Adult schools appeal for funding

The number of adult community schools would shrink to four from 11, and students would have to pay $20 or more for classes that are now free, under a plan to save adult education services that would also require the state to restore more than half of the $5 million in funding cut from the program for next year.

Adult school principals, who will present the plan to a Board of Education committee today, say without the funding restoration the schools stand to lose an additional $2.5 million in federal money, which must be matched by state funds.

The principals acknowledge their plan will be a tough sell at a time when the Department of Education is facing mounting budget woes and being forced to cut per-pupil funding to public schools next year. But they also argue their services are vital, offering second chances and new opportunities to many residents.

"If you look at the overall picture of a family, the adult’s needs also have to be met in order for children to do well," said Helen Sanpei, principal of the McKinley adult school. "We’re hopeful they (the BOE) can see the need to support us."

The plan comes as community schools have seen enrollment increase by 16 percent — or nearly 1,300 students — since 2006, thanks in part to a lackluster economy that is spurring more people to polish their skills to seek better jobs.

Some 9,058 were enrolled in adult community schools statewide last year. English-language instruction was the most popular offering, serving 3,120 adults. Some 1,486 students served were high school dropouts between 16 and 18.

There’s no doubt that adult community schools offer a valuable service, said Wesley Lo, chairman of the BOE’s Finance and Infrastructure Committee. At issue is whether the DOE should support them at risk of the potential loss of other programs.

"The question really becomes, What is the responsibility (of the DOE) beyond school age?" Lo said, adding he is not sure of the best way to fund adult schools.

The BOE voted in June to eliminate all general fund spending — totaling about $5 million — for adult education next school year. The one-year reprieve was seen as a way to allow community schools to come up with a plan for paring down programs and retaining key services that would operate on fees and grants.

But community school principals warn the elimination of the state funding would mean the end of the $2.5 million federal grant that requires a minimum contribution from the state.The principals are instead proposing a series of cost-saving measures while asking the state to restore $3.4 million, the minimum needed to keep the federal adult education grant.

The plan to be presented proposes sizable fees for students who now pay nothing. A GED diploma class would cost $175, while competency-based diploma classes would be $20 for each of five required study units. Classes for English-language instruction and basic skills would also cost $20.

The fees would bring in about $880,000, the plan estimates.

Cutting the number of adult schools to four from 11 would also save money, principals said. Though it’s unclear how this "super-school" model would work, some say it could include satellite campuses, which would require personnel.

Raelene Chock, principal of Farrington Community School, said the increased costs for classes would drive away some students. She suspects enrollment would drop by about one-fourth at her school, which serves many low-income families.

The fees for classes would be on top of the costs for books and tests.

But Chock said she understands the difficult situation the department is in, adding that adult schools might have to consider eliminating whole programs and focusing on services that would benefit all public schools, such as credit recovery for struggling students, services for recent dropouts or training for teachers.

"The bottom line is money," Chock said. "It’s just where we put our priorities."