JoDee Slyter, Regional Director of Riverside ABOUT STUDENTS Regional Consortium for Adult Edication PHOTO COURTESY OF JODEE SLYTER
Paving the way to better jobs ABOUT STUDENTS helps adult learners with the skills they need to succeed BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON
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When ABOUT STUDENTS formally launched in July esigned to help those who are often 2016, Riverside County had gaps in adult education overlooked, adult education can be a pathway services for such mainstay programs as English as a to leaving poverty for a lifetime. Now, it may be second language, basic skills, high school equivalency more important than ever in helping people get back and career technical education. Funding also on their feet, get better jobs and careers, had been cut back. and support California’s economy. “Our priority was to rebuild those In the wake of the COVID-19 programs and capacity,” Slyter pandemic, Riverside County’s says. adult education providers The need definitely is still are uniquely positioned to there. Among Riverside County’s help build back California’s 2.4 million residents, about 41% workforce, thanks to of adults age 25 or older have reorganization started nearly only a high school education or a decade ago. With Assembly less. One in five residents are Bills 86 and 104, the state foreign-born and may need help legislature overhauled learning English. More than 11% California’s adult education of residents live in poverty. system, creating 71 regional With a flexible schedule consortia to address specific designed for busy people, adult needs. education is low- or no-cost, so Made up of eight local a person can quickly gain the members, the Riverside skills needed for a well-paying ABOUT STUDENTS Regional JoDee Slyter Regional Director, Riverside ABOUT job without incurring student loan Consortium for Adult Education STUDENTS Regional Consortium for debt. builds partnerships, bridges and Adult Education “Adult education can be a pathways that benefit adult learners, significant contributor to the economic wherever they are and wherever they recovery of California by providing educational need to go. Its members include: and training services to those most in need, by Alvord Unified School District coordinating with partners to address family financial Corona-Norco Unified School District difficulties, and by helping reduce the employment Jurupa Unified School District barriers of the students they serve,” Slyter says. Moreno Valley Unified School District ABOUT STUDENTS and its members have several Riverside Community College District community partners including Riverside Workforce Riverside County Office of Education Development Board, the county’s Department of Public Riverside Unified School District and Social Services and school districts’ Parent and Family Val Verde Unified School District. Engagement Centers. “The consortium model brought two systems together “We collaborate with local businesses, training for one purpose,” says regional director JoDee Slyter of the providers, and community partners to provide Consortium. “We figure out ways to do things better. We employment opportunities, specialized training, and developed a plan and worked through issues.”
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Adult education can be a significant contributor to the economic recovery of California by providing educational and training services to those most in need.
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Riverside ABOUT STUDENTS Regional Consortium for Adult Education
needed resources such as scholarships and internship opportunities for adult students in the schools,” Slyter says. The Consortium provides ongoing professional development and training for administrators, teachers, and support staff. To that end, it hosts an annual Professional Development Conference. “It’s one of our crown jewels – an entire day devoted to professional development,” Slyter says. “Most of our (Consortium) members send their entire staff. There’s something there for everyone.” Finding strength via collaboration, ABOUT STUDENTS has accomplished a lot in its short history, including increases in completion rates and level gains. “I’m proud of the way all of the members are supported,” Slyter says. “I am particularly proud of the members’ leadership, the collaborative, trusting relationships, the ingenious ideas, and the passion and dedication which each of the members brings to the Consortium.”
Meet The Members
