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State money has nothing to do with this

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• Illinois

* From the Galesburg Register-Mail…

As a result of the state budget crisis, adults will soon have no place to prepare for the GED exams.

On Jan. 1, Carl Sandburg College will suspend its adult education, English as a second language and literacy programs, as these programs are funded by grants that are tied up in Springfield.

“We’re the sole provider, so they’re not going to be able to go anywhere else for coursework,” Sandburg President Lori Sundberg said.
Sandburg is still a testing site for the GED.

Most other community colleges have suspended or will be suspending their adult education courses, Sundberg said, so students are left with nowhere to turn.

Sandburg offers two adult education courses that prepare students for their High School Equivalency certificate — adult secondary education, which used to be known as GED, and adult basic education, which used to be known as pre-GED.

“We haven’t taken any new students since October since we knew that we were going to be suspending,” Sundberg said. “We made a commitment to finish out all the students that we had, but we didn’t take any new students.”

The adult education program is federal money which for whatever reason didn’t get included in the federal appropriations package several weeks ago.

And as I’ve already told subscribers, there’s a bipartisan bill designed to fix this particular problem. HB 4321 is backed by the governor, but hasn’t yet moved out of the House Rules Committee.

This situation is just ridiculous.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 9:35 am

Comments

1. Shameful

   Comment by Langhorne Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:03 am

2. Employers like to hire an educated workforce. This improper withholding by Rauner of federal money to the community colleges does not help anything, and can have unintended consequences. I saw a report that many workplace accidents happen when employees can not read or understand English well enough to understand warning signs on machines, power tools, ladders, toxic chemical, etc.. This is bad for worker’s compensation insurance rates, as well as the worker’s themselves.

   Comment by DuPage Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:05 am

3. Extremely shameful.

   Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:07 am

4. DuPage: The Speaker has the brick on the bill to fix the problem, not the Governor.

   Comment by SAP Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:13 am

5. Good way to open dialog for the budget.

   This isn’t state budget related.

   Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:14 am

6. This story could be repeated about most every community college in Illinois.

   I was speaking last week with a President of a downstate community college district that has 5 satellite campuses. Austerity moves are already being implemented and more will have to follow. Fees, real estate taxes and state funding are relied on to continue these programs with fees comprising over 50% of their budget and federal pass through grants ( like Perkins and some others ) are being withheld because there is no budget in place.

   Currently this CC is relying on over $10 million in state funds with no guarantees that it will ever be “flat funded” as has basically been the case in previous years. I have great sympathy for these colleges and the many social service agencies relying on state funds to operate and can understand how difficult it has to be to decide how to continue operating with these kinds of deficits.

   Comment by illini Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:20 am

7. 34% of the funds for adult education programs are federal. The rest are state funds. Many GED and ESL programs have closed down. The few left are running with volunteers or through their limited organizational funds. Here in Chinatown, adults want to learn English to get better jobs and out of low-paying restaurant work. Passing HB4321 helps but programs need the whole state budget passed.

   Comment by CermakWentworth Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:23 am

8. 2 points in reading the article:
   1. This program receives both federal AND state grants. The state portion is under the brick.
   2. In 2013, over 90 received their GEDs from this program. This past year only 2. Evidently the Common Core program has toughened up requirements and the students out of pockets fees have more than doubled.

   Comment by Bogey Golfer Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:25 am

9. The real focus should be on why it hasn’t yet been released from Rules.

   Comment by Georg Sande Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:48 am

10. === In 2013, over 90 received their GEDs from this program. This past year only 2. Evidently the Common Core program has toughened up requirements … ===

    Yes. Some states are adjusting the “cut” scores, but the new Common Core-aligned test has been devastating.

    http://dianeravitch.net/2014/12/31/shocker-after-pearson-aligns-ged-with-common-core-passing-rates-collapse/

    Comment by olddog Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 10:52 am

11. I sympathize with the CC’s on this but at least they have some revenue from taxes. It’s the public universities that are really hurting with no appropriation or MAP funding. This is all shameful.

    Comment by Because I said so... Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 11:06 am

12. Bogey Golfer-I may be wrong but I think the intent of 4321 is to release the federal grants.

    Comment by Lancer Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 11:17 am

13. “We’re the sole provider, so they’re not going to be able to go anywhere else for coursework,”

    How about a public library or online?

    Comment by Downstate Hack Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 12:46 pm

14. Adult Education funds 39 CC but also 28 community-based organizations, 20 local education agencies, 1 college and corrections. The program has both federal and state funds. HB4321 only releases the federal funds. But future federal funds depend on the state’s maintenance of adult ed efforts during this fiscal year.

    Comment by CermakWentworth Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 12:53 pm

15. “This isn’t state budget related. ”
    OW, please explain how this is not related to the state budget. Thank you

    Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 1:45 pm

16. SuperStars still thumbs down

    Comment by Anonin' Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 2:26 pm

17. ” - Anonymous - ” (ugh)

    ===The adult education program is federal money which for whatever reason didn’t get included in the federal appropriations package several weeks ago.===

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 3:26 pm

18. The state’s portion is still significant, vital for programming and planning.

    Comment by Property of IDOC Monday, Nov 16, 15 @ 11:07 pm

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