The California Department of Education (CDE) supports the adult education programs of over 350 public schools in the state. In addition to state (apportionment) funding, California adult education is supported by federal funds which are allocated based on census data. The Adult Education Office (formerly the Adult Education Unit, among other name variations) has primary responsibility for monitoring both the state and federal programs. An administrator is designated as the State Director of Adult Education for the federal program, and the staff consists of field and internal program consultants and support staff. The largest part of the collection consists of the working files of a program consultant, Lynda T. Smith, 1984-1994. The Smith files feature correspondence and contracts related to the 1989 strategic plan for adult education in California and to several important federally funded projects. Smaller parts of the collection are files of consultants James S. Lindgren (1980s) and Olga Uribe (2000-2001), support staff person Sandi Martin (1990), State Director Robert A Cervantes, 1995-1996, and some of his consultants, and State Director Joan Dailey Polster, 1998-2000.

The California Department of Education (CDE) supports the adult education programs of over 350 public schools. In addition to state (apportionment) funding, California adult education is supported by federal funds that are allocated based on census data. Types of provider agencies that are eligible to apply for federal supplemental funding are public adult schools, community colleges, community-based and faith-based organizations, library literacy programs, and state agencies such as the California Youth Authority.

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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. Some copyrighted materials are contained within this collection and the copyright has not been ceded to the Archives. For these materials, the owner of the copyright should be contacted.

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