From CCAE - California Council of Adult Education:
Opposes The Governor's Proposal
ACSA opposes the governor's proposal to shift responsibility for delivering adult education services from K-12 and community colleges to only community colleges. ACSA recognizes that historically there has been an ongoing lack of a definition of educational responsibilities between the two education systems at the state level.
However, over the years both segments have collaborated to serve adult learners in successful means throughout the state at the local level. This includes the establishment of the Delineation of Function between K-12 school districts and community colleges. While this mandate has been eliminated, a number of school districts and community colleges continue to enter into these agreements and the statute is still in the Education Code even if unfunded and not enforced. Therefore it is false to state that there is no coordination between the two systems.
The services that are provided locally do not fit nicely into boxes easily understood at the state policy or fiscal level. There continues to be a lack of understanding as to the different students who are being served, thechallenges of reaching California's divergent population, and the programs offered to maximize the economic return on investment the state benefits from the two Adult Education systems. For example, there are many adults who need basic skills who will never attend a community college without going to a K-12 Adult Education school first. In addition, adult education programs are offered locally to the students and at any time of the year.
A major concern with the community college structure is the approval process, conducted through the Academic Senate that needs to approve the classes prior to their enactment. Classes in the K-12 setting can be offered at any time, in any place and without tremendous complications in order to meet the needs of the students as quickly as possible. Further, it is unclear whether the community college system can transition quickly enough to offer courses by July 1 or have the capacity to offer adult education courses. ACSA recommends that the Legislature and Governor build on the strengths of the two Adult Education systems including strengthening the delineation of functions and building partnerships that work best for local
communities.
The services that are provided locally do not fit nicely into boxes easily understood at the state policy or fiscal level. There continues to be a lack of understanding as to the different students who are being served, thechallenges of reaching California's divergent population, and the programs offered to maximize the economic return on investment the state benefits from the two Adult Education systems. For example, there are many adults who need basic skills who will never attend a community college without going to a K-12 Adult Education school first. In addition, adult education programs are offered locally to the students and at any time of the year.
A major concern with the community college structure is the approval process, conducted through the Academic Senate that needs to approve the classes prior to their enactment. Classes in the K-12 setting can be offered at any time, in any place and without tremendous complications in order to meet the needs of the students as quickly as possible. Further, it is unclear whether the community college system can transition quickly enough to offer courses by July 1 or have the capacity to offer adult education courses. ACSA recommends that the Legislature and Governor build on the strengths of the two Adult Education systems including strengthening the delineation of functions and building partnerships that work best for local
communities.
No comments:
Post a Comment