Oakland may spare preschools at expense of adult education

By Katy Murphy
Oakland Tribune
Updated: 06/07/2010 09:41:30 PM PDT


OAKLAND — The Oakland school district will consider a proposal next week to salvage what it can of its preschool programs for low-income children — at the expense of immigrants, refugees, high school dropouts and others looking to better their lives through education.

At a special meeting Monday, the district administration will propose taking an additional $5 million from adult education programs. The Edward Shands Adult School would close as a result, as would the Neighborhood Centers on International Boulevard and the Bond Street Annex.

The $9.5 million total reduction for the next school year would wipe out adult English as a Second Language classes, citizenship preparation, and high school diploma and career technical education courses, said Brigitte Marshall, director of the district's adult education programs. The only offerings remaining after the 83 percent program cut would be school-based family literacy programs, high-school equivalency classes and credit recovery for current high school students through independent study.

Lawsuit Press Conference

At Hayward schools, $12 million cut, $6 million to go

By Eric Kurhi
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 04/30/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT


HAYWARD — Trustees slashed more than $12 million from the district budget Wednesday night, increasing class sizes, trimming support staff such as counselors and nurses, and moving most of the adult school's funds to the pot for K-12 education.

West Contra Costa May 12 Board of Education Meeting: Plan to Save Adult Education Services Unveiled (from SaveOurAdultSchool.wordpress.com)

At the May 12 Board of Education meeting, West Contra Costa Adult Education Principal Raul Ramirez presented a plan for the 2010-2011 which would maintain services at about the same level as the current 2009-2010 year.

West Contra Costa likely to spare adult ed from painful cuts

By Shelly Meron
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 05/13/2010 01:19:16 PM PDT
Updated: 05/13/2010 05:45:09 PM PDT

Adult education in West Contra Costa likely will be spared major cuts next year, barring any more bad news from Sacramento.

District staff told the school board and the community Wednesday night that they were able to trim the program's budget without significantly slashing classes.

"It's almost miraculous," board President Madeline Kronenberg said. "This board and (Superintendent Bruce) Harter prioritized adult education."

Nearly 50 school districts statewide are in the midst of axing adult education for the next four years and redirecting state money into the K-12 class

Adult Education teacher Taylor Blakely teaches a student how to use certain aspects of Google in a popular class called "Learning Through Technology." All ESL classes and classes such as this one will be eliminated by next year to help balance the Newport Mesa Unified School District's 2010-11 budget.

Cuts taking toll on West Contra Costa's adult education program

By Shelly Meron
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 02/26/2010 03:34:28 PM PST
Updated: 02/26/2010 03:34:28 PM PST

A trip to the emergency room a few years ago could have ended badly for Maria Huerta.

The 35-year-old Richmond resident who's allergic to penicillin didn't speak much English, relying on a translator to communicate with medical staff.

Adult school, 200 jobs on block in Hayward district

By Eric Kurhi
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/25/2010 03:57:20 PM PST
Updated: 02/25/2010 08:00:49 PM PST


HAYWARD — In a foreboding meeting Wednesday, school trustees voted to notify more than 200 teachers, nurses and counselors that their services might not be needed next year.

KGO (ABC) - Lyanne Melendez Report

CBS - Ann Notarangelo Report

BUDGET UPDATE

WAYS TO FIND $18 MILLION IN HAYWARD

SUGGESTIONS FROM THE HUSD BUDGET CUTS SURVEY:

Reduce or eliminate staff development for teachers -- $400,000
Reduce or eliminate funding for athletics or other extracurricular activities--$200,000
Reduce or eliminate mentoring or induction programs for new teachers--$300,000
Reduce maintenance and upkeep to schools and district grounds--$200,000
Reduce the number of site administrators across the board--$1,000,000
Suspend summer school and after school programs--$1,000,000
Close or consolidate schools with declining enrollment ($200,000/school) Two schools:--$400,000
Reduce school and central office budgets for materials and supplies--$100,000
Reduce the work year –$500,000 per day--$500,000
Reduce specialists in PE, Music, Arts, etc. at the elementary level--$2,500,000
Reduce district administration and restructure the central office – 10% reduction--$100,000
Increase class size (1 to 3 students):Per student:$1,000,000
Spend reserves and one-time funds to mitigate program and staffing cuts--$500,000
Discontinue the transfer of employee sick bank days--$50,000
Reduce or eliminate school nurses--$800,000
Increase employee furlough days (per day)--$500,000
Pass parcel tax of $100 per parcel--$3,600,000
Temporarily reduce all employee compensation by 1%--$1,000,000
Shorten the school year (up to 5 days) per day--$500,000

Powerpoint from Hayward Sustainability Summit

ADULT ED BUDGET CUTS - MOST CURRENT INFO

News Articles about Adult Education Budget Cuts

Adult Education in California is experiencing unprecedented budget cuts. This page is a place to collect links to articles about budget changes in adult education programs all over California.
--Marian Thacher, OTAN

Budget Committee Chair Exposes Budget Myths from California Assembly Access on Vimeo.

California Forward's Plan

California Forward hopes to place a measure on the November ballot that would alter the budget process both for the state and local governments.

California Constitutional Convention Push fizzles

Strapped for cash, Repair California ends its effort to put a measure on the November ballot calling for a constitutional convention to confront the state government's ills.

CTA TAKES POSITION AGAINST CORPORATE LOOPHOLES

CTA President David A. Sanchez said teachers are supporting the Repeal Corporate Tax Loopholes Act because in these tough economic times everybody must be paying their fair share, and when big corporations are paying less, middle class families are paying more. (Lawmakers approved the $2 billion in tax breaks for large corporations and oil companies without any requirements for these companies to create new jobs. The tax breaks were negotiated in secret without any public hearings.)

ABC Video re Parcel Tax Initiative

CALIFORNIANS FOR IMPROVED SCHOOL FUNDING

2010/2011 is shaping up to be another bad year for the California state budget. That likely means more cuts to education spending, on top of the ones we've suffered through over the last few years.

It would be nice to have an alternative, or at least a supplement, to Sacramento's funding. Such an option does exist - governing boards can ask their communities to approve special education taxes, commonly known as parcel taxes. These increase district revenue by assessing a flat dollar fee on each parcel of property within the district. While not a complete solution to Sacramento-created fiscal woes, they are a welcome source of money for districts. Parcel taxes also strengthen the ties between a community and its schools by giving property owners a direct stake in their schools.