An "A" in Self-Sufficiency Required for Adult School Survival

The youngsters in Albany schools are out for the school year, but the “oldsters” have a few more days. Summer vacation for the adult education program starts July 4.

What happens next for the popular community program depends on the results of a district budget test of sorts, an experiment in adult ed survival.

which serves more than 800 students a quarter in classes from yoga to beginning English, and “Pies Pies Pies” to “Estate Planning for Everyday People,” was given one term, spring, to prove it can run without needing money from the school district’s operating funds.

“They said, we’re going to give you a quarter,” said Alexia Ritchie, who wears two hats as principal of adult education and

“If this doesn’t work we’re going to really be trimming back.”

Paying for itself

For years, adult education has needed assistance from the district's operating funds  to stay afloat. In the first part of 2010-11, for example, adult ed “borrowed” a little over $51,000 from the district, according to a March budget report. 

This is money that can't be returned or reallocated unless or until adult education makes a profit, which it hasn't for years, Ritchie said. 

But state budget cuts have left Albany, like many districts in the state, pulling back from non-essential services, so they can pour all available cash into basic education, or kindergarten through 12th grade.

“The bottom line is that it’s a tough one for adult education,” Ritchie said. “I applaud the district for being supportive and wanting to keep some services open.”

Rather than shutter adult education or make deep cuts to the bone, as have some districts, such as Oakland Unified, Albany retooled the program a few months ago, with the aim of it paying for itself.  

"The school district is trying to make the adult school cost nuetral," said school-board member Allan Maris.

Fee increases and reducing expenses

Fees were raised. A mandatory enrollment of 15 students per class was established. Classes held in rented sites were moved to free or school district locations, or cut altogether, such as aquatics, which had been held at the rented Richmond Swim Center.

The changes, which were effective at the start of spring quarter in early April, were made after reviewing neighboring adult education programs, including their fees,  Ritchie said. A staff report on the plan is to the right as a PDF.

Fee increases ranged from nothing (for basic $35 ESL, one of program’s most popular offerings, Ritchie said) to 143 percent, for Cultural Studies and the Lives of Women, which went from $35 to $85. Others were raised 6 percent, from $80 to $85, including Tai Chi and Chamber Strings and Full Figure Drawing. 

Changes in state adult education funding

Albany isn’t alone in struggling to keep adult education alive, as reported by various news organizations including the Bay Citizen.

In 2009, the state loosened or deregulated restrictions on a host of special programs, including adult education, essentially freeing districts to spend the money that was assigned to these services as they chose.

The move came after funding for the special programs was cut by 20 percent, making it much harder for districts to provide the services.

Desperate to plug holes in basic education after years of budget trimming, many districts used the newly available funds for K-12, shrinking or eliminating adult education, according to a May report on the policy change by the Rand Corporation and the Policy Analysis for California Education.

The report was based on information from 10 school districts, which were kept anonymous, but the San Jose Mercury News reports one is Oakland Unified.

Complaints about the way it was handled

Some Albany adult education students and teachers said they felt blindsided by the changes.

“I’m under no illusion that AUSD could have maintained moderate fees for senior citizens. But when my students went to register they saw a fee increase from $35 to $85 per class with no explanation," said Debra Ratner, who has taught literature classes in the program for 19 years. Many of her students have been with her for years. 

Some thought it was a printing error, she said. 

Ratner's classes were among the program's "older adult" offerings, and held at the senior center. Many of her students had already purchased class books when they learned they couldn’t afford the new fee, she said. 

“It’s about being treating with civility,” she said. 

Ratner arranged to continue her classes through the city of Albany, without the fee increase. 

Thelma Rubin, a former Albany City Council member and adult education student, voiced similar sentiments at the school district’s May 17 board meeting. 

Rubin said she had no quibble with the plan to make ends meet. But the changes were sudden, leaving many students wanting explanation, she said. Some felt they were treated “callously,” Rubin told the board.  

Apologies and moving forward

Ritchie said she’d been talking to teachers about the situation since fall, making it clear that any quarter could be their last.  “I was telling them that we had to find some way to reduce costs. That was a consistent message."

The school board approved the new fee structure about two weeks before the start of spring quarter.

Board president Patricia Low apologized to Rubin at the meeting, asking Superintendent to provide answers to her questions.

Board member Maris, who has also been an adult education student, said he'd also aologized to seniors in the program who had complained to him about the short notice.

Meanwhile, a review of adult education is slated for the school board soon, Stephenson said.

Ritchie said she’s hopeful that major steps toward self-sufficiency have been taken, but it’s too early to know.

“I’m optimistic. I don’t have the final numbers yet; there are a few bills still coming in.”

The Albany Adult School office has counter hours on the first floor of Albany High School in the evening from 5-8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 4-6 p.m. Fridays. There are also counter hours at MacGregor High school from noon-3 p.m. Monday through Friday, where students can pay via cash and checks for registration, or use a computer to register. 

Everybody makes mistakes ... ! If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at emilier@patch.com.