Adult Education Leadership Training Program

Administrative History

The Adult Education Leadership Training Program was developed by the California Adult Education Leadership Planning Committee, under a state administered contract of the Federal P.L.91-230, Section 353, from the California Department of Education, Division of Adult, Alternative, and Continuing Education Services. Two professional organizations, the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Adult Education Committee and the California Council for Adult Education (CCAE), co-sponsored the program. The years of operation were 1985-1994, and the Executive Director was Wallace Copeland.

The goal of the program was to develop a new generation of leaders willing to advocate adult education in California, develop their administrative skills, and maximize their leadership abilities. The three-year program included two summer sessions, two and one-half days each, a half-day session before each of three state-wide professional conferences during the first two years, and a third-year independent project. Approximately twenty-five candidates were selected each year for participation.

Typical curriculum included four components: (1) personal - stress management, management style, revitalization; (2) organizational - creating a vision, mission, and goals, internal and external communication, funding, and marketing; (3) instructional - how adults learn, staff development, quality standards; (4) professional - networking, current trends and issues, legislative process, program standards.

The Adult Education Leadership Training Program was incorporated into the California Staff Development Institute which began in 1994. The Leadership component continued in a somewhat modified format.