The bill goes to Assembly Appropriations on Wednesday, May 11, at 9 am in Room 4202. The merits of the bill as it regards to its financial impact will be heard at that time. Because of its cost, AB1846, like any bill over 150,000, will be moved to the suspense file. There will be a suspense hearing later in the month. If it passes through the suspense hearing, it will move to the Assembly floor.
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AB1846: Restoration of Adult Education Funding
BILL SUMMARY
This bill will permanently restore adult education funding by appropriating an additional $250 million dollars annual from the general fund.
For decades California has had the strongest commitment for adult education in the nation ensuring that adults have the ability to obtain the skills to enter the work force and/or pursue higher education.
During the start of the recent recession in 2008 adult education had begun to see significant cuts in funding, forcing thousands of students to discontinue their education. Several years later in 2013, after the first budget cuts, the legislature approved AB 86 which condensed the amount of programs offered and created 70 regional adult education consortiums which are made up of local community college and school districts. According to the 2015 Adult Education Regional Planning report authored by the State Superintendent’s Office and California Community College Chancellor’s Office roughly 65 adult schools were permanently forced to shut their doors due to the fiscal constraints between the years of 2008 and 2013. The report goes on to argue that one challenge adult learners currently face is being able to attend classes that do not conflict with their work schedule. Over the years adult schools have been forced to reduce their hours of operation limiting essential resources for students such as computer labs and tutoring. This challenge has created a barrier and overcrowded class rooms creating a greater demand for available courses.
For example, in 2014 Los Angeles Unified School District waitlisted over 8,000 students with over 50% of waitlisted students seeking to enroll into English as a Second Language services.
The report continues giving several policy recommendations and making the strong case to provide restore funding to current services. With additional funding the report claims that the regional consortiums should explore the possibility of reopening adult schools that were once shut down.
PROBLEM
As a state with who is home to over 10 million immigrants and 5.2 million adults without a high school diploma or GED, California must address its lack of adult education services. By not addressing this issue many communities will be without services to allow their families the opportunity to be engaged in civic participation and the workforce.
SOLUTION
AB 1846 will restore adult education to its previous funding of $750 million annually. This bill will appropriate funding to the adult education consortiums to build upon and restore services that they offer.
CONTACT Christopher Sanchez Christopher.sanchez@asm.ca.gov 916-319-2039
SUPPORTERS
California Council for Adult Education (CCAE)
California Adult Education Administrators Association (CAEAA)
California Federation of Teachers (CFT)
California School Employees Association (CSEA)
Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations, Inc.
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA)
Courage Campaign
Hacienda La Puente Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Montebello Unified School District
North Orange County Community College District
Rancho Santiago Community College District
San Fernando Community Health Center
Transparent
United Teachers Los Angeles
Vision y Compromiso
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Students at Los Angeles Adult School
rally for AB1846
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