The core of the collection covers the years 1993-1999 and focuses on two initiatives by different administrations in the California Department of Education, Adult Education Unit, to involve the field in the development of program standards for older adult programs in the state. Other series in the collection are brochures and handouts about California's older adult initiatives, information about six exemplary older adult programs in California, and resources on older adults.

In the early 1990s, the California Department of Education (CDE), Adult Education Unit, in response to the recommendations in Adult Education for the 21st Century: Strategic Plan to Meet California's Long-Term Adult Education Needs (Adult Education Advisory Committee, 1989) formed a field committee to develop model standards for adult English as a second language programs. Following the publication of that project, in January 1992, five additional task forces were created and charged with developing model standards for other core programs: adult basic education, adult secondary education, parent education, older adults, and adult with disabilities. The model program standards for adult basic education and adult secondary education were published by CDE in 1996. The standards for the other program areas, including older adults, went through several development cycles. The materials in this collection, donated by Susan Sundell, a CDE consultant with responsibilities for an older adults standards development effort in the 2000s, document two of the early development cycles for the older adult standards. The drafts produced in 1994 and 1997 are included, along with working committee data, resources, and correspondence. In the 2000s, an additional development cycle was undertaken to add performance measures to both the published and unpublished program standards. As of 2008, none of the revised model standards documents had been released.

22 cm.

California Adult Education archival materials are publicly funded and not subject to copyright restrictions. Publications should properly reference the Archives and the specific collection that contains the quoted materials. See Preferred Citation.

The collection is open for research by appointment. Please call the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network.