Policy changes and cuts to adult education programs in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia: A situation report

Transcription

1 Policy changes and cuts to adult education programs in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia: A situation report October 5, 2014 (2 nd edition) Compiled and edited by Suzanne Smythe, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University sksmythe@sfu.ca For more information about programs and policy changes described in this report, please contact: Ted Hougham, College and Career Access Department, VCC thougham@vcc.ca Marilyn Smithshoek, Douglas College. smithshoekm@douglascollege.ca Jan Weiten, Department of Basic Education, Vancouver Community College: jweiten@vcc.ca A first edition of this report was circulated in June The 2 nd edition contains statistical information not available in June, as well as updates to program closures and layoffs of adult educators.

2 Report contributors Leona Gadsby, Decoda Literacy Solutions Ted Houghton, College and Career Access Department, VCC Wendy Henderson, Union Gospel Mission Lynn Horvat, Vancouver Community College Yvon Laberge, Educacentre Rene Merkel, Vancouver Community College Laura Pasut, Downtown Eastside Education Centre Linda Rider, First Place, Harbour Light, Vancouver Community College Marilyn Smithshoek, Douglas College Mary Thompson-Boyd, VCC Adult Basic Education Department John Shayler, Vancouver Community College Suzanne Smythe, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University Colleen van Winkel, ESL Outreach Department, VCC 2

3 Policy changes and cuts to adult education programs in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia: A situation report Executive Summary On June 6, 2014, representatives from 15 adult learning organizations in the Lower Mainland of BC met to share information about the nature and effects of a range of cuts to adult education programs made at the provincial and federal levels in May and June of The following cuts to adult education programs were noted: Widespread federal cuts to Adult ESL programs in BC announced in May 2014 An end to GED testing in BC (the only province in Canada to do so) announced at the end of May 2014; Continued decline in funding and elimination of positions in ABE and Development Programs at teaching universities (a 15% decline, representing 8, 195 students between 2009 and 2014); Consolidation and elimination of classes leading to the Adult Dogwood (high school graduation) in Vancouver (for example the closure of Roberts Learning Centre effecting 716 adult learners in April 2014, changes to the Education Guarantee by the Ministry of Education that has led to declining enrolment and access to adult upgrading courses, and the issue of 67 layoff noticed to adult educators in May 2014, following 45 layoffs in Federal withdrawal of funding to provincial literacy associations including Decoda in BC; The end of federal grant via the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills for COPIAN, a 25 year old internationally renown online database of thousands of adult and family literacy research, curricula, learning materials and international links and resources; The continued restrictions faced by recipients of Employment Insurance and Income Assistance to participate in academic upgrading that could increase their chances to gain employment and further education. Of concern is the consequence of these cuts and barriers to adult education for adults hoping to upgrade their literacy and language skills for the purposes of work, further education, high school completion and community integration and participation. Because education is recognized as an anti-poverty strategy, restrictions to access to lifelong learning for adults that are affordable and accessible will only increase inequality in BC, as adults settle for work in the low-wage sector. Three themes are addressed in the report: The consequences of cuts to GED and ABE for access to training and employment for adults; the implications of cuts to literacy and ESL in the context of post-secondary 3

4 institution mandates shifting toward degree programs and internationalization; and, the broader policy context and consequences of these changes for adults with the lowest incomes and lowest levels of literacy and ESL who are most affected by this policy direction. 4

5 Policy changes and cuts to adult education programs in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia: A situation report Introduction Compiled and edited by Suzanne Smythe Faculty of Education Simon Fraser University On June 6, 2014, representatives from 15 adult learning organizations in the Lower Mainland of BC met to share information about the nature and effects of a range of cuts to adult education programs made at the provincial and federal levels in May and June of Of concern is the consequence of these cuts and barriers to adult education in general, for adults hoping to upgrade their literacy and language skills for the purposes of work, further education, high school completion and community integration and participation. Because education is recognized as an anti-poverty strategy, restrictions to access to lifelong learning for adults that are affordable and accessible will only increase inequality in BC, as adults settle for work in the low-wage sector. Three themes are addressed in this report: The consequences of cuts to the General Education Diploma (GED) and Adult Basic Education (ABE) for access to training and employment for adults; the implications of cuts to literacy and ESL in the context of post-secondary institution mandates shifting toward degree programs and internationalization; and, the broader policy context and consequences of these changes for adults with the lowest incomes and lowest levels of literacy and ESL who are most affected by this policy direction. Cuts to GED and ABE: Policies designed to reduce demand The BC Ministry of Education announced on May 30 that it would no longer offer and accredit the General Education Diploma test. The GED is recognized as a high school completion certificate, not an Adult Graduation Diploma necessary for university degree entrance, however the GED has been an important access program for adults not oriented to an academic career but for whom the GED has offered pathways to further learning and work. The Ministry of Education has argued that the GED is no longer needed because enrolment numbers are down and there are other opportunities to access Adult Basic Education and the Adult Dogwood Graduation through the School District Foundations program. It is possible that enrolment numbers are down because people receiving income assistance and employment insurance are generally not permitted to take the GED or enroll in ABE while receiving social assistance although this regulation seems to vary 5

6 among caseworkers and across jurisdictions. Prior to restrictions placed upon IA and EI recipients to upgrade and complete their secondary school qualifications, there were wait lists for the GED preparation program. In addition, it is not the experience of VCC Basic Ed nor of the Union Gospel Mission that the GED is no longer needed or in demand, as the Ministry or Education has proposed. For example, in both these programs there are students who begin their studies at very low levels of foundational skills. This small but marginalized group of learners requires consistent study to attain a Grade 10 equivalency; the GED represents an achievable goal as well as new opportunities for further study and work. We note that no other province in Canada has cancelled the GED. At VCC, students are anxious that with its cancellation in November, they will need to write the GED before they are ready, or lose their opportunity to gain a qualification that still provides access to many employment and further education opportunities. This will mark the end of a high school completion avenue that has worked well for adults for 30 years. While we recognize that since Pearson Vue took over the online administration of the GED, cost structures have changed. However, meeting participants feel it is the work of government to ensure that all adults have an equitable opportunity to pursue their education in spite of changing policy landscapes. Cost should not be the only consideration. This raises issues of accessibility. A lot of the programs in the community that offered GED and ABE have been cut over the years and provision shifted to the colleges (now teaching universities). Now that these college programs are being cut, the absence of community-based ABE is felt even more. For example, women in NewStart, a trades and education organization, are infuriated. They know the importance of access to ABE and GED because they have experienced systemic and institutional violence and abuse; adult education has played a vital role in their lives to break their isolation and create new possibilities. The Union Gospel Mission in downtown Vancouver works with men in a recovery program and people from the Downtown Eastside community who do not have their GED or secondary school graduation. The goal is to complete the program, find meaningful work and contribute to and find inclusion in their community. Access to the GED has been vital in creating these pathways; it has provided access to BCIT and other college programs and so is a very important incentive to continue with their learning. The demise of the GED further reduces access to further learning and training. UGM also offers a safe space for these students, which is integral to their completion and persistence in the GED program. Often students who come into the GED program have low levels of numeracy and literacy and don't feel safe or welcome in larger institutions such as night schools or teaching universities. What will happen to people who can t get a job without their GED or high school completion? The discontinuation of the GED poses difficulties for French language learners at Éducacentre as well. Éducacentre offers literacy and language programming for adults in French and serves the French speaking population in Vancouver. With the loss of the GED they will not have the ability to support their students to achieve their high school completion, and they do not have access to the Foundations curricula (ABE to Adult 6

7 Dogwood Graduation Diploma) because it is English only. Changes in access to ABE courses leading to Adult Graduation The Vancouver School Board offers the Adult Dogwood Diploma through the BC Ministry of Education. Students can build literacy skills through the Foundations curricula in order to take Grade 10, 11 and 12 courses. In 2007 under the Education Guarantee, graduated adults were able to take a wide variety of courses at all academic levels including classes such as Social Justice 12, Geography 12, and Business Computer Applications 11 through VSB (part of the Education Guarantee). This was very popular and enrollment increased. Even though some adults have a high school graduation locally or from another country, they benefit from Canadian education experiences and increased academic skills to qualify for jobs and further training. Two years ago, the BC government changed the rules and limited funding for graduated adults to Math, English, the Sciences and very basic computer skills. In addition, graduated adult students must complete 10% of a course before a school gets initial funding for them with the balance paid when 65% of the course is completed. Because of limits on which courses graduated adults can take, the variety of courses available for non-graduated adults completing their Dogwood Diploma is also restricted. This is because there are limited non-graduated students taking courses beyond math, English and science. In Vancouver, the Vancouver Board of Education requires registered students in a class before it will run. Graduated adults from other countries helped meet this requirement. With graduated adults unable to access courses such as First Nations Studies 12, History 12, or Geography 12, VSB adult education programs cannot offer these subjects in a classroom format to Dogwood Diploma candidates. Consequently, when the minimum enrollment of 19 is not met, the course is canceled and the remaining 18 students are left without a course to take, slowing their progression to their Dogwood Diploma and creating distrust in the system. There is a worry amongst staff that soon graduated adults will not be able to enroll in ABE at all. This will also have consequences for non-graduated adults trying to complete their high school because there are fewer courses available. There are other factors that restrict access to VSB high school classes. Roberts Education Centre was closed without consultation because the Board designated it as a program, not a school. Main Street Education Centre has downsized significantly and has been moved to Gladstone High School to help the VSB balance their budget in the face of new shortfalls. Between the closure, the move, and the Ministry of Education funding changes, there has been an orchestrated decline in enrollment, a decline in the variety of classes students can take, over 107 layoffs of adult educators in in the VSB in 2013 and 2014, and a decline in access to courses students need to graduate or upgrade. In addition, adults with learning difficulties need particular mentorship and specialized instruction that is not provided in Adult Education Foundation programs in the school districts. These adults are encouraged to complete their secondary schooling online which is not reasonable or achievable for many students. Online learning should supplement and 7

8 not replace the GED or quality instruction in ABE. Adults need to upgrade their academic skills in a changing economy; they cannot access further learning without secondary school completion, and most cannot afford private education. How will this educational dead-end by resolved? Cuts to Adult ESL at the lower levels Another group not well-served in current adult education policy are ESL students who are permanent residents or citizens in Canada who may have graduated from high school in their countries but need to upgrade their academic skills to access further education programs. ABE is perhaps not the best place for them but there is nothing else. International students are being privileged to fill spaces in Adult Education Centres in both school districts and post-secondary institutions because they bring in more tuition money. With respect to cuts to ESL at VCC announced on May 30, 2014, 60 70% of ESL enrolled students are university graduates and need language support at higher levels to utilize their training and education in Canada. Homefront, a VCC program which provides volunteer ESL tutors to homebound adults, includes people who came as convention refugees and immigrants many years ago who are still socially isolated and struggling to learn English. LINC (CIC s new program) is not always appropriate for such learners because of its settlement component, however, there are no longer any literacy/low level ESL classes for citizens or permanent residents with low literacy and formal education levels. There is a context to this. The Federal government has funded the province to offer adult ESL for the past 30 years, but it seems the provincial government put some of this money into general revenue and used some to provide ELSA Levels 1 3 and to subsidize other types of ESL programming in post-secondary institutions, including four other ESL departments at VCC with a total enrolment each term of about 2500 students. This is why there has traditionally been less tuition-free ESL offerings in BC (fewer levels and access) than other provinces. After 2009, more levels were added to ELSA programming (Canadian Language Benchmarks levels 1 5 and some labour market training at levels 6 & 7), although registration in other programs remained high. In 2012, the Federal Government said they would be cancelling the BC Federal Agreement in 2014 and funding LINC providers directly, and this is what has happened. This contributes to an overall gap in learning opportunities for lower level ESL learners. Some of these students find their way to the ABE program, but it isn t always appropriate because they aren t fluent enough in English for an ABE class. There is an assumption that there are many programs for lower level ESL students in the community but in reality, lower level ESL students are not being provided for at all. We are told there is lots of stuff in the community but there isn t actually much at all in the community that is accessible and affordable. 8

9 Cuts to adult literacy at the lower levels Cuts to ESL courses at the lower levels are matched by cuts to literacy classes for adult English language speakers who, for a variety of reasons, struggle with reading and writing. At Douglas College, the first cuts to the lower level daytime literacy classes (levels 1-3) were made in Literacy levels 1 and 2 still run in the evening because the icare program (which has run for 30 years) needs a place to train volunteer literacy tutors. But icare is also under threat. There are barriers to participation in evening classes for many of the students and someone with learning difficulties or little formal education (among those represented in the literacy class) cannot be expected to progress very rapidly with twice a week instruction with a volunteer tutor. Part of the reason behind the cuts to the literacy courses is that these students aren t likely to go into the college (tuition fee-paying) programs and so are not seen as constituents of the college. Douglas wants to be seen as a destination degree granting institution. The feeling is that the literacy students belong in community programs and the College has said that the community is the right place for the non-credit enrolled students. But educators are not able to find anyone offering regular literacy classes in the community to whom they can refer their students. Adult Education tells us that most of the students in their Foundations courses are English language learners and people who are fluent in oral English are under-represented. So where are people able to go? Where are all these community programs we are told exist? There are some one-to-one tutoring projects but these only meet one or two hours a week, and many of the students need much more support than that. Indeed, the one-to-one tutoring programs should compliment, but not replace, literacy instruction classes. It is important that post-secondary institution administrators understand that not everyone needs a university degree; there are so many other benefits to learning for adults: helping their children with homework, applying for jobs, reading a menu in a restaurant, preparing for a trades program or participating in community activities. Supporting these learning goals were once the mandate of our colleges, but no longer. Shifts in the mandates of teaching universities All this suggests a trend in the teaching universities to become specialized institutions in competition with other institutions for funding and students. Teaching universities are moving away from offering ABE/Career preparation and other Development programs which was once their mandate and played a central role in creating a fluid and accessible pathway for non-graduated adults to complete their secondary schooling, gain access to further training and to jobs and other forms of social participation. In fact, enrolment in Development Programs in teaching universities has decreased by 15% since 2009, constituting almost 50% of the total decline in domestic student enrolment in post secondary institutions in BC during this time, while there has been an overall 5% increase in International student enrolment during this period (BC Ministry of Advanced Education, May 2014). 9

10 This policy to orient PSI mandates to degree programs and international student enrolment is what is putting ESL, ABE and CDO (Community Development and Outreach) in jeopardy. This is driven by the Ministry of Advanced Education s capping of Full-Time-Enrollments (FTEs) seats in PSIs. It is not in the interest of these institutions to offer seats to people who are not paying full tuition (or international tuition rates) as is the case for non-graduated adults under the Education Guarantee. Another development that may pose a risk to ABE in post-secondary institutions is the core review process currently underway. Core reviews have until recently been a public process, but in the current process, the final core review from colleges and universities will be presented to MAVED with no public reporting on the findings, nor on the decisions that are made flowing out of these reviews. This raises questions about the transparency of program cuts flowing from the core review, with implications for ABE and other diploma programs. Cuts to literacy organizations at the Federal level There have also been significant and sudden cuts to federal literacy associations announced May COPIAN (formerly NALD) has been cut and the fate of its internationally recognized database of millions of adult literacy research and curricular resources is unknown. Literacy BC historically received funding from the provincial and the federal government for coordination of community literacy programs, research and program coordination. When Decoda Literacy Solutions was formed out of Literacy BC in 2011 this arrangement continued under OLES. Three years ago, Decoda and other provincial and territorial literacy organizations were told this arrangement would stop and that a pan-canadian network was to be formed. All the provincial associations submitted proposals to this network (in five focal areas) but in May 2014 they were all told that no one was getting the funding (the North have been asked to re-submit their proposals). Any funding at OLES that is available is linked to Essential Skills in the most strict terms as equated with jobs ready. There is no sense among Ministry decision-makers at Federal and Provincial levels that ABE or adult literacy contributes to this goal of job ready. Decoda s operations are reduced but they are not closing and the coordination of community literacy roundtables will continue for now. No provincial literacy organizations are closing imminently but something would need to change within the year if they are to survive. Conclusions It is difficult to advocate or lobby for policy changes when it is not clear what the adult learning policy is in BC and in Canada. Planning, design and delivery of adult education is ad-hoc and unstable. One problem is that education funding and program responsibilities are split between federal and provincial governments, and across three different ministries in BC with ESL, literacy and ABE students, as well as educators, caught in the middle. Moreover, the field is always asked to demonstrate the value of its 10

11 work in short-term, quantitative measures. This has always been a challenge because the benefits of learning for adults, just as they are for children, are not always evident in short-term standardized measures. In addition, public education is being cut on every angle, at all levels (K 12, adult literacy, post-secondary institutions) which suggests the need for a broader coalition of education groups to work together to address cuts to public education in the context of growing economic inequality. One of the great social and economic levelers is education, yet federal and provincial policies of late seem to suggest an orientation to short-term employment in resource-extraction industries rather than education and employment generation oriented to longer-term economic diversification and innovation. In other words, are we are moving to a just in time education model where if a welder is needed, a welder is trained (or brought in from another country), but otherwise people sit on the sidelines of the economy? Taken together, the recent cuts to adult literacy, ABE and ESL programs described in this report most deeply affect adults with the lowest levels of education and income. We urge the diverse parties with responsibility for public education in BC to consider the short and long term consequences of these policies for income equality and economic and social sustainability, and to begin to coordinate adult education programs and funding more cohesively and holistically. We have as a society fought very hard over the years for a strong public education system. Adult education is a central component of any well functioning public education system oriented to equity, access, employment and innovation and should be regarded as an investment in our collective future rather than as an expense to be avoided. 11

12 BC Ministry of Advanced Education (May, 2014). Student headcount by program area: Academic Year to Post-Secondary Central Data Warehouse Standard Reports: Victoria: Author. 12