National Coalition for Literacy

—How SaveAdultEd.org Is Fighting the Proposal to Eliminate Adult Education in L.A.

UPDATED 3-23-12

Guest Blog Discussion Series:  March, 2012

Photo by Robert D. Skeels

Join us March 5-23 on the NCL Advocacy Blog where several organizers from the SaveAdultEd.org campaign will blog about their experiences in organizing and galvanizing one of the largest local grassroots responses for adult education in recent years. You will have the opportunity to interact with our guests, add your voice to their campaign, and get live updates on the outcomes of their efforts.

To participate: Sign up by subscribing to the NCL Updates List. You will receive a daily notice when the newest blog post is live, including links to participate.

Check back daily on the NCL Advocacy Blog.  A new article will be posted each day, March 5-9, 2012.

Background

The LA Unified School District (LAUSD) in California has proposed to eliminate funding for Adult and Career Education for FY2012-13. The LAUSD Board of Directors has reduced funding these last few years due to a 2009 ruling by the California state legislature that has put adult education funds in jeopardy[i]. However, this unprecedented proposal—to eliminate funding for one of the largest adult education programs in the nation—has prompted an unprecedented response from the L.A. community and captured national attention. On March 13, the school board will vote on whether to preserve or eliminate adult education funding in the District.

Guest Bloggers

Organizing 3.0, leveraging the “internet of things” in mobilizing communities across 710 square miles (March 4)

LAUSD has $700+ Million in Reserves, but Still Plans to Close Adult Schools? (March 22)

Sean C. Abajian, Organizer, SaveAdultEd Campaign

Sean C. Abajian is a campaign organizer and digital strategist with the SaveAdultEd Campaign..

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Organizing to Defend Adult Education (March 5)

Matthew Kogan, Chair, Adult Education United Teachers Los Angeles
Our committee is organizing teachers and adult education students to make clear to our school board the essential nature of adult education to the community we serve and the strength of community support for adult education.

(Photo by Robert D. Skeels)

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Education for the 99%: How the Top 1% is Destroying Public Education and What We Must Do to Stop it (March 7)

Jose Lara, Social Justice Educator/ Community Organizer, United Teachers Los Angeles

Jose Lara is a community organizer, adult education activist and a leader of #OccupyLAUSD, a grassroots campaign linking the 1% influence in privatizing public education..

Si se puede! Organizing Our Community in Adult Education (March 8 )

Blanca Perez, President, & Evelyn Escalante, Vice President, United Adult Students

Blanca and Evelyn are key organizers in developing a citywide organization of student leadership that is educating the community on the issues, collecting grassroots petition signatures, and organizing local and citywide rallies with unprecedented numbers of adult students and concerned community members.  They have also led numerous delegations of constituent student groups to meet with elected officials at all levels of government, local, state and federal.

Adult Education’s Critical Role in Social Justice (March 13)

Robert D. Skeels, social justice writer, public education advocate, and immigrant rights activist

Robert D. Skeels is a community activist, blogger at solidaridad, contributor to Schools Matter, founder of community based organization PESJA, and a candidate for the LAUSD Board of Education. (Photo by Sean Abajian)

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Adult Education Empowers Environmental Activist to Lead Successful Campaign to Shut Down Toxic Plant (March 19)

Martha Sanchez, Activist

Ms. Sanchez is a former adult ESL student, adult school graduate, and activist who led an environmental justice campaign resulting in the closing of a toxic chemicals plant. Ms. Sanchez continues to fight for her community and is an activist in the SaveAdultEd campaign while attending college at California State University.

Adult Ed—The Key to Our American Dream

Jose and Zulma Tobar

Mr. Tobar  is a CPA, Mrs. Tobar is a National Board Certified elementary school teacher, who in their volunteer time have been educating the community on adult education issues. (Photo left to right: Zulma and Jose Tobar with teacher John Mears)

More guest bloggers to be announced as the campaign progresses.

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Resources:

• SaveAdultEd Blog
• SaveAdultEd on Twitter @SaveAdultEd
• National Coalition for Literacy Urges LAUSD Board to Preserve Funding for Adult Education
• With Budgets Slashed, Adult Education Programs Struggle to Keep Lights On

News:

• Advocates Fight to Save Adult Education in Los Angeles
• L.A. Battle for Adult Education
• L.A. Unified budget would cut thousands of jobs
• LAUSD approves worst-case scenario cuts to art classes, adult and early-childhood education
• L.A. adult education classes are threatened
• Local Students and Teachers Protest Adult Education Cuts
• Hundreds Protest L.A. Unified for Adult Education
• LAUSD Adult Education Safe for Now
• Adult Education on L.A. Unified’s Chopping Block

[i] With Budgets Slashed, Adult Education Programs Struggle to Keep Lights On