California Council for Adult Education

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 22:43:00 +0000

Save Adult Education by Remaining Vigilant Against the Weighted Student Formula

Dear CCAE members,

As we’ve discussed, we’re continuing to work every angle to defeat the weighted student formula (WSF) and save adult education in this budget cycle. While we’re hearing from a number of members, staff, and education stakeholders that the WSF will not be part of the budget deal this year, I believe we must remain vigilant in our opposition to it. As you know, the final deal is ultimately determined by the Big 5 – or at least the Senate President, Assembly Speaker and Governor. In this regard, it is conceivable that horses could be traded and the deal could move forward with some caveats (i.e. extended implementation date, an accountability measure (something like it has been authored by Steinberg), and etc.). This said, we believe we should continue to convey the serious dangers with the WSF and its effective elimination of adult education.

While advocating against the WSF is important, we obviously need to be working a positive angle that provides a path forward for the Legislature to consider. We’ve talked for some time about AB 18 serving as that vehicle. At this time, however, it still remains unclear whether it is viable in the bigger budget and reform context. Nevertheless, CAEAA and CCAE are working on language derived from an early version of AB 189 that would provide the basis for a solution to flexibility and the continued decimation of adult education across the state. The language will serve as a general framework for offering to the Legislature and Governor to provide a path forward and a compromise given the current economic realities. In theory, it would provide for a base level of funding and a hold harmless provision for adult education based on FY 11-12, with a process to gradually restore and bring adult education out of flex entirely heading in to FY 14-15 (the official end of flexibility).

To be clear, this approach isn’t a sure thing. While we have a number of champions in the Legislature, it has been difficult to obtain commitments relative to adult education, WSF, and flexibility overall. Within the coming week, we will be updating our grassroots effort to reflect this approach and offering with the Legislature. We commend the CAEAA and CCAE memberships as well as all adult education students and supporters for stepping up in such a strong way over the last month. We will need to continue to keep the pressure on as budget negotiations heat up further and likely go behind closed doors as the Legislature grapples with closing a $15.7 billion deficit by June 15th.

Finally, we have been in discussions with stakeholders from the business community and labor to ensure that their understanding and messaging of how adult education fits in to their efforts regarding apprenticeship, career tech, and etc. are clear and inclusive of the need to save adult education to support their programs. The feedback and interest has been very positive. We will be collaborating more fully as negotiations and efforts move forward.

Also please note below at L.A.'s adult schools, a chance at transformation:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0601-tobar-20120601,0,1233407.column

Stay tuned….

Dawn Koepke
Partner
McHugh, Koepke & Associates
1121 L Street, Suite 103
Sacramento, CA 95814

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:05:00 +0000

CCAE STRONGLY OPPOSES the Governor’s Weighted Student Formula

We Need your Immediate Assistance! Please Submit your Letter of Opposition Today!

• Sample Opposition Letter

As you may know, the Governor’s proposed Weighted Student Formula (WSF) would consolidate most categorical programs and would no longer provide funding for adult education as it would all be consolidated and provided to districts on a weighted basis for K-12 students only. This ultimately leaves adults in need of basic skills, GEDs, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, short-term career technical training, and more without any options. The populations most affected by this will be underserved and disadvantaged adults who are in desperate need of these services.

With the Governor set to release his May Revise Monday, May 14th and the Legislature gearing up to make decisions related to the future of adult education as it relates to the WF budget proposal, the next few weeks will be critical to sustaining adult education in California. It is essential that our voices be heard in Sacramento.

Get Involved! Contact Your Legislator Today!

Identify Your Legislators (Senate & Assembly)

See: http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/
***Important to note that in order to find “your” legislators (Senate & Assembly), you must enter your HOME address. (This information will not be collected or retained; it is just purely to correctly identify who your representatives are based on your voting address.)

Opposition Letters—Send Immediately!

Please mail, email and fax letters to your Assembly and Senate Representatives urging them to oppose the Governor’s Weighted Student Formula and to protect adult education. In addition to sending letters, please place calls and schedule meetings (member or staff) to discuss the importance of protecting adult education and our opposition to the Governor’s proposed budget plan. Please ask your staff, family, friends, students and more to also send letters and place calls.

CAEAA and CCAE have prepared a sample letter for ease of use.

• Sample Opposition Letter

We encourage you to personalize the letter with your district-specific impacts and perspectives.

Be sure to copy membership@ccaestate.org or fax a copy to 866-941-5129 so we may present hard copies while lobbying the issue.

We greatly appreciate your help generating as many letters, calls and meetings as possible. In order to prevent the passage of this harmful proposal that will ensure the elimination of adult education in California, it is critical that you take action and fast! Thank you for your time and assistance on this important matter.

Be sure to let as many people as possible know about the option to join the fight to keep funding in adult education.

Additionally, the following members are members of the various ethnic caucuses who have long been champions for adult education and those that rely on our programs and services. For those of you within the following members’ districts, CCAE encourage you to double your efforts.

Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
Assemblymember Warren Furutani, Chair	Senator Carol Liu
Assemblymember Mary Hayashi	Assemblymember Fiona Ma
Assemblymember Mike Eng	Assemblymember Richard Pan
Assemblymember Paul Fong	Assemblymember Mariko Yamada
Senator Ted Lieu	Assemblymember Das Williams

Legislative Black Caucus
Senator Curren Price, Chair	Assemblymember Isadore Hall
Assemblymember Mike Davis	Assemblymember Steven C. Bradford
Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter	Assemblymember Sandre Swanson
Assemblymember Holly Mitchell	Senator Rod Wright

Latino Legislative Caucus
Assemblymember Ricardo Lara, Chair	Assemblymember Ben Hueso
Assemblymember Luis Alejo	Assemblymember Tony Mendoza
Assemblymember Michael Allen	Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod
Assemblymember Charles Calderón	Senator Alex Padilla
Senator Ron Calderon, Vice Chair	Assemblymember Henry T. Perea
Assemblymember Nora Campos	Assemblymember John A. Pérez
Senator Lou Correa	Assemblymember V. Manuel Pérez
Assemblymember Gilbert Cedillo	Senator Michael J. Rubio
Senator Kevin De León	Assemblymember Jose Solorio
Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes	Assemblymember Norma J. Torres
Senator Ed Hernández	Senator Juan Vargas
Assemblymember Roger Hernández

Strength in Numbers!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Support Adult Education in California

We are calling on students, staff, friends, community partners, and anyone who would like to see Adult Education continue and not go away. Join with the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) as we fight to keep funding in adult education in California.

It's easy to get involved and make a difference. It's free and there are no strings attached.

Please promote signup through as many people as possible in your sections and chapters.

Click the button above to "Join the Fight for Adult Education".

CCAE State Conference Registration is Live!

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:09:00 +0000

2012 CCAE State Conference, May 4–5 in Fresno

Conference registration is now live! Join adult education professionals from across California at the CCAE 2012 State Conference May 4–5, 2012. This annual event will be hosted by the Central Section at the Radisson Hotel in Fresno, so plan now to hitch a ride to the conference. Expect a conference, full of educational information and fun times.

This year's theme is The Great CCAE Round-Up!—It will have a wagon full of great workshops, seminars, and speakers, topped off with a special evening barbeque...More

Legislative Day, March 5, 2012 in Sacramento

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:08:00 +0000

Make a difference in adult education!

Join 100–150 members of CCAE as we converge on Sacramento to personally meet with all 120 Legislators or their staff.

Special training is held prior to the visits to assist our members in their meetings. Many members have found this to be the most meaningful activity that they have ever participated in as an adult educator. We have also sponsored successful current and former students and school board members to join this day. Together we can keep adult education in California!

Trigger Cuts to be Enacted, Affect Education

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Over the last month, three key state fiscal entities have released financial outlook reports detailing the state’s current revenue situation and providing projections for the upcoming budget year. Democratic Controller John Chiang’s report found state revenues to be $1.5 billion behind the FY 2011–2012 budget revenue projections. It also found the state has overspent during the fiscal year by $1.7 billion and came in $810.5 million short of expectations for October. In the report, the Controller credits the revenue shortfall to lower than expected personal income and corporate tax receipts. The Legislative Analyst’s (LAO) financial outlook found the state to be facing a budget deficit of $13 billion in the next fiscal year (FY 2012–2013). The LAO’s report argues the state will not receive the expected $4 billion in additional revenues as included in the current budget plan—the revenues necessary to avoid trigger cuts.

The Department of Finance released an analysis recently also identifying a sizeable revenue gap for the FY 2011–12 budget package, pegging it at $2.2 billion with revenues in October alone falling $608 million below expectations. Following up on the analysis, the Department and Governor Brown officially released their outlook for the coming year and announced the need to enact the ‘trigger’ cuts outlined in the June budget agreement. As you may recall, the budget plan outlined a tiered system of additional budget cuts to education and social services should state tax revenues fail to meet projections. The tiered cuts included:

• Tier 0: State short up to $1 billion of projection: No additional cuts; push any remaining budget imbalance to the FY 2012–13

• Tier 1: State short $1–2 billion of projection: $600 million worth of cuts to the UC/CSU system, corrections, social services and increase of community college fees by $10 a unit

• Tier 2: State short $2–4 billion of projection: $1.9 billion in cuts to K-12 education ($1.5 billion) and school transportation programs in addition to Tier 1 cuts

Despite the revenue gaps, legislative and agency officials had been optimistic and holding out hope that a surge of revenues would help avoid triggering the additional cuts. Governor Brown, however, put the issue to rest indicating the triggers would indeed be pulled and more cuts are likely when he releases his proposed FY 2012–2013 budget proposal in January. While the trigger cuts will have significant impacts for higher education and child care, K-12 was largely spared facing only a $80 million direct reduction and $248 million through the elimination of school bus funding. This is slight when compared with the $1.5 billion direct cut they faced. Community College impacts will likely lead to a $10/unit fee hike beginning with the 2012 summer term and are likely to remain permanent.

So, what does this mean for adult education? That remains unclear and could ultimately vary from district to district. Governor Brown during his press conference today noted that schools have the flexibility to move funds around. He noted that they would have the option to even backfill school bus funding to the detriment of another categorical program if that was a priority for any particular district. While the overall cuts aren’t as bad as they could have been, funding flexibility remains and could have an impact for further reductions in adult education on a district-by-district basis.

We will continue to monitor the budget situation very closely. We are hopeful that with the passage of AB 189 (Eng, 2011) school districts will be forced to think twice before adopting a budget or reductions that would further impact adult education. As the 2012 legislative session approaches, the California Adult Education Administrators Association (CAEAA) and California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) will be working closely with the Administration and Legislature to stave off further reductions, promote, and ultimately set the basis for restoring funding for adult education in California.

Stay tuned…

Dawn Koepke
Legislative Advocate
McHugh & Associates
1121 L Street, Suite 103
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 930-1993
(916) 930-0580 Fax

Final Draft of the Adult Education Strategic Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:38:00 +0000

The Adult Education Office of the California Department of Education is announcing the posting of the final draft of the strategic plan, Linking Adults to Opportunity: Transformation of the California Department of Education Adult Education Program. A message is also posted from Patricia Terry, the new administrator of the Adult Education Office, outlining the next steps, which include taking the plan to the State Board of Education as an information item, and the development of processes to facilitate broader implementation.

Comments on this final draft may now be posted on the plan website. The comment period ends on December 23, 2011.

Moving Forward: California's Strategic Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:34:00 +0000

CCAE Northern Section is proud to announce that Gordon Jackson, Director, Department of Coordinated Student Support & Adult Education, will be our guest speaker on January 18, 2012, at the University of the Pacific, in Stockton, California. Mr. Jackson’s presentation, Moving Forward: California’s Strategic Plan, will highlight California’s renewed focus on Adult Education and serve as an introduction to the final draft of the Strategic Plan. The CCAE Northern Section Board invites all CCAE members, adult educators, staff, students and guests to join us for what promises to be an informative evening filled with camaraderie, conversation and culinary delights in the University’s River Room, overlooking the beautiful Calaveras River. We welcome you to join us.

Don’t miss this informative presentation. Call or mail in your reservation today. Reservation form, map and flyer are attached; please share these with your colleagues.

Thank you,

Dennis P. Flynn, President
CCAE Northern Section

Contact:

CCAE Northern Section
1525 Pacific Avenue
Stockton, CA 95204

209-933-7455 x1408
treasurer@ccaenorthernsection.org

• Gordon Jackson Flier
• Gordon Jackson Reservation Form
• Campus Map
• Adult Education Strategic Plan—Linking Adults to Opportunity: Transformation of the California Department of Education Adult Education Program (PDF)

Legislative Advocacy Changes for CCAE

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:26:00 +0000

Over the past few years, dramatic changes have occurred in California's Adult Education system with the most impact of the implementation of flexibility of adult education funding for K-12 purposes. The CCAE Board decided that it was time to take a second look at how we approach legislative advocacy. We determined that it was in our best interests to combine resources with the California Adult Education Administrator's Association (CAEAA) and hire a new firm for legislative advocacy for adult education that will take us in a new direction. CCAE owes tremendous thanks to our former legislative advocate, Jeff Frost for his many years of service to the field of adult education and generosity in time committed to CCAE specifically as well as the development of various initiatives which he was instrumental in getting passed.

The CCAE Board along with the CAEAA Board voted unanimously to hire McHugh and Associates to develop and support legislation that ultimately protects adult education funding.

Dawn Koepke will be our legislative liaison and joined McHugh & Associates in December 2003 lobbying in the areas of public safety, health and human services, environmental issues, and now will focus her attention on adult education.

Prior to joining the McHugh team, Dawn served as Special Assistant to Governor Gray Davis managing the Governor and assisting the Legislative Affairs and Communications teams.

Dawn graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and studied abroad at the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. Dawn also completed her Masters Degree in Public Policy & Administration from California State University, Sacramento.

CCAE welcomes McHugh and Associates and Dawn Koepke to the work ahead of us to ultimately protect adult education funding.

2012 CCAE State Conference Call for Presenters

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:58:00 +0000

The 2012 State Conference Call for Presenters form now available. This year we are seeking workshops that are focused on increasing student performance, and finding the best way for our students to transition from school to work or higher education opportunities.

Deadline for submission is February 20, 2012. Click here for more information.

2012 CCAE State Conference, May 3–5, Fresno

noreply@blogger.com (Rob Lawrence) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:29:00 +0000

Join adult education professionals from across California at the CCAE 2012 State Conference May 3–5, 2012. This annual event will be hosted by the Central Section at the Radisson Hotel in Fresno, so plan now to hitch a ride to the conference. Expect a conference, full of educational information and fun times.This year's theme is The Great CCAE Round-Up!—It will have a wagon full of great workshops, seminars, and speakers, topped off with a special evening barbeque.

You're always welcome at our ranch.