EdSource
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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?
Preliminary results of an EdSource survey of the state’s 30 largest districts show that districts are split. Some, such as Oakland Unified, are issuing preliminary layoff notices to adult school teachers and plan to close their adult schools if the governor’s plan goes through. Likewise, San Juan Unified will close its program unless the local community college wants to contract with the district. Still others, such as Clovis, Elk Grove and Los Angeles, plan to keep their adult programs open for at least one more year, paying out of their general funds.
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