Chino Valley Adult School saved but funding reduced
By Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer
While Harry Tooley was among the dozens of school district employees who received a layoff notice last week, he may be among those called back to return next year.
Tooley's job as a Chino Valley Unified adult school teacher could be spared with the recent announcement that a partial return of adult school operations was possible with the help of a
$416,000 federal grant for adult education.
Still, Tooley, a former Chino Police Department captain, is troubled by developments.
"I think the thing that troubles me the most is the reduction of services at the adult school," he said. "I retired from the police department after 35 years and I came back to teaching because I wanted to do something to continue to give back to the comunity. In the process I have seen the results of people who are faced with hard choices when they don't have a degree or high school diploma."
The Chino Valley Adult School had been working with an annual budget of $1.2 million but the district board last month cut $1 million from the annual budget for the next two years, which had meant the end to the district's adult school operation. The remaining $250,000 would have been left for high school students making up credits at the adult school to earn their diplomas.
But with the discovery of a $416,000 federal grant for adult school operations early this month, adult school administrators are preparing a return of the program when it begins its new year on July 1, though at a reduced level compared to this year's budget. Rick Landorf, principal of the adult school, said he plans to increase class sizes and reduce class size to compensate for the loss of funds.
Landorf said a request will be made at the Thursday night board meeting for another $203,300 from the district board to supplement his remaining $250,000 for the adult school's high school student program which allows students to finish their credits before graduation.
If the board approves the additional money, Landorf hopes to use the money to bring back 50 to 75 percent of current adult school operations, including a rescinding of employee layoff notices, when his next budget year begins on July 1.
Adult students are also still concerned over not being able to finish before services are expected to be diminished after July 1.
"I would encourage to get them as much as class work done by July," Landorf said. "The district focus is on taking care of K-12 students. I can't stretch that grant, so I know that other adult schools are feeling this pinch."
I am proud of the comments made by our Adult School teacher, Mr. Tooley. These comments underscore the need to keep our Adult School program in tact, and to look for resources and extra funding elsewhere. The $416,000.00 "federal grant money" referred to in the article was not "found" money. This money (the direct result of CASAS and EL Civics testing that is conducted by both the ESL (English as a Second Language) program as well as the Adult Diploma and GED (General Education Development) program is awarded our Adult School each year and represents the growth that the students evidence on these testing measures...as a direct result of the hard work of both the teachers and students at our Adult School. The monies, which can only be used for teacher salaries, should and must be utilized equally across the board; not just for one program over the other. The same teacher/s who teach the High School concurrent classes (for credit recovery for our school district seniors who have fallen behind in their graduation requirements) are the teachers who instruct our GED and Adult Diploma students. These students are intermingled into the same classroom; sometimes with up to sixty students or more in the room at a time. It is a huge task for one teacher to manage such a large number of students, yet we manage to produce excellent results. In Mr. Tooley's case, the percentage of students who have gone through his program (Mon-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 P.M.) that have obtained their GEDs is pretty close to 100%! We usually find out about these success stories if and when the student/s come back and let us know. We really should be better about advertising these really positive results, as they are a reflection of the dedication of both student and teacher working together toward the end of improving not only the students' lives; but the overall welfare of their families and the greater community.
It is my hope that the Board of Education will not only approve the funds being asked for; but will go one step beyond and look for additional funds so that the programs already in existence at the new facility that is so beautiful and holds so much promise...can continue to be a resource for all Adults in the community who are seeking to improve their lives.
Sindi Wasserman
Adult School Teacher
Chino Valley Adult School Teacher
Chino Valley Unified School District
GED/High School/Adult Diploma Program