How Can You & Your Community Get Involved in the Regional Consortia Planning Process?

That's what we all want to know - and what we're finding out together.

Here's some information and ideas that might help us get started:

Hit the "read more" link to see them.


1.  Each Consortium must have at least one Adult School and one Community College District.  One or the other of them will be the fiscal agent - the "banker"- for their consortium.  Each consortium around the state will have their own fiscal agent.  It might be a K12 Adult School in one consortium and a Community College in another.

2.  In early September, the State Chancellor's Office and the California Department of Education will convene work groups to develop an application and a process for regional consortium planning grants.  There is 25 millions dollars for the planning process.

3.  Click here to read information and advice from CCAE about the Regional Consortia planning process.  In a nutshell, start thinking now.

4.  Click here for the CDE Adult Education Office Staff Directory.  There are 13 divisions and each one has a Regional Consultant you can contact by email or phone.

5.  Think about who lives in your community and what organizations or agencies they belong to or utilize.  These will be good places to connect with the people we're here to serve - both to find out what they need and to inform them of their choices.  Remember, communication is a two-way street and the most effective planning begins with needs-assessments.

6.  Consider using Survey Monkey or  Google Docs to make an online survey you can circulate amongst staff, students, community members.  Provide local schools, organizations and agencies with these polls and ask them to help you circulate them.

7.  Pencil and paper polls are good, too.  Whatever works. 

8.  Utilize local press.  Ask them to run an article about the new Regional Consortia system to inform the public coming changes and to invite the public to share their ideas, needs, hopes & dreams for the future of Adult Ed.

9.  Utilize local bloggers, columnists, and social media mavens to do the same. 

10.  Get a table at any upcoming local festivals or streetfairs.  Meet and greet, explain the situation ask folks about ideas, needs & hopes, provide information about options, pencil & paper polls, access to online polls, and get a contact list going for folks who want to be involved in the planning process.

11.  Talk to other Adult Ed providers around the state.  Share and learn from each other.   I'm hoping the Update Series and the What Do You Want for the Future of Adult Ed Questionnaire will help in this regard.

12.  Consider following Assemblymember Weber's suggestion and holding public forums.  Invite the public to an afternoon or evening where you can explain the Regional Consortium system and ask them what they want for Adult Education in their area.  Discuss the larger issues of Adult Ed if you have the time and inclination and find out what your community members want and need now and into the future.

Reminder:  All this networking with both the public and other AE providers will create a web we can use to launch wonderful programs that truly serve the public. 

Got other good stuff for this list?  Send it on to cyn period eagleton and then the sign for at and then gee and them dot and then mail.  

 

One program... one school... one region at a time...

We're rebuilding Adult Education for our people.