Perspective: Competing Visions

From left to right: Bruce Neuberger,
George & Kristen Pursley,
Cynthia Eagleton

At the 2015 Network for Public Education Conference in Chicago, Kristen Pursley, Bruce Neuberger, and I presented a panel entitled, "The Battle for Adult Education."
The Conference was deep and powerful.  The keynote speeches and several workshops are available to view online - and I highly recommend that you do so. 

Cuts and reform in California Adult Education are part of a larger puzzle affecting every piece of Public Education in the US.  To understand what is happening in Adult Education in California - and to influence it in a positive direction - we need to understand what is happening elsewhere.

Understandably, that can be overwhelming.  But taking the time to watch a few videos, read an article, or follow grassroots organization like K12 News Network or bloggers like Edushyster or The Jose Vilson or Cloaking Inequality on social media is well worth our time.

Our workshop was lightly attended - we were in the last slot, sandwiched between key programs and the best time to grab lunch - but the folks who came gave us their time and what's more, shared from their own experience.

Sharing information, experience, perspective, and wisdom is so important.   In that spirit, Here's the powerpoint I presented at the conference.  I hope to share Kristen and Bruce's soon, as well.

As noted, this is a Perspective Piece.  In this case, mine.   Click the link to see the slides from the powerpoint.

CCAE Webinar October 23, 2014

CCAE - California Council for Adult Education - is planning another webinar.   Their August webinar included much helpful information.  This one will certainly hold the same. 

The scoop:

Date and time:	Thursday, October 23, 2014 3:00 pm
Duration:	1 hour 15 minutes
Description:	We will be hosting our second webinar to provide an update on the status of adult education activities in and around Sacramento as well as to check in with you in the field regarding your grassroots activity. Our Legislative and Governmental Budget Advocate, Dawn Koepke, will be discussing the latest insights on the state budget discussions, obtaining feedback from you in the field on your activities, and discussing next steps for action to protect K-12 Adult Schools.   Click here to register.

Re-Shaping Public Education: The I's that See the We

Clearly, this is a perspective piece.

Thank you to Alliance for California Adult Schools for finding the document it's based on and sharing it on the A4CAS Facebook page.

I am sharing and analyzing the following 2011 Community College Academic Senate Resolution because I think it reveals a lot about how we've gotten to where we are now...

Hit the "read more" link to see and understand more...

CCAE Call to Action Webinar

CCAE - California Council of Adult Education - held a Legislative Update and Call to Action Webinar on July 31.

You can listen to the Webinar in full by going to the Legislative page of the CCAE website and clicking on the blue box that says, "Legislative Update and Call to Action Webinar."

Follow the instructions - you will need to download a few things - and in a few minutes you will be able to see and hear CCAE Legislative Analyst Dawn Koepke walk you through the CCAE strategy.

It's an excellent webinar and Ms. Koepke explains things very clearly.

The CCAE Legislative page also includes

• 2015–16 Budget Timeline
• 2015–16 Budget Myth vs. Fact
• 2015–16 Budget Sample NASCAR Letter
• 2015–16 Budget Talking Points
• CCAE Section Legislator Responsibilities

all of which you can click on and download from this page or the CCAE website.

I highly recommend that you watch the webinar and download the CCAE documents.


Already on the AEM blog:

CCAE Legislative Talking Points

CCAE Myths & Facts

Getting to the Finish - includes the CCAE Budget Timeline

Getting to the Finish

This is it, folks.  The last leg of our marathon.

The money for K12 Adult Schools runs out in June of 2015.

We have until January - really, it needs to happen before then - to convince Governor Brown, the Department of Finance and the Legislature that K12 Adult Schools need their own secure funding source.  Yes, we have a new Regional Consortia system.  But without secure funding, the future is mightily uncertain for K12 Adult Schools.

Everyone who cares about Adult Ed and K12 Adult Schools - grassroots groups, CCAE, CFT, CTA, UTLA, etc. - is going to be doing all they can - calling, visiting, and emailing the Gov, DOF, and Legislators, pulling together NASCAR letters, connecting with community and communicating in creative ways the message:

Adult Education matters!

K12 Adult Schools need their own secure funding!

And for many of us:  Keep the mission of Adult Ed broad! 

Strategies may differ slightly but the end goal is the same: 

A good future for our people
         through good public Adult Education.


Here's a budget timeline kindly provided by CCAE:


Fiscal Year 15-16 Budget Timeline


July 1, 2014 Fiscal Year 14-15 Budget Takes Effect

July – December 2014 Development of the Governor’s FY 15-16 Budget Proposal

State & Local-Based Adult Education Advocacy

Public Relations Campaign

October 1, 2014 Deadline for Local Meetings & Nascar Letters to be Submitted

November 4, 2014 General Election

December 1, 2014 Beginning of 2015-16 Legislative Session

January 5, 2015 Legislature Reconvenes for 2015-16 Legislative Session

January 10, 2015 Release of the Governor’s FY 15-16 Budget Plan

(within a couple days or so)

January – May 2015 Budget Subcommittee Hearings & Decision-Making

March 15, 2015 School District Lay Off Notice Deadline

March 24, 2015 CCAE & CAEAA Leg Day at the Capitol

**Budget Advocacy & Focus – Be There, Strength in Numbers!

June 15, 2015 Constitutional Legislative Budget Deadline

July 1, 2015 FY 15-16 Budget Takes Effect  



Here are some of the strategies for getting us to our goal:

*  A4CAS's - Alliance for California Adult School's - strategy

*  CCAE's  (California Council of Adult Education) - strategy

*  CFT's (California Federation of Teachers Union) strategy

*  CTA's (California Teacher Association) strategy

*  NLLB's (No Lawmaker Left Behind) strategy (part of A4CAS)

*  UTLA's (United Teachers of Los Angeles) strategy

Full disclosure:   I work with A4CAS (Alliance for California Adult School).  I am on the steering committee for NLLB (No Lawmaker Left Behind).    I am a member of CFT (California Federation of Teachers union) and CCAE (California Council of Adult Education).   And I work at San Mateo Adult School.


If you look closely you will see while the approaches may differ in style and scope they all have the following things in common:

* Connect with the Governor and Legislature
* Get the message out that Adult Education matters
* Stories and data - heart and mind - both are important
* K12 Adult Schools need their own wallet



SMAS Student Leader Hitomi getting the message out:
K12 Adult Schools need secure funding!

My personal thoughts and observations:

* Wearing Red for Adult Ed on Tuesdays - unifies & amplifies
* Being organized in multiple ways - hard but helpful
* Sharing data so that all can access and use for good - multiplies the good
* Connecting with community, press, legislature - turns the tide
* Respecting different approaches - sustains
* Staying out of blame and accusation - rejuvenates
* Staying in support and respect - strengthens
* Understanding we share the goal of saving and strengthening public Adult Education because we share the larger goal of wanting a good future for our people - empowers

* And when you're tired and worn out, consider these guys:

AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Jeff Glasbrenner, Andre Slay and Chris Madison cross the finish line of the Boston Marathon 2014.
Glasbrenner ran Boston in 2013 but didn't get to finish because of the bombings.

We can do this. 

 

Yes, together, we most definitely can.

How Do You Win In California? Lose Big First

There was an interesting piece in the San Francisco Chronicle,

"It Took a Big Loss to Make Marriage Equality A Winner" by Joe Mathews.

Here is the article in full.  I don't think I need to tell you why this pertains to Adult Education.

Hit the "read more" to keep going.