Welcome to our Spring and Summer Quarters. In this brochure you will find a variety of exciting new course offerings as well as a rich array of ongoing quality learning opportunities to pique your interest in developing professional skills, literacy skills, or your pursuit of cultural enrichment or recreational activities. One of our many success stories is the continued development of medical career pathways and office skills programs. During spring quarter we are introducing a Pathology class for Health Professions and adding weekday classes teaching Essential Computer Skills, MS Office Word and Excel.Many of our career classes have waiting lists, so sign up early to reserve a spot.

State Budget Impact: Adult education was hit hard by the state budget crisis and will experience a 15% cut in this year’s funding, retroactive to July 1, 2008, and 19.2% cut to next year’s funding. These cuts will naturally translate to selected reductions in services as well as modest increases in class fees to career, active adult, health, parenting, and community interest classes. High school diploma, GED Prep, and English as a Second Language will continue to be free unless applicable Education Codes are suspended. We hope that you understand the necessity for these modest fee increases and are confident you will continue to find our courses to be a very good value. Lowest Per Pupil Funding in the Nation: Switching the topic to K-12 education: Did you know that California has now dropped from 47th to 50th in per pupil funding as a result of the recent state budget resolution? That is to say, that within a matter of months no other state will spend less on a child’s education than Californians, and therefore no state will pay less in taxes for a child’s education than Californians. I do not know about you, but this embarrasses and enrages me as I watch our schools dismantle programs in order to address the current budget crisis. Seriously folks - it is time to overhaul our state-wide system for funding education and in the process to increase our financial commitment to the future. If California is going to regain its position as an economic leader, if we want our children to have high quality well-rounded educations, if we are going to cut drop out rates and reduce the need for more prisons, then the method by which we fund education must change. I urge you to contact your local legislators and express your viewpoints as to how we can rise from the dismal position of having the lowest per pupil funding in the nation.

Jerry Green

Your Local Legislators:
Senator Ellen Corbett
916-651-4010
senator.corbett@sen.ca.gov

Senator Loni Hancock
916-651-4009
Senator.hancock@sen.ca.gov

Assembly Member Mary Hayashi
916-319-2018

Assemblymember.hayashi@assembly.ca.gov
Assembly Member Alberto Torrico
916-319-2020
Assemblymember.torrico@assembly.ca.gov