RE: Adult Education's Flexibility; A Resource to All

Mr. Navarro seems desperate to get us back on topic as he sees it. I'd like to assure him that we are on topic. "How does technology cause us to think differently about ways we organize education?", he asks. I have been coordinating Alhambra School District's Adult Edcuation Distance Learning program for 6 years now as well as mentoring several nearby districts as they have started their own programs over the years. Through distance learning in adult education , as in other adult education programs, we offer an open entry, open exit, morning noon and night program. Students can drop in to recieve one on one help from certificated instructors whenever they need it.  In addition, tapes and videos are checked out to students in distance learning so that they can study at home literally any time of day or night. (Contrary to popular belief, adult education is NOT just night school.)



How is this conected to the other questions people have been addressing? 
1) Family Literacy;  Families watch these videos and study together.Children learn to speak English with their parents and visa versa.Children also learn study skills through the example set by their parents.

2) Use of Technology;  various adult education programs throughout the state approach distance learning in different ways. Some use the web and e-mail, some use cable television and/or radio programs. Many use video check out.

3) Funding;  distance Learning in adult education programs is currently caped at 5% of a district's overall adult education ADA cap. For us in Alhambra that has meant waiting lists and an inability to serve the huge numbers of students who have shown an interest in the program. We are not unique in this regard.If adult education CAPs were redistributed in a more equitable manner, and if distance learning's arbitrary 5% ADA CAP was removed and the programs recognized as the viable educational modality that they are, we could serve more of this population of ESL students who so desperately need instruction. (California Council for Adult education has been advocating such a plan for ADA CAP redistribution for several years now.)

4) Accountability;  Distance Learning programs throughout the state are currently using a number of accepted standardized measurments of students growth as well as more flexible and creative methodologies such as student performance, value added, etc. Over the years we have proven our success with students again and again.

Distance Learning Programs as they are administered through k-12 adult education programs, are flexible, accessible, accountable and a proven mode of instructional delivery. These programs are currently answerable to the California Department of Education, whom I feel should remain in charge of adult education programs throughout the state.

Mr. Navarro, these issues of technology, accountability, funding and so forth are not mutually exclusive but instead very closely tied one to the other.

Adult Education and adult educators are both on topic and on target when it comes to educating 2/3 of California's adult students. Please give us our much deserved and well earned  place in the master plan for education.