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Posted: March 23, 2015 | Written by Tyler Reese
Adult education at Riverside City College will be receiving over $223,000 in the form of a block grant.
Assembly Bill 86, section 76, article 3, which passed in July 2013, is now about to be reimplemented for its 2015-16 fiscal year run.
A total of $25 million will be split up between 121 community colleges in California. Each college will receive over $223,000 for adult education funding. The funding will help support elementary and secondary basic skills, which include classes required for a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.
“Our funding was really eroded, but with AB-86 we can help support adults in college,” Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees member Tracy Vackar said.
In addition to adult education programs, the bill will also help immigrants that are in citizenship, english as a second language and workforce preparation classes.
“I think it’s nice that us older students are getting funding for the college in a way that helps us get our general education done,” RCC student Jorge Gonzalez said.
The bill will also assist education programs for adults with disabilities and short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential.
“As a disabled student, life is hard enough but when you add school into the mix it sometimes makes for a bad day,” said RCC student, Kenny Johnson. “Although, funding for the disabilities program should help out immensely and not just me, but others as well.”
Planning funds from the bill were extended through April 30, according to ab86.cccco.edu to help cover expeditures between the planning and implementation phases for the next fiscal year. Preliminary expenditure reports will be due to check its progress. According to AB-86’s official website, on June 30 the performance period ends. The performance period is the time in which the community colleges use their dispersed funding.
“Education is vital to a successful life but without funding there wouldn’t be much education,” Gonzalez said.
A final expenditure report will be turned into the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office on August 31, after the 2014-15 fiscal year is over for review, according to AB-86’s official website.
