California Educator

March 2014

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/274063

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 11 of 59

FEATURE A roller coaster ride Adult schools offer free or low-cost classes for adults 18 and older. In its heyday, all students could enroll in adult education courses to graduate from high school, pass the GED (General Educational Development) test, learn about jobs, learn to speak English, or learn how to become U.S. citizens. There was a plethora of parenting classes, enrichment classes such as conversational Spanish and computer skills, and classes geared for older adults. Adult schools operate at much lower levels today in K-12 districts, and community colleges offer some adult education programs, referred to as "non- credit" or "community" courses. How did adult education reach a near-death state? After years of gradual cutbacks, adult education entered "flexibility" or "Tier III" status in 2009, landing at the bottom of categorical programs. The cel- lar-dweller designation maimed adult education. Districts were given the right to raid funds from Tier III programs or shut them down completely. Many dis- tricts decimated once-thriving adult education programs or dismantled them to fund K-12 education. CTA called the move to Tier III status "short-sighted" for depriving adults of important skills necessary to securing employment. Public outcry was huge in 2012 when Gov. Jerry Brown proposed shifting all adult education programs to community colleges within two years. Pro- test from faculty prompted the governor to relent. In a compromise move, he endorsed AB 86. Under this plan, K-12 districts must fund adult education programs at the same levels as 2012-13 for the next two years, while working with local community colleges to "streamline" services and develop regional consortia to oversee programs. M at t h ew Kog a n, shown teaching E SL at Ev ans Adult School in Lo s Angele s, is concerned that paren ting classe s and classe s for older adults were omit ted from a recen t bill f unding adult education. P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S C O T T B U S C H M A N " It's been a roller coaster ride without brakes. There were horrible cuts, and most of our colleagues have lost their jobs. At the moment, I think we're at the bottom looking up." —Matthew Kogan, chair of CTA's Subcommittee on Adult Education, describing adult education in California 10 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 Educator 03 Mar 2014 v2.0 int.indd 10 3/6/14 10:52 AM

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of California Educator - March 2014