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Showing posts from March, 2016

"Why California's Adult Schools Need More Money" - from Save Your Adult School

With permission from Kristen Pursley: Why California’s Adult Schools Need More Money Posted on March 26, 2016 by kpursley   While California’s economy  rebounds, and educational institutions from K-12 schools to universities receive healthy increases in funding, California’s adult schools remain mired in the great recession.  A new bill authored by Assemblywoman Patty Lopez (D-San Fernando), AB 1846, seeks to remedy this situation. AB 1846 would increase the Adult Education Block Grant (AEBG)  by $250 million, returning the amount of funding available to adult schools to roughly  pre-recession levels.  AB 1846 would provide sorely-needed relief to adult schools, which have been woefully underfunded for the last eight years. In addition to hampering the ability of adult schools to provide much needed services to their students, the current inadequate level of funding also locks into place inequalities that are the result of a desperate scramble for sur...

Spread the Message that Adult Education Matters - Suggest an AEM Stamp to the US Postal Service

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We all know Adult Education matters. And we all know that stamps are a way our culture recognizes the importance of something and promotes it - in one easy rectangle. And we all know how great it would be to have Adult Education Matters stamps. But did we all know that that is actually possible? Here's how we do it:   Hit the link to learn more. The stamp selection process The Postal Service welcomes written suggestions for stamp subjects that help portray the diversity of the American experience for a worldwide audience. Any proposal that meets established guidelines will be considered. If you are interested in submitting an idea, you should: Carefully consider the guidelines for appropriate stamp subjects (see What are the criteria for stamp subjects? ) Mail your suggestion to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee at the address below. (No in person appeals are accepted.) Due to the time required for research and approval, ideas for stamp subjects should be received at...

From CCAE: Prepare for CCAE Leg Day - April 5, 2016

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From CCAE - California Council for Adult Education - Advice for CCAE Leg Day 2016 : As we've worked to reframe and restructure adult education over the last few years, we've consistently noted the importance that the new, revised structure and distribution of resources under what is now deemed the "Adult Education Block Grant" (AEBG) be simple, clear, efficient and protected. Hit the link to learn more. Of greatest importance to help ease the transition this year to the AB 86 / AEBG regional consortia approach, the FY 15-16 budget provided dedicated funding directly to K-12 school districts in the amount of the districts' maintenance of effort for adult education to sustain current capacity.  This component was critically important and one of the key items we advocated heavily for to preserve current capacity now and in the future.  Further, AEBG allows for each region to decide whether its adult school members receive their funding directly from the CDE or from ...

Perspective: Funding Adult Education Is a Perceptual - Not an Economic - Problem

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This is a perspective piece by myself, Cynthia Eagleton.  I am the facilitator of this blog and I try to provide information and inspiration to renew and rebuild Adult Education.  From time to time, I share my own perspectives as well as the perspectives of others. In this particular perspective piece, I weave a lot of threads into a tapestry that may or may not make sense to you.  Some threads may seem obvious and true to you and others may seen invisible or wrong.  Like everyone, I have blind spots which I cannot see and vantages from I view things and these affect how I perceive things and what I think of them.  Bottom line, read at risk of disagreement or dismay.  Then again, you might agree in whole or part.  Either way, I hope it will stimulate you to consider your own perspective, your own blind spots, and how important it is for all of us to describe the part of the problem each of us can see, so that together, we ...

CFT Resolution 4 "Ensure Adult Education Exists in Best and Fullest Capacity" Passes at the CFT 2016 State Conference

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In mid January, CFT Local 4681 of San Mateo Adult School wrote and passed a resolution about Adult Education.  You can the Local 4681 resolution in full here .   Local 4681 then took their resolution, titled, "Resolution to Ensure that Adult Education Exists in Best and Fullest Capacity" to the CFT Adult Education Commission on January 23rd.   The Adult Education Commission considered it, made some alterations to it - primarily shortening it - kept the same title, and then passed it. CFT Adult Education Commission members at their January 23rd, 2016 meeting. Chair Jack Carroll is in the center bac.  Lily Adlawan, center front, is the Local 4681 member who brought the resolution to the meeting. Kathy Jasper, in the red Adult Education Matters t-shirt, is an AEC member and also a CFT Vice President in the CFT State Executive Council. Both resolutions - different with the same name and the same intention - were submitted to the CFT 2016 State Convention ...

CCAE Leg Day and State Conference

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From CCAE Executive Director Adriana Sanchez-Aldana: CCAE Members and Friends, Throughout the year, there are many important activities that take place in your local chapters; in the six CCAE state sections; and at the state level. The spring brings us two important statewide activities in which I hope you will find yourself actively engaged. Our two statewide events are the Legislative Action Day (Leg Day) and the annual State Conference. Leg Day Leg Day is a 1 ½ day event, in Sacramento. Our headquarters is the Sacramento Hyatt, 1209 L Street. Hotel rooms are still available, at the CCAE (single or double, per night) rate of $179. Hit the link to read more. This year, Leg Day will begin with a training on Monday, April 4th; and legislative visits will be scheduled by your section Leg Chairs, on Tuesday, April 5th. The Monday afternoon training session will provide important "Talking Points," and on Tuesday you will participate in legislative visits as scheduled for you by ...

Letter Campaign to Governor Brown for Adequate Funding of Adult Education

Borrowed from Kristen Pursley's blog Save Your Adult School : Urgent:  Write Governor Brown Today to Request Restoration of Adult Education Funding to $750 Million Posted on February 28, 2016    Between 2008 and 2012, funding for California’s adult schools was slashed by half and never restored.  Adult schools have a new mandate to partner more closely with community colleges and other educational organizations that serve adults, but they struggle with inadequate funding.  Governor Brown needs to hear from adult school students and teachers, from business people who rely on the adult schools to train workers, and from community members who see how their adult school enriches their community. Hit the link to read more. These letters are part of a statewide push , headed up by Assembly Member Patty Lopez (D- San Fernando) , to get adult education the funding it desperately needs. I would recommend that letters start as follows: Dear Governor Brown, Today I write ...

Rebirth of Oakland Adult School

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Good news about Oakland Adult School!   After many difficult years, Oakland Adult School is finally growing again - and given the high need for Adult Ed in Oakland, that's tremendously important. Compare the good news below to this August 2013 update about OAS .   What a big change, eh?  And brought about by whom?  Us!  Because we recognized our worth and stood up and spoke out about it.  Get the full scoop below in this op-ed by Sue Pon: School District Offers New Educational Opportunities for Adults By postnewsgroup  Posted February 21, 2016 5:40 pm                        By Sue Pon Sue Pon For the first time in many years, the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is expanding our Adult & Career Education offerings Hit the link to learn more. This work is made possible by new state funding, and the need and opportunity are tr...