Category Archives: Adult education

Vallejo Regional Education Center graduates dozens – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Irma Widjojo

The last adult graduate walked across the stage at the 2833 Tennessee St. courtyard Friday afternoon during the Vallejo Regional Education Center graduation ceremony.

About 80 graduated this year from the center, formerly known as Vallejo Adult School, and 33 of them chose to attend the ceremony, donning their blue caps and gowns.

The center has switched locations with Vallejo Charter School on Del Sur Street, just a few years after moving to the Tennessee campus, which formerly housed Springstowne Middle School.

During the commencement, three student speakers shared their life stories with the audience.

via Vallejo Regional Education Center graduates dozens – Vallejo Times Herald.

Adult School sends off graduates – Daily Republic

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By Adrienne Harris

Kalia Wells could barely hold in the tears as she walked in procession Wednesday with her diploma in hand.

The 18-year-old had just switched her tassel with more than 100 other high school and GED graduates during the commencement ceremony for the Fairfield-Suisun Adult School at the Fairfield Civic Center.

“I worked hard,” Wells said during a photo shoot, surrounded by family members. She had been quick to shed the navy blue graduation gown for an orange-and-white-striped cocktail dress and was ready for the celebratory barbecue.

“Party at my house,” she said.

via Adult School sends off graduates Daily Republic.

Vallejo school board to consider switching charter, former adult school – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

The Vallejo school board on Wednesday will consider the relocation of Vallejo Charter School to the Springstowne campus.

Vallejo City Unified School District officials said at a meeting last month that the move would benefit both the Vallejo Charter School, a K-8 school currently at an elementary school site, and the Regional Education Center (formerly the Vallejo Adult School) that now occupies Springstowne.

The Springstowne site at 2833 Tennessee Street was formerly the site of Springstowne Middle School. In 2011, the school board restructured much of the Vallejo City Unified School District, closing several schools and relocating Springstowne to the former Hogan High School campus, renaming it Hogan Middle School.

via Vallejo school board to consider switching charter, former adult school – Vallejo Times Herald.

Days in line is par for this course – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

Soraya Olayiwola brought a blue blanket and a white folding chair when she arrived Sunday at 9:47 a.m. – first in line for the central service technician class at the Fairfield-Suisun Adult School.

By Tuesday evening, about 40 others were waiting off Travis Boulevard near the flagpole in front of the school for the $800 class – which teaches sterile processing technology and infection control. It begins registration Wednesday morning, when 33 students will be able to enroll.

“I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do,” said Olayiwola, 19, of Fairfield.

via Days in line is par for this course Daily Republic.

Adult Education: How To Translate Adult Education Into Job Skills : NPR

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by Kavitha Cardoza

Adults wanting to go back to school have the odds stacked against them. They juggle many responsibilities, there are long waitlists for classes and often there isn’t a connection between what they learn in class and the skills they need to get a job.

But a program offered in Washington state has been so successful in getting adult students into the workforce that more than 20 states are implementing the model. It’s called Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training, better known as I-BEST.

 

via Adult Education: How To Translate Adult Education Into Job Skills : NPR.

FSUSD Adult School introduces program schedule – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

FAIRFIELD — Several parent and child eduction classes are being offered by the Solano Parent and Child Education program, located at the Fairfield-Suisun Adult School, 900 Travis Blvd.

Classes typically are for children up to 5 years old or for parents of children in that 0 to 5-year-old age range.

via Adult School introduces program schedule Daily Republic.

Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today

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By Susan Frey

Ruth Dunn, 72, of Berkeley raises her hand during a current events class for older adults at the Jewish Community Center in Berkeley. Credit: Lillian Mongeau, EdSource Today

An effort to narrow adult education’s core mission is being met with resistance from advocates for older adult and parent education programs, which would lose funding under a budget compromise crafted by supporters of adult education and Gov. Jerry Brown.

“A lot of people think supporting older adult and parent ed programs is a lost cause,” said Kristen Pursley, who teaches English as a Second Language courses at West Contra Costa Adult Education. “But we think they are too important to give up.”

via Older adult and parent ed programs left out of adult education budget compromise | EdSource Today.

EdSource Today: Adult ed, regional occupational center advocates satisfied with budget deal – for now

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Advocates for adult education and regional occupational centers, which provide hands-on learning in specific careers, say they are satisfied that the language in the budget bills expected to be voted on Friday is strong enough to protect their programs for another two years. The legislators and governor did not mince words, they say, in requiring districts that currently have programs to fund them for two more years.

Dawn Koepke, a lobbyist for the state’s two adult education organizations, said it is clear that even if a district voted to close its program at the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year, it would be obligated to continue the program at its current funding level for two more years.

Adult ed, regional occupational center advocates satisfied with budget deal – for now | EdSource Today.

EdSource Today: Adult ed, regional occupational centers, partnership academies get reprieve

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By 

Once-threatened programs that prepare high school students for careers and adults for jobs or college appear likely to get at least a two-year reprieve under the compromise budget plan negotiated between legislative leaders and Gov. Jerry Brown.

Under the compromise, districts that currently have adult education programs or are involved in Regional Occupational Centers and Programs, which provide hands-on learning in specific careers for high school students, will be required to keep their current programs for two more years, said state Senator Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, who was a key player in the negotiations.

via Adult ed, regional occupational centers, partnership academies get reprieve – by Susan Frey.

Daily Republic: FSUSD adult school students take different routes to graduation

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by Danny Bernardini

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield-Suisun Adult School is all about second chances.

For graduate John Boatright, his second chance came nearly three decades after trying to first earn a high school diploma. Boatright, 48, was honored with two awards Wednesday as he and fellow graduates celebrated earning their diplomas and GEDs.

via Adult school students take different routes to graduation.

EdSource Today: As legislators debate adult ed proposal, Oakland reinstates its program

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by Susan Frey

The Oakland school board has called off plans to shutter its adult education programs, voting Wednesday to fund the programs for at least one more year.

The board’s unanimous vote allocates $1 million next year for the 142-year-old adult education program, the second-oldest and once the fifth-largest in the state. The program, now a shadow of its former self, became the poster child of the movement to save K-12 adult schools after the board voted earlier this year to stop funding the program. It was slated to end in June.

via As legislators debate adult ed proposal, Oakland reinstates its program – by Susan Frey.

EdSource Today: Assembly education leaders support dedicated funding for adult ed

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by Susan Frey

Gov. Jerry Brown’s call to create regional consortia of school districts and community colleges to administer adult education programs starting in 2015-16 is meeting resistance from education leaders in the Assembly.

The plan unveiled in his May revise budget proposal would provide no dedicated funding for adult education until 2015-16, when $500 million would be allocated, including $350 million set aside for existing programs.

via Assembly education leaders support dedicated funding for adult ed – by Susan Frey.

Vallejo Times-Herald: Vallejo seniors rally to save education programs

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By Lanz Christian Bañes Times-Herald staff writer/

Advocates for adult education dominated Wednesday’s Vallejo school board meeting.

For about an hour and a half, more than a dozen older speakers pleaded with the Vallejo Unified School District governing board and Superintendent Ramona Bishop to save senior programs at the Vallejo Adult School.

“As your constituents, we urge you not to cut the older adult classes at the Vallejo Adult School. We want you to know that the classes are critical to us and that we value them. The classes provide education, not recreation, but genuine education specific to the issue of our age group,” Janet Triemert said before presenting a petition signed by 237 people asking the programs be kept.

via Vallejo seniors rally to save education programs.

The Educated Guess: Governor tries to fix adult ed plan, but controversy remains

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by Susan Frey

Backing away from his controversial plan to hand control of adult education over to community colleges, Gov. Jerry Brown is instead proposing that regional consortia, made up of community colleges and school districts, determine adult ed’s future. However, his new plan is also stirring controversy.

In his budget revision unveiled Tuesday, Brown provides substantially more dedicated funding for adult education beginning in 2015-16, raising the amount allocated to $500 million instead of the $300 million in his original budget proposal for 2013-14 released in January. Brown’s original budget would also have made community colleges the lead agency for running the programs, which traditionally have been run by K-12 districts.

via Governor tries to fix adult ed plan, but controversy remains – by Susan Frey.

Vallejo Times-Herald Letter: Learning without the stress at Vallejo Adult School

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Briana Bates, Vallejo

I successfully graduated from Vallejo High School in 2009. After taking a year off from school, I attended Solano Community College. The classes were far too hard for me, and I failed.

In 2011, I finally started to attend Vallejo Adult School for refresher courses. This gave me the opportunity to learn without the stress of failure. I’m filled with confidence. I retook my assessment test at Solano and I was pushed up from English 355 to English 380, which is only one class below Associate degree level.

via Learning without the stress.

Vallejo Times-Herald Letter: Save VCUSD senior programs

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Donna Lass, Vallejo

This is the time of year when cities and counties start looking for ways to balance their budgets. Our Vallejo City Unified School District is no different. The very subject of “budget cuts” brings fear into the hearts of employees of every government entity, as well as the citizens who avail themselves of the services offered.

Sadly, some of the cuts considered include programs currently offered at the Vallejo Adult School. Most of the programs being targeted are those of particular interest to our senior citizens, such as the Stars Program, a two-day-a-week program offering day care for seniors with dementia and ambulatory disabilities. This is a much-needed program to help seniors with disabilities, as well as a means to offer respite for their caretakers (usually spouses of the participants who are themselves senior citizens).

via Save senior programs.

The Educated Guess: Assembly committee rejects moving adult ed to community colleges

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by Susan Frey

In a clear message to Gov. Jerry Brown, an Assembly subcommittee voted unanimously Tuesday to reject his proposal to shift responsibility for adult education programs from K-12 districts to community colleges.

The bipartisan 4-0 vote, with one subcommittee member absent, followed a flurry of pink slips issued by school districts to adult educators last week.

via Assembly committee rejects moving adult ed to community colleges – by Susan Frey.

EdSource Today: Districts struggle with governor’s adult education proposal

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Gov. Jerry Brown’s budget proposal to give the state’s community colleges $300 million to run adult education is leaving K-12 districts in a quandary. Should they assume Brown’s idea will become law, plan to close their adult schools and hope that their local community college will be able to pick up those programs? Should they plan to keep their adult school open for one more year to help make a smooth transition? Or should they continue to use what has historically been dedicated adult school funding, but has shifted into K-12 districts’ general funds, to support their own adult school?

via Districts struggle with governor’s adult education proposal – by Susan Frey.

Daily Republic: FSUSD events to help determine kindergarten readiness

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by Susan Winlow

FAIRFIELD — A Fairfield-Suisun Adult School program will offer workshops on two days in February to help parents determine if their children are ready for kindergarten.

The Kindergarten Readiness Roundup will offer staggered times for several target elementary schools. A representative from each target school will be available during the scheduled time.

While several schools are targeted, children expecting to enter kindergarten at any local school are invited. In addition, if parent and child are unable to attend the session corresponding to their prospective school, they can attend another session, said Cheryl Stumbaugh, a department official at the Adult School.

via Events to help determine kindergarten readiness.