We are making good progress.
Governor Brown and the Legislature understand Adult Education matters.
We need to help them understand a few more things.
This week we will write letters to tell them:
We need Designated Funding (our own protected money)
NOW -
not later.
Some schools will not survive without money NOW.
And we need the California Department of Education to be the "banker" for this money -
not the Community Colleges.
The CDE - the California Department of Education - can be the banker for K12 Adult Schools (like our school) and for the Community College non-credit programs.
When money is involved, it is good for someone who doesn't need the money to be the "banker."
Otherwise, there can be problems - just like when you play Monopoly with your family!
And get out your paper and pens...
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| San Mateo Adult School evening ESL class writing letters in 2012 |
Ready, set, write!
* Governor Jerry Brown
State Capitol, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814
* Tom Torlakson, Superintendent of Public Instruction
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
• Our Local Assemblymember Kevin Mullin
1528 South El Camino Real, Suite 302
San Mateo, CA 94402
• Our Local Senator Jerry Hill
1528 South El Camino Real, Suite 303
San Mateo, CA 94402
• Our Local Senator Leland Yee
400 South El Camino Real, Suite 630
San Mateo, CA 94402
You can also write:
* California Asian & Pacific Islander Caucus
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/apilegcaucus/
You can write to them in Chinese
State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0028
* California Latino Legislative Caucus http://www2.legislature.ca.gov/latinocaucus/
You can write to them in Spanish
Chair: Senator Ricardo Lara
California State Capitol, Room 5050, Sacramento, CA 95814
* Senator Carol Liu - she is making new laws to help Adult Schools and Public Education
State Capitol, Room 5097, Sacramento, CA 95814
* Assemblymember Susan Bonilla – she is a strong supporter of Adult Schools
2151 Salvio Street, Suite 395, Concord, CA 94520
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| San Mateo Adult School ESL Day students with letters ready to mail |
And thank you!
Because our work - YOUR WORK! - has made a huge difference.
Background Information:
All these cuts started in 2009 after the Wall Street and Housing Market Crash.
Public Education was in trouble. There was not enough money for schools.
Governor Schwartzenegger made the money for Adult Schools "flexible" - that meant available.
If the K12 Adult Schools needed money - and many did because we were in a big money crisis - they could use the Adult School money.
Adult Schools were the "blood donors" for K12 schools.
We kept the K12 Schools alive during the difficult time.
The K12 Schools survived.
But many Adult Schools did not.
70 Adult Schools closed.
But things are better now.
The economy is stronger.
And we passed Prop. 30 - a special tax for education.
Adult School Communities helped to pass Prop 30.
Now we can renew and rebuild Adult Education.
Now we can be part of better Public Education - K12, Colleges, Adult Education - for California!
Hooray!
Here are blog posts about our first Red Letter Day in 2010: Red Letter Day 2010
And our Red Letter Day last year in 2012: Red Letter Day 2012
We have made a lot of progress!
And we will keep making progress - until Adult Education is rebuilt and renewed!
Because Adult Education Matters!
And remember: Sign and share the Petition to Rebuild Adult Education!
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