The role of Adult Education

Hello. I had the pleasure of working with the Master Plan 
Emerging Modes Working Group and its subcommittee that 
focused on adult and noncredit education. We all had the 
challenge of pulling together the ‘cutting-edge' issues 
related to nontraditional approaches to education. When we 
discussed the use of educational alternatives through 
technology, course certification, and delivery systems, we 
found not only the breadth of issues but also the 
advantages offered by "new" approaches.

Although adult and non-credit education are not new 
approaches, they are unlike other delivery systems found in 
the K-12, community college, or higher education systems. 
It has a unique population with very specific, often 
short-term educational needs. These programs offered in 
local education agencies (K-12) and community colleges 
are non-tuition based, serve a local population, are typically 
short-term, and do not result in a degree. Adult and 
noncredit education continues to be an educational venue 
for meeting the personal, family, health, and employment 
needs of many newcomers to this state and of the adults 
who function with low literacy levels in language, reading, 
writing, mathematics, technology, and critical thinking. 

California's adult education program has been a model at 
the national level and has served learners well. Both adult 
education with its close ties to K-12 programs and noncredit 
education with its ties to credit community college programs 
must continue to be available to adults in easily accessible 
locations and formats. The delivery system must continue to 
be flexible to provide relevant courses based on the adult 
learners' needs, educational goals, and work force needs. 

Let's add to today's conversation thoughts about the best 
structure for adult education and noncredit programs so that 
California will have the most inclusive system that enables 
learners to develop the skills, knowledge, and aptitudes for 
life-long successes.