CCAE’s 2026 Legislative Action Day
​April 20th and 21st

Join fellow K12 Adult Education professionals and students for our annual 
Legislative Advocacy Day in Sacramento on April 20th and 21st.​

Watch Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco and Senator Josh Newman address the Adult Education community.

​Senator Josh Newman - Representing Senate District 29
Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco - Representing 64th District

CCAE Fingertip Facts

Your go-to resource for legislative advocacy resources, information, inspiration, and more

Advocacy Resources

Use the resources found on this page to assist in your state and local advocacy efforts, influence legislative policy and funding, and effectively convey the role that K–12 Adult Education has in:
  • Creating more inclusive access to education, in-demand skills development, and occupational opportunities for all Californians
  • Stimulating the economic vitality of communities across the Golden State
  • Advancing our profession and enabling the continuity of delivering these valuable societal benefits—through K–12 Adult Education
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Online Advocacy

Start engaging your representatives, community leaders, and influencers in social media today!
​Set your posts to "public" and use the following hashtags so we can elevate your  advocacy:
#SupportK12AdultEd
#AdultEdu
#CaliforniaAdultEducation
#CCAE
​#K12AdultEdMatters
Use CCAE’s social media handles in your posts to help promote and advocate for adult education:
@CCAEState
@CCAECentralSection
@CCAE_LAMetro 
@CCAENorthernSection
@CCAESouthernSection
#CCAEBaySection

Adult Education Legislative & Budget Update

CCAE & CAEAA Letter of Concern Regarding CAEP

​The California Council for Adult Education (CCAE) and California Adult Education Administrators Association (CAEAA) have sent this letter to the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office to convey concerns regarding lack of coordination and collaboration of the California Adult Education Program (CAEP).

Members make GREAT things happen!

The #SupportK12AdultEd Advocacy Kit.

Check out the ​#SupportK12AdultEd Advocacy Kit for valuable templates, talking points, example fact sheets, and much more.
Resource Spotlight
Advocacy Sample Fact Sheets
Inspire your adult school’s fact sheet with these visually stimulating and succinct advocacy sample fact sheets. Convey your program’s impact and reach with legislators, advocacy groups, or the general community!
Asks & Talking Points
Legislative & Budget Priorities: California K-12 Adult Education (updated March 2023)
​
The four priorities represent the most promising, strategically prioritized legislative focus areas that—if enacted by our lawmakers—will enable delivery of high-impact, measurable solutions for addressing California's most critical needs of today and tomorrow. Amidst the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting tolls, K–12 Adult Education is heeding the call. This comes at a time when communities need us most.
Ask...
Expand to see talking points.
#1 K–12 Funding: Maintain current CAEP funding for FY21–22
  • The 2021-22 January proposal includes a 3.81% COLA for LCFF for K–12 districts. However, those K–12 districts will only receive a 1.5% COLA for their Adult Education Program.
  • Being part of K–12 districts, Adult Schools are subject to same bargaining agreements which include salary negotiations influenced by COLAs.
  • The lower COLA for Adult Education can result in Adult Schools having to make cuts to programs in order to cover any increased salary increases beyond the 1.5%.
#2 Carryover Criteria: Address unfettered carryover
  • Some consortia member agencies continue to annually carry over significant amounts of their annual allocation. Some carry more than 100%, while other agencies within the consortia expend their annual allocations to address the need.
  • These carry over dollars directly correlate to a loss of highly needed services that could have been provided to Adult Education students.
  • The California Adult Education Program (CAEP) is an on-going funding source with a standalone allocation in the state budget each year to cover Adult Education in the K–12 Adult School and Community College systems.
  • Current state guidance (not law) gives a three-year spending window for each year of funding and funded agencies must certify fiscal year close out six months prior to the end of the three- year spending window.
  • Although there can be acceptable reasons for significant carryover these reasons should be known to all consortium members and agreed upon.
  • We want to ensure that the funding allocated for high need students in a given year is expended in that year, but when it’s not spent then there should be a good reason why.
​#3 Funding Distribution: Address funding distribution timing
  • Funding for K–12 agencies continues to arrive 5-6 months late each year which causes unnecessary pressures on K–12 school districts in managing available cash.
  • The process for distributing funds is a complicated on that starts with the Chancellor’s Office and involves many people and many points of action. Just one person in charge of an action can delay the process weeks.
#4 Ed-Code Cleanup: Update K–12 Adult-Ed statutes to align with CAEP
  • K–12 Adult Education has changed significantly since its inception, but the Education Code has not been updated to reflect the current system and delivery of services in conjunction with its partners.

Special Thanks!

Partners in Advocacy 
Affiliates & Alliances
Partners in advocating for K-12 Adult Education
PO Box 4646
Whittier, CA 90607
(888) 542-2231

​© Copyright 2026 California Council for Adult Education,
​All Rights Reserved.