​The joint CCAE and CAEAA Legislative Team is reaching out to give you this brief Legislative Update with the hope that you will be able to join us at the Virtual CAEAA Conference on February 3rd to get more details.

​As you are probably aware, the Governor recently published his proposed budget for 2023-24 on January 10th , as required by law. The Governor faced the challenge of proposing a balanced budget that reflected a $22.5 billion dollar deficit! Fortunately, with a combination of strategies that included tapping into the rainy day fund, spending reductions, and fund shifts the proposed budget includes an 8.13% COLA for Adult Education, the same as LCFF. Considering the challenge of addressing such a large deficit, we are thankful to receive a COLA (proposed) equal to our K-12 districts.

In this report, the LAO took a deep dive into Adult Education funding, both Adult Schools and Community Colleges. The report includes a fairly accurate account of how both systems are funded and points out both positive and concerns in the overall approach to funding. In short, the need for some change is made clear and we have known this for quite some time, although we might not necessarily agree on what that change should be. Before commenting on what we like and do not like about the proposal let me first summarize what we see the main components of the proposal are.

Key components of the proposal are:

1. Current K-12 CAEP funding allocations to be based on attendance (same as CC non-credit) and then gradually shift to a performance-based funding model with an eventual 70% based on attendance and 30% based on current CAEP performance outcomes. Performance funding would be based on learning gains, certificates, and jobs.
2. Community College non-credit funding (a separate pot of funding for CC only) would move with us to this funding model proposal.
3. Current CAEP funding allocated to Community Colleges (about 10% of the total CAEP state funding) would be repurposed to support consortium activities including transitions to post-secondary. Seventy percent of this pot would be based on a base fixed amount, number of members, and number of students served and 30% of funding would be based on the number of transitions from non-credit to credit bearing courses. The funds would be “shared” consortium funds and have to be renegotiated and redistributed by the consortium as the consortium sees best and not necessarily back to the colleges.
4. The funding model would be implemented over a number of years to allow providers and consortia to shift their practices to align with the new funding model.

Overall, we appreciate the proposal as one that has the intent of making the CAEP program more accountable to the students we serve. To that end, we feel the proposal does the following:

1. Equalizes funding across both K-12 and Community Colleges so that students benefit equally by attending in either system (or both).
2. Provides the same accountability on both providers and incentives outcomes for students.
3. Provides a means to redistribute funding based on changes in student needs across the State.
4. Provides a blended approach to funding that tries to strike a balance between funding stability and accountability.

Where we have some concerns at this time:

1. Attendance based funding would be a step back towards the previous funding model. Many programs have moved away from this model and focused more on accelerating students toward transitions, as has been directed by the State.
2. Current data collection is not as accurate as we were expecting it to be at this time, especially with the lack of coordination from the Chancellor's office.

At this time, we continue to receive feedback from the field and plan to do so even more at the Virtual CAEAA Conference on February 3 rd . We recommend members to register for the conference to hear from State level stakeholders and collaborate on next steps for a new funding model proposal.

CCAE is an important voice promoting the stability and growth of California adult education. The strength of that voice depends largely on having a broad membership base. Growing our membership is ultimately about supporting the well-being of the many thousands of Californians whose lives are improved through California adult schools. (Thank you for your membership!)

The majority of people who become members of CCAE join in response to someone inviting them. 

We'd like to encourage CCAE members like you to invite colleagues to join CCAE. As serious as our mission is, we'd still like to have a little fun offering this encouragement - a chance for you to have some extra jingle in your pocket!

So here's the deal: When someone joins CCAE and gives your name as the person who referred them, your name will go into a drawing for a $50 gift card! You may "enter the drawing" as many times as you wish - by referring multiple people to join CCAE. Each calendar quarter we do a drawing for referrals made in the last three months. 

Thank you for all you do for our adult learners. Along with our students, you too could be a winner!

Josie Gallegos has been a CCAE member in the Clovis Chapter starting in 2001 and a consecutive annual member since 2014. This year, Josie was elected to the Clovis Chapter as the Board Secretary. Beyond her secretarial duties, she has also taken an active role in membership recruitment. It is not unusual to see Josie at class breaks and school events with the chapter president, recruiting students to join CCAE. As a chapter member, Josie has played a crucial role in keeping staff spirits high and recognizing the pursuit of success for our adult school students. She also remains up-to-date on legislative news, especially regarding the State, District, and School budget, which helps her considerably as the Financial Aid and Agency Coordinator.

Josie is currently on the Central Section Board as an elected Member-At-Large for the 2022-2023 school year. She also serves on the section conference committee focusing on increasing membership. Before becoming a board member, Josie was a frequent attendee at the Central Section CCAE Board and Member meetings. She brings a unique perspective to current agenda items, having been an adult school graduate in Career Technical Education. Josie has attended nearly all Central Section Fall Conferences since becoming a full-time Clovis Adult employee in 2005. Josie welcomed each participant at this year's section conference in Bakersfield and registered many to become first-time CCAE members. 

Josie dove into the joy of hosting a State Conference by helping the Central Section prepare and pull off a hugely successful Zoo-themed conference in 2012. Josie has been a State Conference participant for the past six years. 

Josie's insights and experience as a Clovis Adult CTE graduate in 2001 have proven invaluable in her 14-year role as the Financial Aid and Agency Coordinator. Josie understands the importance of building partners with Community-Based-Organizations and leveraging agency resources. We dare imagine where we would be without her passion and commitment to the students at Clovis Adult. She builds and maintains professional relationships with Pell Grant, Workforce, CalWORKs, the Department of Rehabilitation, Tribal TANF, VA, and Worker's Compensation. She also serves on the Clovis Unified School District's Classified Unit Business Support Senate helping to support and be a voice for the district's classified employees. Josie is a loyal multi-talented professional. She deals with the public by phone and in person with tact, confidentiality, and understanding. Josie possesses an unquestionable work ethic and a positive, can-do attitude. Put that together with her warm, friendly personality, excellent organizational skills, and exceptional attention to detail, and you have the ideal Financial Aid Coordinator. She is steadfast in reviewing, organizing, recording, and submitting required documentation to County, State, and Federal institutions. She is incomparable when it comes to monitoring and compliance requirements. Josie's work is impeccable in completing reports such as evaluations, monitoring reports, student plans, enrollment counts, and student eligibility. Thousands of students have benefited from Josie's support and diligence in building working relationships with community-based-organizations and federal programs.

What strategies have others used in their local CCAE activities to recruit and retain membership? The CCAE Membership Committee has compiled some of the best ideas, flyers, and more from up and down the state to share them with Chapter and Section Leaders in our "new and improved" Membership Toolkit.

To find the toolkit, login to the CCAE website. Under "My Account," select "Membership Toolkit." (Haven't logged in to the CCAE website before? See this.)

The Membership Committee will continue to add resources to the toolkit as they appear.

Do you have a great strategy or tool for recruiting or retaining CCAE members? Maybe it should be included in the Toolkit! Contact your Section Membership Chair(person) and share your promising idea!

As adult education professionals, we often do what we do to elevate, encourage, educate, and empower our students. Yet, generally, most of us focus on what we are assigned, with little thought about the long-term impact on the lives of the students we encounter. If we are lucky, it is only in later years, after our students have left us, that we hear how they are faring. So often, we stumble upon former students at their workplace or going about their lives, more confident and empowered than we remember them. In the case of Ms. Edith Moreno, her creativity bloomed during her first time in our school. Such are the moments that fill our hearts with joy and gratitude for the occupation we have chosen.

Edith Moreno is one such student who unearthed her inner creativity in a Language Arts class in 2019 through the original pieces of writing she did, namely, "Lady Lavan" and "Through the Fire." In the Bridge to Success-Language Arts class at Corona-Norco Adult School, she met Mr. Belcher. He helped her unearth her love for learning, her innate creative mind, and eventually, her discovery of self-worth and freedom of choice to live a dignified life. 

Edith’s speech at the CCAE South Coast / Southern Section Conference at Palm Springs on November 19, 2022, is evidence of her journey. A journey that led her to escape an abusive relationship, overcome the challenges of homelessness with her eight-year-old son during the pandemic, and rebuild a life of freedom and a voice that empowers other women in her community. Ms. Moreno volunteers as a public speaker for a non-profit organization that supports women in shelters. Her message is, “It’s perfectly okay to be imperfect,” the Kintsugi philosophy of embracing the flawed or the imperfect. (from Edith Moreno’s speech.) - ​Submitted by: Thoibi Rublaitus

Colleen Barela is an outstanding instructor who is devoted to her adult students’ success. As a CCAE South Coast Section member and master Office Careers’ Teacher, Colleen effectively differentiates her instruction so that all students succeed. Colleen has much experience working with the Veteran and older adult populations and students with disabilities. She excels in curriculum development, workforce education, and hybrid teaching and learning. Utilizing multiple modalities to create an effective learning environment which engages and supports all students, Colleen is also an expert with the Canvas learning system. She uses educational technology to provide lectures, presentations, readings, discussion boards, and learning assessments.
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As a life-long learner herself, Colleen constantly seeks to grow professionally and immerses herself in embracing a “positive mindset,” which she freely shares with her colleagues and students.
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Colleen is well respected as a change agent and excellent instructor. We appreciate the contributions she brings to adult education and value her as an important member of CCAE. 

“Student Success Coordinator” does not even begin to define the immense role that Ann Forlenza plays at Davis Adult and Community Education. As a small adult school, every employee has to wear many hats and in Ann’s case, these hats include being the testing coordinator, data manager, transition navigator, and right-hand woman to the principal in all things. It would not be an exaggeration to say that, without Ann, the adult school would not function.

Ann found her way to the adult school through a long and winding path, like many of our adult school students. She returned to school later in life and completed her Bachelor’s degree around the same time that her daughter graduated from high school. Her own story of “going back to school” serves as an inspiration to her students, many of which are raising children of their own and managing complicated lives and jobs while trying to also complete their education.

Ann started working for the adult school in the Spring of 2021. She immediately demonstrated her tenacity and ability to learn on the fly since she had to start in her position while the entire school staff was still 100% remote, which meant that she had to receive all her training for the position over Zoom. She rose to the task with enthusiasm and a sincere desire to learn – a trait which she also models for our students in her position as Student Success Coordinator.

Since then, Ann has become an invaluable member of the Davis Adult team. Her creativity and ability to connect with students makes her the perfect person for her position. In the Fall of 2021, the adult school had its first official WASC accreditation visit, and Ann was instrumental in producing all of the data and reports that were needed for the report and was an excellent thought partner for the principal in preparing for the visit. Ann became a CCAE member in the Spring of 2022, continues to be an important member of the Davis Adult and Community Education family, and is a great advocate for adult education.

An avid advocate for adult education, CCAE, and LARAEC, Firoozeh Papan-Matin (Ph.D., UCLA) is an educator and published author. She has taught academic courses at the adult, post-secondary, and university levels. Ms. Papan-Matin is an active member and supporter of CCAE and LARAEC for their persistent commitment to educational programs and initiatives. She has served on these organizations’ planning and curriculum committees and presented at their conferences.  ​