Students should have a voice in any future systemic changes in the adult education systems. Adult School students are isolated from the input process, due to language, demographic and educational barriers. Many of them are working poor with family responsibilites. I suggest that focus groups be held at strategic community sites, including adult schools, to include this population's perspective. Adult Schools in general work closely with communities and feeder school districts within their encachement areas. They could assist in the facilitation of focus group participation.
The assumption that Community Colleges and Adult Schools are duplicating services lacks supportive data. Criteria for evaluation of Adult Education, both Community Colleges and Adult Schools, should be identical. Adult Schools have implemented an accountability system (TopsPro) that mandates that all students complete an entry/update form that identify their educational goals and accomplishments. These self-assessment forms are limited as they do not identify long-term goals. However, this system would provide the state with valuable data for both adult education providers.
Evaluation should also include a focus on community ties and collaborations.
Qualifications for a Master's Degree do not necessarily include classes of an instructional nature. Effective teaching requires much more than knowledge of subject matter.
Posted as a reply to:
SB 823 - Adult Education by Charles Ratliff 
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