Luis Alejo Named Legislator of the Year

Assemblymember Luis Alejo (whose district includes Gilroy) received a Legislator of the Year Award from the California Council for Adult Education and the California Adult Education Administrators Association. The award recognizes Assemblymember Alejo’s support of K-12 based adult education and his work as a co-author of AB 189 (Eng, 2011).

“I’m truly honored to receive this award. Adult education programs are critical in my district to bridge the gap of education and economic inequality,” said Alejo.  “For many farmworkers and immigrants in my district, adult education provides English as a Second Language and Citizenship classes, basic skills and workforce training classes that can make the difference between a low wage job and higher paid job opportunities.”

In 2011, Alejo co-authored AB 189 (Eng). A bill that was signed by the Governor and forces the governing board of a school district to think twice before adopting a budget or reductions that would further impact adult education. AB 189 also authorizes the governing board to charge for an adult education class in English as a Second Language and citizenship.

“This bill was critical because many districts have discontinued ESL and citizenship courses but would be willing to maintain them if fees were allowed to be charged,” said Alejo.

The 2013-2014 Governor’s budget proposal shifts responsibility for adult education programs from K-12 districts to community colleges. Advocates and supporters of adult education believe that moving adult education programs away from the K-12 and initiating a new deliver system might not be academically and fiscally feasible. 

“I am not convinced that larger campuses are more conducive and ready to offer community-based classes to the state’s neediest adults,” said Alejo. “The immigration reform debate is heating up and it will be important to make sure that the adult education system is prepared and has the capacity to handle the influx of people needing basic education, English literacy and citizenship preparation.”