As readers know I've been taking computer classes at an Adult School in Huntington Beach, paying for each month long class out of my own pocket.
This week I finished up Beginning Excel 2007, and Beginning PhotoShop Elements 8, and in over a week will begin the Intermediate PSE 8, and Intermediate Word 2007.
Our last day of the Excel class saw us learning how to create a Database, & use Mail Merge.
There was a method in our teacher's edumicational effort. ;-D
She told us about an important Assembly Bill beginning to make the rounds in Sacramento, and why it was important that it pass.
Once we learned about it we needed no pursuasion to type up a letter to 5 reps in the State Assembly, and even personalize it with thoughts of our own.
AB 189 is called The Adult Education Funding Protection Bill, and you can read the text and, so far, 20 interesting comments from visitors to the Around the Capitol Website, here.
The Ca. Council for Adult Education, the largest and oldest adult education professional organization in California, has posted a video, staring actor Edward James Olmos, in support of the bill.
My classmates, and I, wrote letters to Assemblywoman Diane Harkey, and Assemblymen Donald Wagner, Allan Mansoor, Jim Silva, and Jose Solorio.
What follows is mine:
I am writing to urge the State Legislature to act immediately on the issue of Adult Education Funding in California. California's categorical flexibility has enabled school districts to remain solvent during a time of unprecidented budget cuts.
Unfortunately this flexibility is resulting in the dismantlin of our state's adult schools and programs, and this needs immediate correction. locally, the cuts to adult education make up the largest single diversion of any single categorical program within Tier III.
While the categorical flexibility is scheduled to sunset in 2012-13, Govenore Brown has proposed extending all flexibility for an additional 2 years. Given this suggested extention it is only appropriate to put limits into place on the amount of adult funding that can be transferred. Therefore I am asking for your support on AB189.
The need for career technical-education (CTE) service is crucial if California is to maintain a strong economy. In 2008, 178,000 adults participated in CTE through adult school programs. Of these, over 72,000 adults were economically disadvantaged. Adult education plays a key role in local workforce developement.
Since early Fall 2010 I have been taking computer courses at an Adult School in Orange County, and will continue to do so through the Spring, at least.
These courses in Word 2007, Excel 2007, Powerpoint 2007, and PhotoShop Elements 8, are teaching me skills I never had before, and will find extremely useful at home, and on the job, in the future.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.
California's citizens need immediate action on Adult Education Funding.
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