched a related campaign to encourage former adult education students to speak out in the fight to preserve a strong adult education system in the state.  California Reports did a radio feature in early July on the crisis facing adult education there.    Competency-Based Degree Programs in the U.S. is a new report by the Council for Advancement of Experiential Learning (CAEL). It examines the state of competency-based degree programs in postsecondary institutions and provides illustrative examples of some programs for those that want to move in this direction. The report aims to encourage colleges that make student learning and performance measures more relevant in the interest of increasing readiness for work.  The GED Testing Service has made available the "2014 GED Test Item Samplers" to introduce adult educators to examples of content and test items that will appear on the new test.  To access the "samplers" and a recorded tour of them, and to get periodic accurate updates on 2014 GED testing developments, go to www.GEDtestingservice.com/assessment. Two Joyce Foundation partners have received U.S. Department of Labor grants totaling $15 million to support their work in developing innovative services to help those in Chicago and Illlinois return to work.  In both cases -- the Chicago-Cook Workforce Partnership  and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity -- partnerships with specific employers or sectors are key elements.   ACT has launched its "Tomorrow's Workforce Now" program in which test and set-up fees will be waived while colleges, employers, and others are introduced to its National Certified Work Ready Community program.  Eligible employers are those that "can bring up to 20 employers with up to 20 employees each to the table for a 'taste' of what the program offers--with the possibility of maximum fee waivers of $15,805.  Applications to participate in the program can be submitted until December 31, 2012.  For more information or to enroll, contact John Nelson, State Program  Manager, ACT Work Readiness System, 319-321-9705 or email john.nelson@act.org. On September 12, four adult literacy leaders will be recognized with awards from the National Coalition for Literacy at a ceremony sponsored by the Dollar General Corporation.  They are author David Baldacci for his work in family literacy, Ruth Colvin who founded Literacy Volunteers of America (now with Proliteracy), Save Adult Education Campaign (advocates working to preserve adult education in California), and Senator Jim Webb who was the lead sponsor of the Senate's 2010 and 2011 Adult Education and Economic Growth Act (see S 2117 and related H 4226).  To register for the event go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RSVP2012LLA-NCLMeetings .

HUMAN INTEREST The Mary and H.L. Musick Lifelong Learning Award has been established at the Regional Adult Education Program of the Lee, Scott, Wise and Norton Public Schools in Gate City, Virgina.  This annual award for two adult learners has been funded by the Musick family in honor of their parents, both born in Virginia and long-term residents of the Hiltons Community area.  The couple met and married as co-workers at the Mead Corporation (a paper manufacturer) on the Tennessee-Virginia border, then settled in Virginia.  Mary spent many years as a secretary in the public school system, while H.L. earned his income from the local family gasoline service station, Musick's Esso.  As the years passed, the couple raised a family of three sons and one daughter. H.L. was born and raised in Appalachia during the Depression, and he did not graduate from high school, but these remarkable parents both valued education and pledged that their children would have a college education. They saved their money and pooled their resources to make sure this would happen.  At one point they together decided that H.L. should join the local adult education program so that he could acquire the math skills needed for a better-paying job at Mead, which he obtained.  "Between them, and in their own way, they breathed into us children the value of education," says son Mark Musick, the estimable educator who chaired the National Assessment of Educational Progress under three presidents, was a member of the National Commission on Adult Literacy. chairs the Georgia Workforce Investment Board system, and was instrumental in establishing the Georgia WorkReady program.   "We want to honor their quiet inspiration to us by helping some others."  The first Musick Lifelong Learning awards will be given in August 2012. For more information, click the above link or contact Rebecca Scott at rscott@race2ged.org.

Late breaking legislative news...

What do you think about public education in our country, in California, and in the Bay Area? Is it better than we think? If you ask someone in Berkeley, you'd likely get a different answer than if you asked someone in Oakland. Since 2008, Adult Education has been threatened, and it seems to be getting worse. The links to stories below are about a historic part of our educational system. Formerly known as "night school", Adult Education is nearly as old as our State. For over 150 years, adult schools have supported social mobility and second and third chances for students. The demise of adult education will further marginalize those who have less, increasing social divisions and eventually hurting those privileged few who rely on a skilled workforce. 


Recent article about Adult Ed in the Sacramento Bee

From the Bay Citizen

And from California Watch


and more below...

Educación para adultos bajo ataque

At Risk: Adult Schools in California


The continuing state budget crisis combined with increased flexibility in how school districts use funds previously earmarked for specific problems has had a dramatic impact on adult education programs in California. See the full EdSource report here

Adult education’s existential crisis. This is the second of a two-part series on adult education in California.  Click here to read part 1.

From our legislative advocate in Sacramento, Dawn Koepke, Wed. June 13: 

As you may be hearing, Legislative Democrats in both houses have developed and put forth a budget plan to be voted upon Friday in time for the Constitutional deadline.  Importantly, the Legislature has opted to reject the Governor’s Weighted Student Formula (WSF) for the foreseeable future, but fails thus far to address the decimation imposed on adult education under categorical flexibility.  The Legislative proposal currently contains the following key elements:

-       Overall 2012-13 Funding Level. Provides a Proposition 98 minimum guarantee of approximately $53.6 billion for 2012-13. This is roughly $1 billion above the amount provided under the Governor's January proposal. Although revenues are down in 2012-13, the year-to-year change in revenues has increased and this results in a higher maintenance factor payment. This funding level also assumes passage of the Governor's tax initiative.

-       Maintains 2011-12 Spending Level. Maintains the Governor's proposed current year level of spending for schools ($47.8 billion). This provides schools with $900 million above the revised minimum guarantee for 2011-12, which has fallen mostly due to a decline in anticipated state revenue. The budget repurposes this over appropriation to schools by designating $450 million as a prepayment of 2012-13 QEIA settlement obligations and approximately $230 million as prepayment for 2013-14 QEIA settlement obligations. Swaps the remaining ongoing General Fund dollars with one-time funds. These adjustments do not change funding levels for K-14 education in the current year but instead reclassify the funds.

-       New Trigger Cuts if Governor’s Tax Initiative Fails. Proposes a trigger reduction of approximately $5.5 billion for K-14 education in the event the Governor’s initiative does not pass. This reduction comes in part from a reduction in the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee due to lower state revenues ($2.9 billion). The remaining would result from a shift of General Obligation Bond Debt Service and the Early Start program (currently funded under the Department of Developmental Services) into Proposition 98 requiring programmatic savings to accommodate the shift.   To accommodate the $5.5 billion reduction, the budget adopts the Governor's approach to rescind deferral buy-downs ($2.3 billion). The remaining reduction would be achieved through programmatic cuts to K-14 education. In order to achieve savings, the budget includes trailer bill language to authorize K-12 schools to reduce the school year by a total of 15 days in 2012-13 and 2013-14. This would be in addition to the current flexibility districts have to reduce the school year by five days.

-       Does not initiate the Governor's weighted pupil formula proposal and maintains categorical and general purpose funding allocations per existing law (aka – flexibility remains intact).

-       Budget bill language requires CDE to revise the RFA for the WIA Title II Adult Education funds to incorporate core federal performance metrics.

We’re continuing to work on the flexibility issue.  As we understand things currently, the Legislature is in a bit of a bind relative to addressing flexibility for adult education and possibly others in the short term.  I’m told that because the Legislature opted not to move the WSF forward at this time, the Administration/Finance is pushing for more flexibility by moving some of the currently un-flexed categoricals in to flex as a consolation prize of sorts for not giving in on the WSF.  The Legislature is not inclined to do this in the least and this ultimately makes it even more difficult to address flex for adult education.  The Legislature is concerned that because the Administration is pushing for greater/increased flexibility and is upset about the demise of the WSF this year, they may be inclined to veto the budget trailer bill if it takes any funding out of flexibility for adult education thereby compromising the ability for the Legislature to put a balanced budget in place.  The Administration/Finance has threatened similar tactics on other policy fronts, namely Health and Human Services.

So where does this leave us?

Frankly, in a precarious position.  We will be continuing to push for addressing flexibility in the current budget package and through the rest of the session.  In this regard, another possible opportunity may be on the horizon – albeit not exactly in the form of eliminating or mitigating the issues associated with flexibility (at least not directly and immediately).  Talks are currently taking place to gut and amend AB 18 (Brownley) to provide for a process to develop educational reforms that would get to the Governor’s goals.  Staff tells me language is currently being developed that would put in a number of goals and factors to be considered and perhaps an advisory body convened to provide the reform recommendations to the Legislature to implement in the next few years.  While flexibility would be a part of the reform expectations, staff indicates that they support and understand the need for programs like adult education to be outside flexibility.  I have shared with staff the need to explicitly exclude adult education from any discussion about flexibility and have also pushed for any advisory committee established in the bill to include a member representing adult education.  Nothing has been agreed to as of yet, but the wheels are in motion.  Presuming Assemblywoman Brownley does opt to move in this direction with the bill, she would have to remove (“gut”) the current language that provides for reform and excludes adult education from the block grant/flexed approach.  It is my expectation based on conversations with her and staff that further work along these lines will continue to keep adult education separate.  As always, the proof will be in the pudding – we shall remain vigilant.  In order for her to move the bill – in any form – she will need to do so by the end of June in time for the policy committee deadline.  Stay tuned…

Whether or not the tide shifts and we are able to address flexibility in this budget cycle, we are continuing to fight the fight.  At the end of the day, our needs do not have to be addressed in the context of the budget debate/negotiations.  It certainly would be easier for the Legislature and us, but that isn’t the only route.  As such, we’re already contemplating options for the final weeks of this session – albeit, much more difficult to achieve success.

From my perspective, the most important thing the field and our supporters can do at this point is to keep pushing, screaming and fighting.  I can only imagine how frustrated and overwhelmed everyone is at this point, but we must remember that this battle isn’t a sprint to the finish – it’s a marathon.  As such, it is critical that we keep the pressure on the Governor, Legislature and our local school boards.  The moment we stop screaming and fighting is the moment when the battle is truly lost and it appears to these folks that adult education isn’t needed.  I implore you all to keep fighting – it isn’t over and we’re still fighting in Sacramento.  We need your voices to back us in the fight.

Strength in numbers and longevity!

Dawn Koepke

Partner

McHugh, Koepke & Associates

1121 L Street, Suite 103

Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 930-1993

(916) 930-0580 Fax

CALIFORNIA ADULT EDUCATION

A Newsletter on Adult Education in California from CCAE, CAEAA and ACSA

June 2012

Weighted Student Formula (WSF) Still Includes Adult Education

The Governor’s May Revision to his State Budget amended the WSF to remove two categorical programs from inclusion in the funding pot. Transportation and Targeted Instructional Improvement Grants (TIIG) were set aside. The case for removing Adult Education is just as justified as removal of the other two.

WSF Remains in the Budget Process

Even though the common view of the WSF is that it will not be enacted this year, it remains a part of the Governor’s budget proposal until it is officially dropped. Also, if not enacted this year, the potential remains for reintroduction in 2013. This assessment is based on the observation that a strong and definitive opposition to the WSF has yet to be seen.

Two State Revenue Initiatives Almost Ready for November Ballot

Adult Educators statewide should do whatever they can to assure passage of the initiatives. The extra revenues to local school districts will lessen the pressures on local budget cuts, and Adult Education programs. The Secretary of State’s office is currently certifying signatures to qualify these two initiatives for the November ballot. The Governor’s initiative proposes to raise $9 billion to meet state and education needs, while Munger’s initiative proposes to raise $10 billion that would be earmarked for education.

EdSource May Soon Release Report on Adult Education

Adult educators should expect a report by EdSource on the present status of Adult Education programs statewide.

Community College Success Task Force Report Cites Adult Ed Cuts

This report proposing admission changes to the California college system dedicates page 49 to the “Demise of Adult Education,” with a recommendation to transfer the program to the community colleges. To read, Google the “California Community Colleges” and access the Student Success Task Force Report on their title page.

What to Do………

Reinforce the importance of Adult Education to California by citing the need for:

• ·        5 million adults in California to gain GEDs and high school diplomas to be employable
• ·        Adults to gain academic skills to succeed in technical schools and higher ed

Berkeley Adult School News and Views 

Visit our Facebook page for lots of spontaneous updates, pictures, legislative and public interest items, https://www.facebook.com/Berkeley.Adult.School. You do not need to have a Facebook account to read our page.

The word on the street is that Governor Brown's Weighted Student Formula (WSF) Education Budget proposal is dead for this year. The WSF proposal would eliminate all categorical programs and put all the money in one pot (adult education is one of 40+ categorical programs, including After School Programs, GATE, Professional Development, Adult Ed, etc) and give local districts further flexibility to use the money as they see fit. Adult Educators do not favor the proposal as it deletes any language of adult education in the state budget. For K-12 programs, it would provide more money for districts that serve economically disadvantaged and second language learners. The Governor's Administration, according to Finance and CDE, has pulled it for this year based on all of the criticism by stakeholders and the Legislature's distaste. That said, they plan to revisit it next year, possibly with some sort of a weighted formula for CTE. So our fight now focuses on getting out of "Categorical Flexibility", and to secure stable funding to serve our students. 

There is strength in numbers; the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) has been mounting a grass roots campaign to get ALL stakeholders involved, especially students. Check their website to get involved in this critical effort to save adult education. There is a very short survey (name, email, address, adult school) that will add you to the list of supporters of public adult education. PLEASE join our effort to preserve adult education in California. Recently, CCAE put some funding into public relations, and the results are powerful graphic letters being hand-delivered to each member of the Legislature, the Governor and Finance Committes in Sacramento. You can see these posters on the CCAE website. 
 

Why do we need to convince legislators and the public to support Adult Education? Beyond economic arguments, adult education fosters democracy and builds community. In California, nearly 20% of adults, or more than 5 million adults, do not have a high school diploma or GED. Adult Education programs are best positioned to serve these folks. 

We are connected to local and state advocacy organizations and need your help. We are fighting to be removed from 'Categorical Flexibility' and from the 'Weighted Student Formula'. There is a real threat to remove adult education funding from public education. If you're interested in legislation, policy and Ed Code, and want more info, please send us a message. There is a press release and rally at 10:30 am Tuesday, June 12 at San Mateo Adult School as part of a continuing effort to get the word out to the public and legislators that Adult Education matters. http://adulteducationmatters.blogspot.com/

On the local front, we are fortunate to have support from our governing body, Berkeley Unified School District. In general, our district is in decent shape, fiscally. However, times are tough for public education. If a local board of education must decide between funding a middle school program or an adult school, the untenable decision may not favor adult learners seeking job training, academic programs, English language acquisition, specialized instruction for adults with disabilities or classes for older adults.  So, while we are grateful for our local support, we must raise our voice at a state level to ensure we can continue to offer services to adults. 

We recently completed a WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) review and expect a renewed accreditation term. The substance of the report is our Action Plan, which provides for improving Student Services and Professional Development. To that end, we will expand college and career counseling for all of our students, and provide targeted professional development that focuses on student learning data for all staff. The goal is to improve schoolwide learner outcomes. 

On Thursday night, June 7, we graduated 125 High School and 23 GED students, ranging in age from 18-57. It is most gratifying to hear their stories, meet their families and share their success. President Obama recently said "In today's economy, there's no greater predictor of individual success than a good education. The incomes of folks with a college degree are twice as high as those who don't have a high school diploma." One of our goals at BAS is to help students transition from graduation to post secondary education. We know many of our graduates have plans for higher education, and we salute them. 

As we wrap up the current school year, plans for the 2012-13 school year include a similar level of programming and classes, upgrades to all of our computers (in classrooms, for staff and faculty) including a new computer lab for the Academic Department, an investment in our food service program, student identification cards, college and career counseling, and introducing a professional development concept known a Professional Learning Communities (PLC). 

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. 

Oped: Why we should care about adult education

http://www.presstelegram.com/opinions/ci_20701843/oped-why-we-should-care-about-adult-education

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).