About Us: Members and Partners
The California Adult Education Program (CAEP):
Santa Barbara Adult Education Consortium (SBAEC)
“Preparing adult students no matter where they are in their educational journey.”
The California Adult Education Program, formerly known as the Adult Education Block
Grant, is an effort supported by recent state legislation AB104 and AB86, designed
to align, leverage and expand tuition-free instructional and programmatic services
for adult learners (ages 18+). Its goal is to ensure that adult learners enrolled
in local programs move along established pathways to achieve optimum levels of literacy,
post-secondary transition and employment in the workforce.
The Consortium includes representatives from local educational agencies, the Workforce
Development Board and local industry partners.
SBAEC supports educational opportunities offered to adult learners in the following programs:
- Adult Basic and Secondary Education (ABE/ASE) - Elementary and secondary skills, including programs leading to a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.
- Adults Training for Child School Success (ATCSS) - Programs for adults, including but not limited to, older adults that are primarily designed to develop knowledge and skills to assist elementary and secondary-aged children to succeed academically in school.
- Adults with Disabilities (AWD) - Programs for adults with disabilities.
- Career Technical Education (CTE) - Programs in career technical education that are short term in nature and have high employment potential; and includes Pre-Apprenticeship programs.
- Programs offering pre-apprenticeship training activities conducted in coordination with one or more apprenticeship programs; and Education for Older Adults/Workforce (EOA/Workforce).
- Programs for adults, including but not limited to, older adults that are primarily related to entry or reentry into the workforce.
- English as a Second Language (ESL) - Programs for immigrants inclusive of citizenship,
English as a second language and workforce preparation.
History & Legislation
The 2013-2014 State Budget appropriated $25 million to the California Community College
Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) to allocate funding for two-year planning and implementation
grants. The funds were provided to eligible consortia for the purpose of developing
regional plans for adult education. Assembly Bill 86 (AB 86) outlined expectations
for consortium development as well as planning and implementation requirements to
establish the Adult Education Consortium Program in 2015. The intent of AB 86 was
to expand and improve the provision of adult education –via 71 consortia throughout
California– with incremental investments starting with the 2015-16 fiscal year.
The Santa Barbara Adult Education Consortium (SBAEC) was formed in accordance with
AB 104 legislation enacted in 2015.
With the passage of the AB 104 Budget Bill, AB 86 began the transition from planning
to implementation. The 2015-2016 State Budget appropriated $500 million to the California
Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) and the California Department of Education
to allocate funding for adult education for the purpose of implementing and expanding
AB 86 regional plans. The AB 104 Budget Bill outlines specific requirements for consortia
regarding funding and reporting.
In 2018-2019, the Budget Act changed to reflect that these funds are apportionment,
not a block grant. The new program name beginning July 1, 2019 became the California
Adult Education Program.
The Santa Barbara Adult Education Consortium total allocation since 2016 is $6,547,798.00
with the most recent 2023-2024 allocation of $999.080.00. It renews annually and hosts
monthly public meetings for transparency, collaboration, and to plan and implement
education programs serving the needs of adults in our region. Since 2016, the Consortium
is proud that over 73% of funding continues to be allocated towards programming each
year.
Members
Santa Barbara Community College District | SBCCD
- Consortium Chair Carola Smith
- Official Representative: Corlei Prieto
Santa Barbara County Education Office | SBCEO
- Official Representative: Sarah Cameron
Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board | SBCWDB
- Official Representative: Luis F. Servin
Carpinteria Unified School District | CUSD
- Official Representative: Gerardo Cornejo
Partners*
California Department of Rehabilitation – Santa Barbara District
Economic Development Collaborative: Santa Barbara Small Business Development Center
Goleta Valley Library
Santa Barbara City College
Adult High School | GED
Career Skills Institute
Career Technical Education
Community Education Center
Disability Services and Programs for Students
English as a Second Language
Office of Institutional Assessment, Research and Planning
Short Term Vocational
Student Support Services
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department
Santa Barbara County Employees’ University
Santa Barbara Public Library System
Santa Barbara Unified School District
Special Education & Learning Services
Tri-Counties Regional Center
United Cerebral Palsy Work, Inc. – Santa Barbara County
Workforce One-Stop Career Center - Santa Barbara
* Partners include local public agencies, departments, and offices, particularly those with responsibility for local public safety and social services; workforce investment boards; libraries; and community-based nonprofit organizations. The Santa Barbara Adult Education Consortium is inclusive and invites more qualified partners to the table.