Overview
The 2015-2016 California State Budget appropriated $500 million to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) and the California Department of Education (CDE) to allocate funding for adult education. The funds are being provided to eligible consortia for implementing adult education plans. The intent of the Adult Education Block Grant (AEBG) is to expand and improve the provision of adult education via these consortia, which are grouped by region and county. We will continue to provide guidance and solicit feedback throughout the implementation process.
Coastal North County Adult Education Consortium
Reinventing Adult Education
The Coastal North County Adult Education Consortium (CNCAEC) was established in spring 2014. Through the consortium, K-12 school districts in North San Diego County work with MiraCosta College to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to better serve the educational needs of adults in our region. CNCAEC members are MiraCosta College, Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD), Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD), and San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD), all of which are within the geographic boundaries of the MiraCosta College Community College District. Additionally, the consortium includes partner organizations that represent local community agencies and community based organizations.
The goal of the consortium is to improve adult education in the following areas:
- Programs in elementary and secondary skills, including those leading to a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate
- Programs for immigrants in citizenship, ESL, and workforce preparation
- Programs for adults, including, but not limited to, older adults, that are primarily related to entry or reentry into the workforce
- Programs for adults, including, but not limited to, older adults, that are primarily designed to develop knowledge and skills to assist elementary and secondary school children to succeed academically in school
- Programs for adult with disabilities
- Programs in career technical education that are short-term in nature with high employment potential
- Programs offering pre-apprenticeship training conducted in coordination with one or more apprenticeship programs approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards
Key Objectives
Our consortium members and partners focus on the following objectives for the regional AEBG comprehensive plan:
- An evaluation of current level and types of adult education programs within its region
- An evaluation of current needs for adult education programs within its region
- Plans to integrate existing programs and create seamless transitions into postsecondary education or the workforce
- Plans to address the gaps identified
- Plans to employ approaches proven to accelerate a student’s progress toward his or her academic or career goals
- Plans to collaborate in the provision of ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty and other staff to help them achieve greater program integration and improve student outcomes
- Plans to leverage existing regional structures
Planning Process
MiraCosta College has been the provider of adult education for the City of Oceanside
and Carlsbad since 1973, when the Oceanside Unified School District (OUSD) and Carlsbad
Unified School District (CUSD) asked the college to assume responsibility for adult
education for the northern region of the district. San Dieguito Union High School
District (SDUHSD) has been responsible for providing adult education for the southern
part of the college district. The two districts have always collaborated to make sure
community needs are met. The college has a well-established noncredit to credit (NC2C)
program and works with the MiraCosta College Adult High School and Noncredit English
as a Second Language (ESL) departments to create a smooth transition for students
from adult education to credit college programs. Also, the MiraCosta College Office
of School Relations/Diversity Outreach communicates regularly with students and staff
in the CUSD, OUSD, and SDUHSD districts to provide information on college services
and programs. Each semester, the college hosts students, counselors and instructors
from the local K-12 schools to visit classrooms and explore college programs. In addition,
MiraCosta College staff coordinates with other college and university partners, and
schedules college fairs, outside speakers, and transition activities; they also share
information on new trends and innovations in the area of transfer to credit programs,
colleges, and universities. The strong relationship between the college and regional
K-12 districts has always focused on student success and community needs; thus, the
formal AEBG consortium will be based on a long history of the districts working together
to provide robust adult education programs. Recently, SDUHSD asked MiraCosta College
to begin assuming responsibility for adult education in the southern part of the region
and, in fall 2015, MiraCosta College began implementing adult high school classes
at Sunset High School in Encinitas.
