RE: Adult Education Recommendation 38

In the MP http://www.info-ren.org/network-democracy/camp/bb/plan/accountability.shtml , item 38 recommends "…developing a transition plan to consolidate administrative oversight for adult education within the community college system…", stating that they are "…experienced in locating services in community locations convenient to the adults who seek and can benefit from them".

Practice suggest otherwise. The community colleges are centralized in providing services, whereas adult education as is currently managed by K-12 is located all over the community using existing local school district plants as well as other community locations convenient to our clientele. In LA typically one community adult school may have as many as 25-30 branch sites serving the adult citizens, in the community where they live with day, afternoon, and evening programs. 

Another facet of the local adult school is open entry/open exit, a tenant of services provided by adult education that would be lost under the current practices of the CC system.

The MP states, "there exists a structural disjuncture between the K-12 education system and adult education." One has to wonder where the input is coming from to make this sweeping summarization of adult ed. On my campus, the adult school is located within a high school, and provides services to concurrently enrolled high school students making up failed high school classes. At the administrative oversight level the Division of Adult Career Education is in regular meetings with K-12 providers concerning services to high school students. Adult Ed. lives in the same house as K-12. I am not sure how following the MP recommendations can make adult ed. any closer to K-12.

The MP states that, "…continue utilizing current venues for delivery of adult education services and contracting, where necessary,…". It is questionable as to whether the CC would continue the level of services provided by Adult Ed. If the oversight of adult ed., with primary locations within local school district high schools is transferred to community college control, then I presume that the local district would then "contract out" to the CC the costs for use and maintenance of the school site. The bottom line is that the CC would manage the local Adult Ed. school located with the high school, saving administrative oversight to gain the expense of contracting back to the local school district for site use.

I fail to see the benefit to the people of the communities served by Adult Ed. "to consolidate administrative oversight for adult education within the community college system".

Tony Salso
8 yrs adult counseling
23 yrs Adult Ed. vocational teacher