East Region Adult Education creates an extended learning system and a network of services and business partnerships that support students in reaching their goals now and in the future.
East Region Adult Education creates an extended learning system that works across academic foundations, workforce development, and community college for seamless transitions into employment and career. Pathways to success are our passion.
OBJECTIVES
- Integrate existing Adult Education programs and create seamless transitions into postsecondary education or the workforce.
Address gaps identified (meeting the needs of the community and businesses). - Employ approaches proven to accelerate students’ progress toward academic or career goals, such as contextualized basic skills and career technical education, and other joint programming strategies between adult education and career technical education.
- 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.
- Leverage existing regional structures, including, but not limited to, local workforce investment areas
PRIORITIES
- Increase student success through the integration of purposeful programs that create career opportunities. Program areas include courses for adult learners completing their high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate; courses for adults with disabilities; courses for immigrants eligible for education services in citizenship and English as a second language and workforce preparation; short term career technical education; and courses preparing adult learners for apprenticeships or supporting child school success.
- Enhance student engagement through holistic transition and support services for all learners.
- Align programs between members and partners for smoother transition to college and career.
- Integrate education and training programs that meet the needs of the regional business community.
Measure system changes and performance through shared data collection, aggregation, and analysis.
History
The San Diego East Region Adult Education Consortium was originally established in response to the state’s Assembly Bill 86, which called for the expansion and improvement of the provision of adult education via consortia. Funds were provided for the purpose of developing regional plans.
In the summer of 2015, AB 104 was passed and the Adult Education Block Grant (AEBG) was introduced. With it came the transition from planning to implementation. For 2015-16, the state allocated $ 500 million, for 2016-17 $ 700 million were dedicated to support the measure. Regional allocations were based on census and local workforce data. AB104 programs are required to be workforce focused.
Prior to AB86 and AB104, K-12 adult education programs and community college noncredit programs operated separately and autonomously. Now, both entities are required to be in a consortium in order to secure state and federal funds. There are 71 consortia in California; 5 are in the wider San Diego area.
In the summer of 2016, the consortium changed its name to East Region Adult Education (ERAE) to better reflect its members, regional partnerships, and the community. ERAE has three members: Grossmont Union High School District, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, and Mountain Empire Unified School District. Our partners include regional businesses and schools districts, resettlement agencies, social services, city offices and the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce.