RE: Questions for the day

I am the parent of two boys currently enrolled in the community college system as well as being an adult educator. I have worked in adult education for the last tweve years. 

In the master plan itself, on page ii, it is stated that Californians need an educational system that "... provides multiple sources of learning and support for students at every level of education." Adult education has been providing for the educational needs of individuals with academic, vocational and personal goals for decades. As Micheal Novick has pointed out, we provide for the kind of Saturday school and after school training for students to "keep up, not catch up" that is called for in the master plan. We also provide the kind of open entry, open exit education called for in the providing of both academic and vocational training. 


We need a cohesive K-12 system that provides for the support and interaction of parents and students.The draft of the master plan also calls for an accountability system that is used and understood by all participants and then asks for community based organizations to provide parents with this understanding. I feel these can best be provided by adult education programs. We offer classes in the community and more importantly in the elementary and high schools where children attend. Through already existing CBET programs in many schools parents are being taught English skills so that they can help their toddlers to be better ready to begin school. In addition, classes for adults teach parents about the school system, academic reqirements, testing and other processes necessary for their children's success as well as their own. Community based organization would not need to be given additional state funding if the contributions of already funded adult education programs were fully recognized.

We are a true partner with the K-12 system though we are not always given credit as such. It disappoints me that the present master plan for eduation does not recognize the important contributions made by adult education programs as they are currently administrated nor does the master plan recognize the fully integrated partnerships with the K-12 system provided within adult education or the huge potential of this partnership to insure the success of all students. Children learn better with parental awareness and support. Children of educated parents have been shown to do better in schools. Adult education educates both parents and children through family literacy, parent education and CBET programs as well as providing for the academic and vocational needs of the adults within the educational community. Families are educated together within the same school community,  facilitating better partnerships between parents, teachers and administrators within the local schools.

I ask that adult education be given a more fully defined place in the master plan and that it be seen as the full partner of the K-12 system that it is. There is full potential for a 
"seamless" transition between elementary, highschool and adult education when this partnership is fostered. In addition, both children and adults have been proven to gain success by it's use. Adult education needs to continue to be administered by the K-12 system so as to remain a partner with the local schools in insuring academic success for both K-12 and adult students.