What Happened At Acalanes?

What happens when funding is threatened, reduced, removed, and destabilized for programs paid by the public and designed to serve it? Click on the "read more" link to find out. That's what we can learn from what happened to Adult Schools and Adult Education these last six years, and stretching back further than that, from the last one hundred and fifty. Acalanes, as did so many Adult Schools since funding was flexed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2009, went through tremendous turmoil and at one point, was slated for closure.   The LaMorinda Weekly story, "Adult Students Wanted at Del Valle," provided in full below, tells one version of the story. George Porter, in his Perspective piece on Acalanes' Older Adult Program, tells another. Putting those two pieces together, the question comes to mind, "Which adults are wanted at Del Valle - and why?" Adult Schools and Adult Education have gone through many changes in the past 150 years, as we can learn from Kristen Pursley's two powerpoints: *  A History of Adult Education in California:  We've Been Here Before * The Battle for Adult Education in California: Historical Context Each time funding was destabilized, this paid for by the public institution of education for the public has changed.  Why?  To what end?  The answers to those questions tell the real story, however it's described in the news. LaMorinda Weekly Adult Students Wanted at Del Valle by Cathy Tyson September 9th, 2015      Despite funding concerns this past spring, Acalanes Adult Education at the Del Valle campus near Rossmoor is open and administrators want to encourage enrollment to help keep the program healthy; fall classes are starting soon. Since the adoption of Assembly Bill 86, a bill to redesign the statewide adult education system to speed up academic  and career success, funding for adult education has changed dramatically. Now revenue comes in the form of block grants  that are distributed to regional educational consortia to develop joint plans for serving basic adult education students. The goal is to focus on adult students who have low levels of literacy, need to learn English as a second language, and high school dropouts who want to earn a diploma, along with career education to help transition those students to post-secondary education and the labor market. While the overhaul is not a bad thing, it clearly leaves  behind adults who simply want to be lifelong learners and pursue education for the joy of it and for some mental exercise. "Bottom line, we want to meet the needs of our student population," said new director of the Del Valle Education Center, Steven France. Unfortunately without support from the state going forward, classes are now entirely paid for by student fees - which translates to a roughly 25 percent increase in the cost of each class. France says that works out to about $7 more per class hour - less than the cost of a movie. The school continues to offer a range of fall classes, everything from art to language to money management. Administrators are encouraging students to sign up, because unlike in past years, a minimum of 15 students are required to enroll in each class in order for the program to be sustainable. Less than that threshold means either the hours of instruction will decrease, cost per student will  increase, or the class will be canceled. Robust class enrollment will allow the program to grow and expand class offerings.  New Del Valle Education Center director Steve France and office staff, Jenny Knapp, Lissa Heptig and Carolyn Madderra     Photo C. Tyson This past spring, the future of the program was in doubt.  A number of full-time staffers have been laid off, including former director Frank Acojido, in response to the sea change  in state funding. France didn't have to go far to fill the position; he was the former director of the Acalanes Center for Independent Study, which is also on the Del Valle campus.           In order to fund its popular adult enrichment classes, administrators at Del Valle had to take a hard look at what it really costs to run its programs. Students were surveyed to see if they would support a 25 percent increase in class fees to cover overhead, insurance, utility costs and more, which they did. Seniors get a 10 percent discount, and the  costs are still fairly reasonable. For example the one-evening-only class, "Savvy Social Security Planning for Couples," is $25, and 10 "Italian 1A" classes cost $130, or $117 for seniors. It's anticipated that pricing classes to represent the actual cost of delivering the service should be a sustainable model going forward, barring any big surprises. There is also a push to look at additional options to help utilize the recently renovated campus, which is only open during the day and just two evenings per week as a way to maximize usage and cut back on expenses. There continues to be strong community support as well as support from the Acalanes Union High School District to keep the facility open. The vast majority of students at this facility live nearby,  in Rossmoor or in Lamorinda, and are interested in enrichment classes. The best way to show support is to sign up for a class or two and learn something new, France says. Registration for these and many other classes is available online at www.acalanes.k12.ca.us/adulted or by phone or in person at the Acalanes Adult Education office at 1963 Tice Valley Blvd. in Walnut Creek. Some classes  start the week of Sept. 14, others later this fall; check the class schedule for all the details.