As we all know, there has been an economic crisis in California , the US , and the world.
The Adult School , like many schools, took some hits. Funding was cut by 20% and the way the Adult School is funded was changed as well.
What is San Mateo Adult School doing about that?
Some classes were cut and we had a longer break this summer.
Now the Adult School has a new plan:
Charging a small fee to take classes will help keep the doors open to many classes.
How will that work?
Each program - Parent Ed, ESL, and the GED/ABE - will charge 30 dollars per semester.
If you pay the 30 dollars for Parent Ed program, you can then take any Parent Ed class for that semester.
(You can take the Learn Through Play class that is held at Parkside Elementary School and you can take the Saturday Parent Ed series that is offered through the San Mateo Adult School and the Childcare Coordinating Council of San Mateo.)
Same with ESL - the 30 dollars covers any class in the ESL program.
And the same for GED/ABE - the 30 dollars will cover any class in that program.
The only program that will be different is the Fifty Plus program. (For more information about the Fifty Plus program, visit the website.)
How will paying the fee work?
If you take a class off-site - such as the Learn the Play class, someone from the Adult School will come at the beginning of the semester and collect the money from you. If you join the class later in the semester, you will pay the money directly to the teacher.
If you are a new student on-site at the Adult School (789 E. Poplar), you can pay in the SMART Center (the big red building) when you register. If you are a continuing student, someone will come to your class and you can pay them.
When will all this start?
In January, at the start of the semester. The first day of classes is January 4, 2010.
Is there anything else I should know?
Yes! Keep your receipt! Your receipt shows that you paid. This is important.
You can read more about the new policy in this article from the San Francisco Examiner.
