tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72248664545885360792024-03-13T14:41:44.425-07:00Adult Education - Solutions"Anything is possible -- the impossible just takes a little longer." (former National Security Agency motto)Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-3186921021088629362010-06-08T10:57:00.000-07:002010-06-08T11:03:32.603-07:00Oakland may spare preschools at expense of adult educationBy Katy Murphy<br />Oakland Tribune<br />Updated: 06/07/2010 09:41:30 PM PDT<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <strong>83 percent program cut </strong>would be school-based family literacy programs, high-school equivalency classes and credit recovery for current high school students through independent study.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />"It's heartbreaking for everybody to see this happen and heartbreaking to watch our superintendent have to make these kinds of decisions," Marshall said.<br /><br />The cuts to state-subsidized preschool centers, which the governor proposed last month, would eliminate nearly three-fourths of the Oakland district's early childhood budget, district spokesman Troy Flint said.<br /><br />No one knows whether those cuts will make it into the final state budget, but districts need to submit balanced budgets for next year by the end of the month, Flint said.<br /><br />If the cuts don't go through, Flint said, the district would restore what it could.Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-79229382518495752982010-05-25T11:50:00.001-07:002010-05-25T11:50:59.086-07:00Lawsuit Press Conference<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8bv51vfXvy8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8bv51vfXvy8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-38164985112516956952010-05-18T10:58:00.000-07:002010-05-18T11:05:11.101-07:00At Hayward schools, $12 million cut, $6 million to goBy Eric Kurhi<br />Oakland Tribune<br />Posted: 04/30/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />One reprieve that came from the meeting — which ended at 1:30 a.m. Thursday — involved school buses. Money that would have been saved by increasing the distance that kids would have to walk to school was instead taken from the adult school budget.<br /><br />Board members requested that staff investigate alternate cuts in an effort to spare counselors, nurses or elementary school music programs, but because of the need for immediate action, voted to eliminate some positions and music in grades 5 and 6.<br /><br />"It's not to say we can promise anything," board President Paul Frumkin said. "But we asked the district to come back with some options and strategies to save some of those."<br /><br />Three board members approved the cuts, with Sheila Sims abstaining and Luis Reynoso dissenting.<br /><br /><em><strong>Sims said it wasn't fair for the adult school to take a hit whenever cuts are required. Numerous supporters of the adult school attended the meeting.<br /><br />Adult school Principal Ana Solomon said the school will survive with its $1.2 million allocation — down from $6.6 million at the start of 2009 — by focusing on programs that bring in revenue, such as courses in English as a Second Language and vocational education.<br /><br />More than 40 percent of the school's funding comes from grants, Solomon said. The school hopes to further wean itself from the district, but needs time to pursue alternate funding sources, she said.</strong></em><br />Preserving the counselors, nurses and elementary school music would mean $1 million would have to be cut elsewhere. That would likely mean the end of all adult school programs, Solomon said.<br /><br />"If we're cut completely, it's gone," she said. "And when it's gone, it's very hard to get back."<br /><br />Despite the approved cuts, another $6 million still must be chopped before a balanced budget can be submitted in June. It is unclear where those cuts will come from, but the district hopes for cooperation from labor unions.<br /><br />Separately, trustees voted to borrow $12 million from the school construction bond that voters passed in 2008. The money is needed to make payroll because promised state funds have yet to be received.<br /><br />The district has a $180 million budget, with $120 million in the general fund.<br /><br />A host of speakers addressed the meeting, which required that side rooms be opened to accommodate an overflow crowd. The speakers talked about the need to keep various programs.<br /><br />Interim Superintendent Janis Duran reiterated that if the drastic cuts are not made, the district will go into state receivership, which means the board, administrators and the community would lose control over how the district would be run.<br /><br />"I don't mean to frighten anyone, but understand how serious this is," she said. "Often, the first thing to go is all music programs, everything that's not a core curriculum. "... They can close schools. They do not have to hold sessions asking the public what they want and the board is not asked for an opinion.<br /><br />"I will tell you it impacts the entire community, not just the schools. It will impact real estate, and the City Council. It will impact the 'Who we are' of the community."<br /><br />Eric Kurhi covers Hayward. Contact him at 510-293-2473.Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-6761102463684713452010-05-18T10:45:00.000-07:002010-05-18T10:51:48.447-07:00West 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 <strong>maintain services at about the same level as the current 2009-2010 year</strong>. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />According to this plan, for which the Board of Education unanimously voiced support, the Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities programs will remain a part of the adult school program without substantial cuts, and the fees that were instituted this year will be rescinded, so that these classes will once again be free. This is welcome news for supporters of adult education, since for much of the year these programs seemed to be threatened with elimination, as they were not included in the “core program” which the district said it would support. These programs were still not described as being part of the “core program” in the May 12 report, but they were designated as “community programs” that would be retained.<br /><br />The “core program”, consisting of English as a Second Language,Citizenship, High School Diploma, CAHSEE Prep, GED Prep and Adult Basic Education, will also be maintained at about current levels under the plan, and the fees that were charged this year for these programs will also be rescinded next year. Under the plan, classes in these programs will once again be offered free of charge, as directed by California laws that have been temporarily suspended to help address the state budget crisis.<br /><br />Under the plan, the “fee based” classes, which include a variety of recreational and vocational classes for which students pay an affordable fee, will operate more or less as they have this year.<br /><br />The plan appeared to have strong support from both the Board of Education and the district. Assistant Superintendant Sheri Gamba worked on the plan with Principal Raul Ramirez at the direction of Superintendant of Schools Dr. Bruce Harter. <br /><br />For supporters of adult education, who were dreading further devastating cuts to the program as the district took another million dollars from the adult school’s operating budget, the plan for 2010-2011 is much better than expected. A program based on the 2009-2010 year is still a much reduced program, as the services of almost every program were cut by about 50% this year. Nor has the district decided against taking a million dollars from adult education’s budget; the budget for next year is about one million less than the current year’s budget. Rather, it seems that the district has found ways to make cuts to the program that do not necessitate further cuts to direct services to the public. The district is to be commended for recognizing the importance of the services the adult school provides and finding a way to preserve them in a time of severe financial hardship. If the district can persevere in this course, the West County community and the district itself will benefit, as West County residents will continue to have access to the educational services they need to find employment and help their children succeed in school.<br /><br />There was a small but spirited rally in support of adult education in front of LoVonya DeJean Middle School from 5:30 pm until the meeting began at 6:30 pm. About 12 people sang and held signs in support of adult education. Among them were members of a group of about 10 students from the Older Adult program who occupied one of the front rows during the meeting, all of them holding signs. A group of ESL students sat in the back of the room holding signs, and about ten adult school teachers were in attendance. Maria Alegria of Richmond Vision spoke during the public comment period, and Daniela Picazo of St. Mark Catholic Church, Juan Reardon of Richmond Progressive Alliance and Roberto Reyes of Contra Costa Central Labor Council and the United Way were all able to attend part of the meeting. Congressman George Miller sent a letter in support of adult education that was read during the public comment period. The letter and a resolution in support of adult education by the Contra Costa Central Labor Council were presented to the board.<br /><br />The movement to save adult education started at the Cinco de Mayo parade of 2009, and some of the signs the supporters of adult education carry at Board of Education meetings date from that time, and are smeared with the rain that fell on them more than a year ago when they were carried in the parade. Now, more than a year later, the district and the board seem to have heard the voices that sang in that parade, wrote scores of letters, sat through hours of meetings again and again and spoke out with passion when the public comment period finally came. They are to be commended for hearing those voices and for understanding the pressing needs of the community. If the plan that was presented on May 12 goes into effect next year maintaining the current level of vital services and rescinding the fees, it will be a victory, not just for adult education, but for public education. By returning to the plan laid out in California law, which mandates that vitally needed educational services for adults be offered free of charge, the West Contra Costa Unified School District will reaffirm that education is a right of all. This can only strengthen the public education system that now finds itself so under attack.<br /><br />Posted by K. PursleyMadeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-76822045899164924952010-05-18T10:27:00.000-07:002010-05-18T10:56:35.186-07:00West Contra Costa likely to spare adult ed from painful cutsBy Shelly Meron<br />Contra Costa Times<br />Posted: 05/13/2010 01:19:16 PM PDT<br />Updated: 05/13/2010 05:45:09 PM PDT<br /><br />Adult education in West Contra Costa likely will be spared major cuts next year, barring any more bad news from Sacramento.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />"It's almost miraculous," board President Madeline Kronenberg said. "This board and (Superintendent Bruce) Harter prioritized adult education."<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />The program will have a $2.7 million budget next year while avoiding registration fees and keeping core programs such as English as a Second Language, citizenship and high school equivalency classes; programming for seniors and adults with disabilities, such as senior centers and computer classes; and fee-based courses geared toward employability, such as welding, nursing, and food and safety; as well as community-interest classes such as cooking and crafts.<br /><br />Bringing adult education's overall budget down from $3.8 million without eliminating programming meant cutting back in other, less-painful ways. For one, the district is considering larger class sizes and decreasing the number of classes offered, particularly those that don't fill up with students. And, the district will be reorganizing its administration, clerical and accounting staff — with jobs reduced only through attrition.<br /><br />The plan assumes, of course, that no more major cuts will be handed down from state officials in the coming months. <br /><br />With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's revision to the state's budget expected today, things could still change. "Everything hinges on the May revise," said Sheri Gamba, the district's associate superintendent for business services. "If things get much worse, we might have to go back to the table and figure out what we can do."<br /><br />Even if the state budget doesn't hold more surprises, adult education's future is still unclear beyond next year.<br /><br />"I keep hoping to hear that the financial trends are improving or at least remaining stable," Gamba said. "That's what we're all hoping for right now — some stability and consistencyMadeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-15253393823030540752010-03-04T14:37:00.000-08:002010-03-04T17:57:45.510-08:00Nearly 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 classAdult 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. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />By Tom Ragan<br />Updated: Thursday, March 4, 2010 12:44 PM PST<br /><br />By the fall, the Adult Education Program, which is just blocks from the Department of Motor Vehicles on Meyer Place in Costa Mesa, will be a shadow of its bustling self.<br /><br />The English as a second language classrooms now filled by hundreds of adult students — many of them immigrants, many of them limited in their English — will be empty.<br /><br />The computers will have long been removed.<br /><br />The staff of 40 teachers will either be unemployed or reassigned in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.<br /><br />The only class left will be the high school diploma lab, where a pair of teachers will help students catch up on lost credits so they can graduate. Aside from that, the incessant sort of learning that has become synonymous with the district’s Adult Education Program will cease.<br /><br />The program’s elimination is part of the $12 million in cuts that the school district needs to make in order to balance its 2010-11 budget, which has been short-changed by declining property tax revenues and state funding.<br /><br />Newport-Mesa Unified, whose adult program has existed since 1937, isn’t the only district that’s abolishing programs that seek to give adult students a second chance.<br /><br />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 classrooms.<br /><br />Pick a letter between A and Z, and somewhere in between there will be a unified school district in a certain city that’s eliminating its adult education and pouring the money back into the district to boost the pot of sagging general revenues, which have seen better days due to the state’s cutbacks to the tune of billions of dollars.<br /><br />Anaheim Unified is doing it. So is Irvine, Tustin and Fullerton.<br /><br />Schwarzenegger’s decision to sign the legislation is a day that lives in infamy for those who have worked for years to educate adults.<br /><br />Not only do the impending cuts at Newport-Mesa’s adult education program have some 5,000 students worried and scrambling for alternative classes across Orange County, but it also has left the adult program’s administrator, Martha Rankin, disheartened.<br /><br />“It’s sad,” said Rankin, lead administrator for the last six years. “Our adult education program has been a model for the state. In the last two years alone, we’ve been asked to make presentations at dozens of statewide and national conferences.”<br /><br />But even more troubling, Rankin said, is that many of the students will now have to forgo an education if they don’t find a free alternative, something that can’t be good for a society.<br /><br />“Our core mission is to serve adults,” she said. “And we’ve done this well by teaching them about 21st century skills. Not every adult education program has done what we’ve done. We’re in the forefront because we integrate technology into daily instruction, and they learn how to think and evaluate and problem-solve.”<br /><br />Maria Carranza, 74, is one of those students. Originally from Lima, Peru, she lives in Costa Mesa with her daughter, a hard-working nurse who supports them.<br /><br />For two semesters, Carranza has been learning a bit of English and dabbling in Google searches and the like in the Learning English through Technology class.<br /><br />To Carranza, learning English is helping her find more friends and, as she put it, “communicate with society.”<br /><br />“Now I’m not sure what I’ll do,” Carranza said, sitting at a computer.<br /><br />Taylor Blakely, her instructor, doesn’t know what he’s going to do, either. He’s been an adult education teacher for nine years, teaching up to six hours a day.<br /><br />“What we’re really doing is messing up future generations of education for children because we’re shutting down the parents,” he said. “Studies have shown that when the parents are better educated, so are the children.”<br /><br />But as much as there is a downside to the cuts, there’s also an upside: The district can redirect the $848,000 from the Adult Education Program to K-8 programs.<br /><br />“People have to remember that adult education is not a requirement, it’s a luxury,” said Laura Boss, district spokeswoman. “We have been extremely lucky to have had it all these years.”<br /><br />But unfortunately, Boss added, now is the time to make the hard choices.<br /><br />“It’s the sad reality that we are living in right now,” Boss said. “There are no good choices to make when you consider the human costs associated with reducing budgets. Not only to staff but those you serve. So, you have to look at your priorities as an organization. In this particular case, K-12 students are the priority, not adults.”<br /><br />Boss said that the district hopes to explore options through grants and other possible funding sources to continue to offer educational opportunities for adults in the community.<br /><br />“However, maintaining the commitment to adult education right now is not feasible given the current fiscal climate,” she added.Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-18413616077830911442010-02-28T08:59:00.000-08:002010-02-28T09:03:08.099-08:00Cuts taking toll on West Contra Costa's adult education programBy Shelly Meron<br />Contra Costa Times<br />Posted: 02/26/2010 03:34:28 PM PST<br />Updated: 02/26/2010 03:34:28 PM PST<br /><br />A trip to the emergency room a few years ago could have ended badly for Maria Huerta.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />"I said to the person who was translating that I'm allergic," Huerta recalls. "She didn't tell the doctor."<br /><br />A nurse with a syringe came into the room. Through jumbled English, Huerta managed to ask what the shot was, understand the response, and let the nurse know she was allergic.<br /><br />That close call got Huerta thinking. Like many immigrants in the area, the language barrier meant she had to rely on others to speak on her behalf. She couldn't ask questions at the grocery store, help her sons with their homework or get a better job. She decided to enroll in an adult education English as a Second Language program about a year and a half ago.<br /><br />"I want to learn English because I want to get a better life for me and my sons," Huerta said. "English helps me in everything."<br /><br />The West Contra Costa Unified School District's adult education program serves about 10,000 people a year, ranging in age from 18 to their 80s. The program offers fee-based classes, everything from computer literacy to first aid; classes for seniors, such as exercise and current-events discussions; and classes for adults with disabilities, such as independent living and working skills.<br /><br />The core component of the program is made up of ESL classes, as well as classes that help people gain American citizenship, pass the California High School Exit Exam and obtain a high school diploma or General Educational Development certificate.<br /><br />But the district has added new fees and drastically cut adult ed's budget, hours and staff the last two years. And more cuts are likely in the spring.<br /><br />With the economy struggling, state officials for the first time allowed local districts to use adult education money for K-12 programming in 2008-09. West Contra Costa's adult education program saw its budget shrink from $4.5 million that year to $3.8 this school year. In January, the school board shifted $2 million from the program's reserve to fund K-12 education, not affecting adult education's day-to-day budget but eliminating its rainy-day cushion.<br /><br />With no help in sight from the state, district officials are proposing another $1 million cut to adult education.<br /><br />West Contra Costa's budget chief, Sheri Gamba, says the cuts are the last resort as staff struggles to reduce district spending by $10 million next year.<br /><br />"These programs are so important, but our K to 12 education is the core," she said. "The state has put the local districts in an untenable situation. We're just trying to do the best we can and keep intact as much as we can."<br /><br />Adult education students and teachers say cutting their program will affect the entire community. Carol Kehoe, who teaches programs for seniors and people with Alzheimer's disease, said such classes keep those populations active and healthy, and give a respite to their caregivers.<br /><br />"They would be devastated," Kehoe said. "Who's going to do the volunteering in the community, be in the schools and libraries, run the docent tours and work at polling places? You're going to lose those people, and that is a loss to the community."<br /><br />District staff will be looking at the entire program in coming weeks to determine how much can be saved, Gamba said.<br /><br />"We really do want to try to preserve as much as we can," she said. "But we can't not pay paychecks. We have to deal with our cash situation. We're stuck."Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-26276743800957304892010-02-25T21:06:00.000-08:002010-02-25T21:09:16.716-08:00Adult school, 200 jobs on block in Hayward districtBy Eric Kurhi<br />Oakland Tribune<br />Posted: 02/25/2010 03:57:20 PM PST<br />Updated: 02/25/2010 08:00:49 PM PST<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />The list included the entire staff of Hayward Adult School, reinforcing fears that the district will opt to eliminate the program entirely.<br /><br />Granted, it's a worst-case scenario. District staff and board members emphasized that by law, the notices have to be sent out, and that decisions are still being made regarding where to cut.<br /><br />"Unfortunately, this has become an annual event in California," interim Hayward schools chief Janis Duran said. <br /><br />With no way of knowing how much funding the district will get from the state, the notices must be sent out to legally alert people that they may be laid off. The cuts will be finalized by May 15.<br /><br />Last year, notices went out to 240 teachers, but nearly 90 percent were rescinded, said Mercedes Faraj, president of the Hayward teachers union, which represents 1,300 employees.<br /><br />But many fear that with $18 million in cuts that need to be made to the $180 million budget, and no repeat of incoming federal stimulus money, things might turn out differently this year.<br /><br />Counselors, nurses, and the students and parents who value them all spoke at Wednesday's board meeting to stress the need for the employees to remain on the job.<br /><br />"You took away their block schedule and now a lot of kids are not on track," parent <br /><br />Lisa Brunner said. "They need counselors to keep them on track to graduate. Now, you want to take away the person who gives them direction, who can help them get through this."<br /><br />Advocates for the adult school say that because its funding is no longer a separate budget item — state moneys previously reserved for that purpose now can be used elsewhere in the district — the school faces a real threat of elimination.<br /><br />At a well-attended summit last weekend, adult-school teachers, students and other community members gathered to come up with ideas for making the program more self-sufficient. <br /><br />Currently, the adult school draws about 40 percent of its funding from sources outside the district, such as federal and state work force training grants and business partnerships, Hayward Adult School instructor Madeline Kronenberg said.<br /><br />The school needs time to become self-sustaining, including a commitment that the district will not shut it down, she said.<br /><br />"We have a unique approach with our business model," she said. "And we've really truly only just started. But if (potential funding sources) think we're going to be gone, they won't consider working with us."<br /><br />A district budget committee is holding ongoing meetings that will lead to recommendations on areas to cut. Public input is being solicited over the next few months before final decisions are made. A Web site has been set up to collect comments at http://husd.k12.ca.us.Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-77283347013935770012010-02-25T20:45:00.000-08:002010-02-25T20:59:42.811-08:00KGO (ABC) - Lyanne Melendez Report<OBJECT id=BLOG_video-1c5cc3105989fd2f class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="1c5cc3105989fd2f"></OBJECT>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-90600891655152227592010-02-25T20:32:00.000-08:002010-02-25T20:41:19.822-08:00CBS - Ann Notarangelo Report<OBJECT id=BLOG_video-edda2c23f29e1303 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="edda2c23f29e1303"></OBJECT>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-8915463858889882232010-02-25T14:25:00.000-08:002010-02-25T14:26:39.074-08:00BUDGET UPDATE<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3wB-2FRHl9o&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3wB-2FRHl9o&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-11317985241755698912010-02-23T10:34:00.000-08:002010-02-23T14:08:38.119-08:00WAYS TO FIND $18 MILLION IN HAYWARDSUGGESTIONS FROM THE HUSD BUDGET CUTS SURVEY:<br /><br />Reduce or eliminate staff development for teachers -- $400,000<br />Reduce or eliminate funding for athletics or other extracurricular activities--$200,000<br />Reduce or eliminate mentoring or induction programs for new teachers--$300,000<br />Reduce maintenance and upkeep to schools and district grounds--$200,000<br />Reduce the number of site administrators across the board--$1,000,000<br />Suspend summer school and after school programs--$1,000,000<br />Close or consolidate schools with declining enrollment ($200,000/school) Two schools:--$400,000<br />Reduce school and central office budgets for materials and supplies--$100,000<br />Reduce the work year –$500,000 per day--$500,000<br />Reduce specialists in PE, Music, Arts, etc. at the elementary level--$2,500,000<br />Reduce district administration and restructure the central office – 10% reduction--$100,000<br />Increase class size (1 to 3 students):Per student:$1,000,000<br />Spend reserves and one-time funds to mitigate program and staffing cuts--$500,000<br />Discontinue the transfer of employee sick bank days--$50,000<br />Reduce or eliminate school nurses--$800,000<br />Increase employee furlough days (per day)--$500,000<br />Pass parcel tax of $100 per parcel--$3,600,000<br />Temporarily reduce all employee compensation by 1%--$1,000,000<br />Shorten the school year (up to 5 days) per day--$500,000Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-71742574126744168522010-02-19T14:32:00.000-08:002010-02-19T14:33:06.994-08:00Powerpoint from Hayward Sustainability Summit<iframe src="http://docs.google.com/present/embed?id=dhbbbrwc_36cxkp38gb&interval=10" frameborder="0" width="410" height="342"></iframe>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-91233252890810734632010-02-18T10:30:00.000-08:002010-02-18T10:35:06.819-08:00ADULT ED BUDGET CUTS - MOST CURRENT INFONews Articles about Adult Education Budget Cuts<br /><br />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.<br />--Marian Thacher, OTAN<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Anaheim (12/11/09) UHSD approves preliminary budget for 2010-11 that would wipe out adult education for up to two years.<br />Auburn (6/8/09)<br />Auburn Local paper editorial on budget cuts (6/14/09)<br />Bay Area - article from the SF Chronical about adult ed cuts in the Bay Area, quoting Jerry Green (Castro Valley), Chris Nelson (Oakland), Marcie Plummer and Ana Solomon (Hayward) (6/30/09)<br />Berkeley (6/25/09) and more cuts anticipated, but no numbers yet (2/3/10). Article about adult ed cuts in the Daily Cal (2/9/10)<br />Burbank (10/6/09)<br />Corona-Norco (11/9/09) also includes Hemet and San Bernardino<br />Escondido (8/26/09) General article on adult ed in Escondido that mentions budget cuts there and in Oceanside and Grossmont<br />Eureka (6/25/09) and how the Eureka Teachers Association is combating layoffs in adult education (7/11/09)<br />Fullerton(8/7/09) to suspend adult ed starting in 2009-10<br />Irvine (6/22/09), and a newer article about running to school totally fee-based (11/13/09)<br />Long Beach (2/4/10) $700,000 cut to adult education for next year<br />Martinez (2/10/10) may cut $2.6 million overall, and looks at redirecting adult education funds<br />Milpitas (2/3/10) Mentions adult ed, but no specific amount cut, yet.<br />Monrovia (11/10/09)<br />Monterey (6/30/09) - adult ed cut 20% and 13 teachers laid off<br />Mountain View-Los Altos (8/31/09) - focuses on Los Altos but also reports adult ed budget cuts to Santa Clara, Metro Ed and Fremont.<br />Mt. Diablodistrict to cut $1 million a year from adult education and other categoricals. (12/8/09)<br />Mt. Diablo Update (2/10/10) Board approves $4 million to programs including adult education<br />Newport Mesa (2/12/10) Program wiped out for next year except for a few HS diploma classes!<br />Oaklandadult education will be cut by 40% if preliminary budget is approved (12/14/09)<br />Oakland and Hayward (10/24/09) - Article on threats to adult ed and forum put on by CCAE<br />Oroville (6/22/09)<br />Pacific Grove, Monterey and Salinas (8/25/09) - Overview of budget cuts in the Monterey area, quotes from principals<br />Paradise (2/3/10) Threatens to cut adult education<br />Placentia-Yorba Linda (2/10/10) prepares for $6 million in cuts to the district, and notes that cutting adult education could save $230K.<br />Redlands Adult School to be eliminated! (12/10/09) Redlands Adult School Shutting Down 2010.01.10.pdf<br />Riverside (4/27/09)<br />Salinas ,(6/24/09) and another Salinas one (6/30/09)<br />San Bernardinocuts staff and courses (9/7/09), and a newer version with photo (9/11/09)<br />San Lorenzo san lorenzousd<br />San Mateo (11/23/09)<br />Santa Clara (7/8/09) general article about district budget cuts, mentions possibility of cutting the $7.2 million adult ed budget<br />Santa Cruz Adult School (8/09) 12/13/09 - updated blogabout what's happening - ($500K cut for 2009/2010), and here is a link to a blogthat is tracking cuts to the adult school.<br />Santa Cruz update (2/11/10) Adult education cut by $1.43 million<br />Santa Maria (6/18/09)<br />Santa Rosa(8/8/09) and Cotati (original article said Cotati-Rohnert Park slashed $50K from adult ed, but not mentioned now)<br />Tustin Adult School 7/20/09 The Tustin Unified School District will not be offering Adult Education classes for the 2009-10 school year due to the state budget crisis. (Announcement on their district page.<br />Vallejo(11/6/09) a good article about cuts to Vallejo Adult School, and here's a more general article.<br />Vista(11/16/09) District proposes to combined some schools and move the adult school to save money.<br />Watsonville-Aptos (8/27/09) Update - Pajaro Valley cuts $650,000 from adult ed budget. (12/10/09) and update(2/3/10)<br /><br /><br />General Adult Ed Budget Articles and Coverage from Elsewhere<br /><br />How are people in England viewing the budget crisis in California? Read this article from the Guardian, 10/4/09.<br />AP article on the California budget crises in the Chattanooga Times Free Press that mentions adult education towards the end<br />Article from the San Francisco Chronicle addresses adult education budget cuts across the state.<br /><br />http://adultedbudgetcuts.wikispaces.com/Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-83898782132366767072010-02-16T14:12:00.000-08:002010-02-16T14:13:14.858-08:00<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4731129&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4731129&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/4731129">Budget Committee Chair Exposes Budget Myths</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/caassembly">California Assembly Access</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-9500847314130171112010-02-13T15:55:00.000-08:002010-02-16T14:23:57.308-08:00California Forward's PlanCalifornia Forward hopes to place a measure on the November ballot that would alter the budget process both for the state and local governments.<br /> <br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />It would:<br /><br />pass budgets by a simple majority<br />maintain the two-thirds vote requirement to raise taxes<br />institute what is known as a pay-as-you-go system, in which lawmakers must identify funding sources for any new programs.<br /><br />The local-government part of the proposal would:<br /><br />make it easier for municipalities to raise sales taxes, by one percentage point, to fund education and other services.<br /><br />It would also prohibit the state from tapping the coffers of local governments during budget emergencies, as it did last year.Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-83325883771145870932010-02-13T15:37:00.000-08:002010-02-16T14:25:34.502-08:00California Constitutional Convention Push fizzlesStrapped 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.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /> <br />Reporting from Sacramento - Proponents of a state constitutional convention that could reshape California's government have run out of money and canceled plans to put their proposal before voters in November.<br /><br />The announcement Friday by Repair California, the organization behind the convention bid, raises questions about how effective good-government groups can be in marshaling resources to address Sacramento's dysfunction.<br /><br />Repair California seemed well positioned for such a task; its leaders are from the Bay Area Council, a business advocacy group that includes some of the largest corporations in the state.<br /><br />But the momentum backers had built over the summer -- when the state ran out the cash it needed to pay bills and began issuing IOUs, leaving an outraged public demanding change -- has faded. Political analysts say the proponents have had a tough time keeping voters focused on their complicated prescriptions for California's ills.<br /><br />Delegates to a constitutional convention, for example, would have been asked to dive into a thicket of conflicting policies and mandates, bureaucratic procedures and the dizzying financial relationship between state and local governments.<br /><br />"There appears to be no excitement out there for these rather complicated reforms," said Tony Quinn, co-editor of the California Target Book, a nonpartisan publication that tracks political races.<br /><br />"It is hard to go to the public with these ethereal ideas and have them understand what you are talking about," Quinn said. "This may be a lesson that reformers need to go with smaller, bite-sized chunks."<br /><br />Repair California raised $352,000 in 2009, far less than the millions typically needed in California to gather signatures to qualify a pair of initiatives for the November ballot.<br /><br />"The money basically ran out," said Jim Wunderman, chief executive of the Bay Area Council. "I'm very sorry we had to call it quits."<br /><br />The constitutional convention plan was one of two major drives to address problems that many experts believe lie at the root of California's partisan gridlock and constant budget problems.<br /><br />The other effort is spearheaded by California Forward, a nonprofit organization funded primarily by foundations. It is seeking to move its proposals through the Legislature.<br /><br />The organization's strategy has been to threaten a ballot measure if lawmakers balk, as they have at past reform proposals. But it is unclear whether California Forward will be able to raise the money needed to take its plans to voters. It has raised $132,000.<br /><br />California Forward co-chair Bob Hertzberg, a former state Assembly speaker, said that raising money "is an uphill battle because the system isn't designed for reform. You can't raise money from traditional interest groups. You need to attract people who believe the system is broken."<br /><br />He said his organization would be meeting next week with the backers of a constitutional convention to discuss a possible coalition.<br /><br />"We're both fighting for the same thing," he said. "We just have different ideas about how to get there."<br /><br />By Evan Halper and Anthony York -- LA TimesMadeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-67680870285083525032010-02-12T06:52:00.001-08:002010-02-16T14:27:13.098-08:00CTA TAKES POSITION AGAINST CORPORATE LOOPHOLESCTA President David A. Sanchez said teachers are supporting the <strong>Repeal Corporate Tax Loopholes Act</strong> 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.) <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />CTA also now supports the <strong>Corporate Political Accountability Act</strong>, which would require companies to get stockholder approval on annual political spending budgets.<br /><br />CTA opposes:<br />“Paycheck deception” measures called the <strong>Public Employee Paycheck Protection Act </strong>and the <strong>Public Employee Payroll Deduction Act </strong>(for again trying to silence the voices of union members – measures that California voters have already rejected twice, in 2005 and 1998.)<br />CTA also opposes the <strong>New Public Employees Benefits Reform Act </strong>for its attacks on the secure retirements of teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees, which will make it harder to recruit and retain quality educators in our schools. <br /><br />The CTA delegates, interestingly, didn’t take a position on a proposed constitutional amendment to lower what it takes to pass a local parcel tax from the current two-thirds majority vote to 55 percent. The union has blessed the idea before.<br /><br />Last week, the state PTA endorsed the parcel tax initiative and called on its local affiliates and all parents to help collect signatures to put it on the ballot.<br /><br />By John Fensterwald on February 10th, 2010<br /><br />http://educatedguess.org/blog/2010/02/10/cta-takes-on-corporate-tax-breaks/Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-92112422851594268472010-02-11T20:03:00.000-08:002010-02-11T20:09:29.540-08:00ABC Video re Parcel Tax Initiative<object id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=kgo&section=&mediaId=7270907&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&site="><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><br /><embed id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=&station=kgo§ion=&mediaId=7270907&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&site="></embed><br /><br /></object>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-38056630952802364842010-02-10T14:34:00.000-08:002010-02-16T14:29:10.342-08:00CALIFORNIANS FOR IMPROVED SCHOOL FUNDING2010/2011 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.<br /><br />It would be nice to have an alternative, or at least a supplement, to Sacramento's funding. <strong><em>Such an option does exist - governing boards can ask their communities to approve special education taxes</em></strong>, 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.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />Unfortunately, parcel taxes are difficult to get approved, requiring a 2/3 hypermajority to go into effect. While some districts are able to meet that threshold, many are not. Many more do not even try, since the bar is so high, and putting a proposal before voters requires a major commitment of volunteer time and financial support from community members.<br /><br />Californians for Improved School Funding (www.improvedschoolfunding.com), a grassroots organization of public education advocates, is trying to create a new way to approve parcel taxes. They are qualifying a ballot initiative which would let districts get approval with a 55% supermajority, subject to certain conditions being met. Those include advance disclosure of how money will be spent, independent audits of how it is actually spent, and oversight by a citizens' advisory committee. If you're familiar with what Proposition 39 did for school construction financing, the Local Control of Local Classrooms Funding Act would do essentially the same thing for parcel taxes: give voters assurances their money will be spent wisely in exchange for a lower approval threshold. <br /><br />Funds raised under the Act can be used for any lawful purpose, with one exception: no monies can be spent on administrator salaries. Polling consistently shows that voters are not supportive of higher taxes to pay administrator salaries. Incorporating that prohibition makes the Act more likely to be approved by voters.<br /><br />The Act also contains other provisions designed to broaden its appeal. For example, it forbids the State from taking any funds raised under the Act, either directly or through offsets in State education funding formulas. Local funds raised under the Act will always be in addition to State-provided funding.<br /><br />Other provisions require governing boards to offer senior citizens an "opt out" from paying a tax, and put a $250 per parcel cap, adjusted for inflation, on the per parcel dollar amount placed before voters in any one election. The collective experience of districts with successful passing parcel tax campaigns shows how important offering a senior exemption is, and polling done by Californians for Improved School Funding bears that out. That same research also shows the importance of having a limit on how fast taxes can be raised.<br /><br />Nothing in the Act prevents a district from putting a traditional parcel tax before its voters. The Act simply adds a new route to approval, one with a lower threshold in exchange for meeting its requirements.<br /><br />To qualify for the ballot, Californians for Improved School Funding must collect at least 700,000 signatures from registered voters by May, 2010. If qualified, the Act would go before voters in November, 2010. A simple majority of votes cast can approve the Act, and it would become law immediately. Districts would be able to take advantage of it beginning in early 2011.<br /><br />Collecting those signatures is the next key step. It is, and will continue to be, a challenge. But the campaign team believes it can be done if everyone pulls together and works to make it happen. In fact, because Californians for Improved School Funding is a grassroots organization, having educational leaders and advocates working together to get the Act qualified and approved is a necessity. <br /><br /><br />To that end, they are asking each of you to:<br /><br />Sign the petition. This can be done through the campaign website, www.improvedschoolfunding.com, by clicking the Sign Petition button in the upper right hand corner of any page. Select the number of signatures you want to collect (from 1 to 102), and download a PDF you can print out, fill out, and mail back to the campaign.<br /><br />Endorse the initiative as an individual. This can be done by going to the campaign website and clicking the Endorse button in the upper right hand corner of any page.<br />Have your governing board or organization adopt a resolution endorsing the initiative, and record that endorsement on the site using the same process as for your individual endorsement. A sample resolution is available on the website. It's available via the Resources link in the right-hand margin of any page.<br /><br />Spread the word. Let your colleagues, community leaders, education supporters and constituents know about the Act, and how important its passage is. Urge them to visit the campaign website, sign the petition, and get involved.<br /><br />Join the campaign. Californians for Improved School Funding is looking for individuals who want to make the Act a reality. You can join the campaign by clicking the Join button in the upper right hand corner of any page in the site.<br />Lastly, Californians for Improved School Funding asks you to support the campaign financially, and encourage others to do the same. <br /><br />The Act has a growing number of supporters - including, most recently, the California State Parent Teacher Association - but it is short of funds. You can make an online donation through the website by clicking the Donate button in the upper right corner of any page. Or, you can mail a check to:<br /><br />Californians for Improved School Funding <br />751 Laurel Street #219 <br />San Carlos, CA 94070-3113<br /><br />The campaign committee also asks that if you know of a person or organization in your community potentially interested in taking a leadership role in funding the campaign, to please email them at campaign@improvedschoolfunding.com. <br /><br />No single initiative, including the Act, can solve all the problems facing California's public schools. But the Act can help, by giving communities a way to strengthen their financial support of local schools. In times like these, when so many districts wonder how to continue to offer even a basic education, that's important, and worth doing.<br /><br />The Act is endorsed by a growing number of people and organizations, including:<br /><br />Delaine Eastin, former California Superintendent of Public Instruction<br /><br />Ellen Corbett, State Senator<br /><br />Joe Simitian, State Senator<br /><br />California State Parent Teacher Association<br /><br />Kenneth Hall, Founder and Chairman Emeritus, School Services of California<br /><br />Jean Holbrook, County Superintendent of Schools, San Mateo County<br /><br />Julian Crocker, County Superintendent of Schools, San Luis Obispo County<br /><br />Joseph Ovick, County Superintendent of Schools, Contra Costa County<br /><br />Sheila Jordan, Superintendent, Alameda County Office of Education<br /><br />Dr. Carl Wong, County Superintendent of Schools, Sonoma County<br /><br />Don Iglesias, Superintendent, San Jose Unified School District<br /><br />Jim Franco, Superintendent, Tracy Joint Unified School District<br /><br />Pat Gemma, Superintendent, Sequoia Union High School District<br /><br />Barbara Wilson, Superintendent, Pittsburg Unified School District<br /><br />Patricia Wool, Superintendent, Walnut Creek School District<br /><br />San Mateo County School Boards Association<br /><br />Oakley Union School District<br /><br />San Jose Unified School District<br /><br />Cabrillo Unified School District<br /><br />Visit www.improvedschoolfunding.com/endorsements.aspx for a complete up-to-date list.<br /><br />Californians for Improved School Funding is registered with the California Fair Political Practices Commission, ID# 1319510. For further information, or to read the official title and summary of the Act as well as its full text, please visit the campaign website at www.improvedschoolfunding.com. You can send questions to campaign@improvedschoolfunding.com.Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-65308866113289732922010-02-01T14:04:00.000-08:002010-02-01T14:05:46.747-08:00<div style="text-align:center; width: 211px;"><embed src="http://www.change.org/widget_flash/ideas.swf?xmlFile=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.change.org%2Fwidgets%2Fcontent%2Fchange_idea%2F83" quality="high" wmode="transparent" width="211" height="283" name="IdeaForChange" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></div>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-84567226167445681032009-06-23T17:12:00.000-07:002009-06-23T17:17:33.196-07:00Legislative Update2007 Bill to allow Adult Schools to become charter schools:<br /><br /><a href="http://mobile.totalcapitol.com/?bill_id=6416">http://mobile.totalcapitol.com/?bill_id=6416</a><br /><br />AB 807 -- Assemblyman DeLaTorre and Assemblywoman Hancock -- DOA.Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-65930848494715438122009-06-23T10:42:00.000-07:002009-06-23T10:58:05.256-07:00Charter School Option<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;color:#cc6600;"><strong>Question: Can Adult Schools Become Charter Schools?</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:180%;color:#cc6600;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:180%;color:#cc6600;">Answer (from Connie Pekides):</span></strong><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Adult schools cannot get charters.<br /><br />Here is the long answer.<br /><br />What <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>can</strong></span> happen is that a school can open as a <span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>K-12 high school</strong></span> and serve students over 18 if they, the students, <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>go directly from their regular school</strong></span> to a charter school that serves students 18 and over. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The catch is that the students must be continuously enrolled in “high school.” Or the charter school must be one of the <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>“exempted group”</strong></span> which is allowed to serve the "over 18" population and receive high school funding. In those schools, where I taught, my Adult Ed credential was considered the appropriate credential because of the age of the students. I was NCLB qualified.<br /><br />So charter schools have <strong>some upper age limitations</strong>.<br /><br />However, <strong>regular high schools do not have the same upper age limitations</strong>.<br /><br />In the Ed Code, there is a mandatory minimum age for kindergarten and first grade. There is not an upper age limit to receive a high school education. It only says that a student must be "qualified" and it does not define "qualified." The Ed Code further states that school districts can have high schools, nights schools and alternative schools. The night school may be called Adult Education.<br /><br />What that says to me is that adult schools <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">should all convert to high schools,</span></strong> receive 9-12 funding instead of adult ed funding, and serve the same students. You could check with CTC on using adult school credentials for those students. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Then,</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Business classes for those students (who do not have a high school diploma) become electives</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">ABE classes become CAHSEE prep (i</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">f we still have CAHSEE)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">And adult schools become Alternative and Night High School programs, collecting 9-12 funding. Then the school districts can take our ADA and we can get even more money. Or they can get the new ADA that is generated at the higher rate and let us keep our ADA.<br /><br />Hope this helps.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span>Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224866454588536079.post-12268195809887532822009-05-22T07:03:00.001-07:002009-05-27T06:32:59.028-07:00WELCOMEMILLIONS of students in California are served by the Adult Education system - a program that has served us for over 150 years. This system is at great risk right now of being dismantled (in whole or in part) throughout the state.<br /><br />The purpose of this blog is to begin a dialogue regarding how we can re-invent Adult Education in California.<br /><br />As an Adult Education teacher since 1980 in (Hayward) and an elected school board member (in West Contra Costa Unified School District), I see clearly how important Adult Education is to the families of our state. We teach our parents to care for their children, we provide classes for our seniors and the disabled, we offer a second-chance to those who need it for their high school diploma and GED, we provide effective and efficient career training, and we provide the important opportunity to learn English and become a citizen. Each of these needs is important.<br /><br />California has always been the land of dreams -- and the incubator of the ideas that make those dreams come true.<br /><br />This blog is about sharing your ideas about Adult Education in California. We need to brainstorm and share our IDEAS and our SOLUTIONS.<br /><br />We need to ponder some questions and share the solutions some of us have come up with.<br /><br />The questions are many.<br /><br />Some are broad and go to the larger political issue: How did the state get into this mess? What is the root cause? What does Adult Education look like in other states? What does the stimulus package offer for Adult Education?<br /><br />Some are regional: What are the other local Adult School programs doing? Can we collaborate on programs and create a regional network? What should we charge for classes?<br /><br />Some are specific to teachers: What will happen to my job? Is Adult Ed still a viable career path?<br />Some are specific to students: What will happen to my program? How will I complete my certificate?<br /><br />The big question is: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?<br /><br />This blog is about finding/creating the answers to all our questions.<br /><br />The phrase we keep hearing is that we must create a new "paradigm" -- and we must. Here's an example:<br /><br />PROBLEM: We are closing preschool centers and no longer offering classes in our senior centers.<br />SOLUTION: We could follow the lead of On Lok, Inc. and create "intergenerational" centers (See<br /><a href="http://www.onlok.org/Sharesite/content.asp?catid=240000417&scatid=240000418">http://www.onlok.org/Sharesite/content.asp?catid=240000417&scatid=240000418</a>) siting preschools in senior centers.<br /><br />The purpose of this blog is to help us identify problems and brainstorm solutions -- and, ultimately, to reinvent Adult Education in California.<br /><br />I've listed links to background information and to a variety of organizations working on education issues in California. Please inform yourselves.<br /><br />Overall, in California, education funding needs to be:<br /><br />stabililzed (so that it is predictable and budgets can be fairly created)<br />increased (so that we are no longer at the bottom of the pack in funding per student -- always expected to do more with less); and<br />fairly and effectively used (less bureaucracy/redundancy).<br /><br />Please join in.<br /><br />Madeline Kronenberg<br />Hayward Adult School Instructor<br />West Contra Costa Unified School District<br />School Board Member<br /><a href="mailto:mkronen@aol.com">mkronen@aol.com</a><br />510-334-9646Madeline Kronenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00809038721402994691noreply@blogger.com