Recall that SB 173 was the bill that would have a had a dramatic negative effect on the Continuing Education programs in Community Colleges.
Begin forwarded message:
From: Monica Henestroza <mhenestroza@cft.org>
Subject: Good News! SB 173 stopped by broad coalition of education/ community groups
Date: August 14, 2013 11:32:02 AM PDT
CFT Leaders,
I am delighted to report that thanks to your efforts — alongside those of individual community college districts, our labor partners (CSEA and CTA), the League, and dozens of community groups — Senate Bill 173 (Liu) was stopped in today’s Assembly Higher Education Committee hearing.
Specifically, Senator Liu agreed to make this a two-year bill after most committee members indicated in the hearing that they do not support the bill. As a result, SB 173 will fail to meet a key legislative deadline, and should not move further this year. That said, she stated very firmly that she plans to bring this bill back next year.
The good news is that an overwhelming majority of committee members came to share our concerns regarding the elimination of state support for certain adult education program areas. Some also objected to the bill’s attempt to shift our K-12 and community college systems to new accountability metrics and performance-based funding models.
This was another coalition effort; and CFT played a lead role, doing everything from coordinating a joint labor-management lobby day to hundreds of calls to committee members’ offices to effective in-district lobby visits with committee members. Your councils and commission, as well as many CFT local chapter presidents and rank-and-file members, were instrumental to this legislative success.
This is turning out to be a good week for CFT.
Thank you all.
Mónica Henestroza
Legislative Director
California Federation of Teachers
1107 Ninth St, Suite 460
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 446-2788