APSB retains adult education program

   After  a long discussion on a committee recommendation to transfer the Adult Education Program to  Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC), two-thirds of the  Avoyelles Parish School Board  members voted against the recommendation.

   The discussion was contentious as both sides said the other was giving board members incorrect figures on which to make a decision.

When it came time to vote on the Executive Committee’s recommendation to hand the program over to CLTCC, six board members said “No” while three members -- Van Kojis, Chris LaCour and Lizzie Ned -- voted in favor.

   The Adult Education Program in Avoyelles Parish also oversees the program in neighboring  Evangeline Parish.

   The Executive Committee addressed the proposal at its Sept. 27 meeting and voted 4-1 in favor of transferring the program to CLTCC.

   However, Adult Ed Coordinator Lisa Thevenot told board members she had not been given notification that the issue would be discussed at the Executive Committee and wanted to present the facts to the full board.

    Board President Darrell Wiley  almost prevented Thevenot from speaking at the meeting, saying that the discussion was held at the committee meeting. 

    An upset Michael Lacombe said he was asking Thevenot questions and she had the right to be heard.

    Jimmy Sawtell, of CLTCC, began the discussion by saying none of the Avoyelles adult ed programs would be cut if they were handed over to the technical college.

   He said all of the program’s employees would be kept on staff. The program has four sites and offers five different classes. Sawtell said CLTCC could increase the number of sites and number of classes. 

   Thevenot responded by saying CLTCC operates in five other parishes with the number of locations, number of classes, students and hours of education lower than what Avoyelles Parish offers now.       She said some parishes were offering classes just at a CLTCC campus. Sawtell disagreed with Thevenot’s remarks about the number of locations and the total number of hours taught in other parishes.

   Most of the Adult Education Program is funded by a $150,000 federal grant. Last year, APSB spent only $2,000 of local funds on the program. The program includes adult ed classes in the three parish prisons.

   “I have been running the program for 13 years and I have always gotten the grant,” Thevenot told board members. “I have concerns if the program is transferred, the grant money used for Avoyelles may be used to supplement funding in other parishes,” she continued. “How can they improve us when they are doing less than we are doing?”

    Sawtell said the federal money would not leave the parish and would be a year-round program. He assured the board the program would still be run in the prisons.

   Thevenot countered by saying the APSB program is already a year-round program and produced a stack of time sheets to prove her point.

   Child Welfare and Attendance Supervisor Debbie Bain immediately disputed Thevenot’s information. She said adult ed classes did not start until after Labor Day.

   “This is not the same information given to the committee,” Bain said. “This is the first time I have this information.”

   An APSB public service announcement sent out earlier this year states that registration for adult ed classes was in mid to late August with classes beginning Sept. 6 and ending on  May 31.

   Jerry Hollis, who works in the Adult Education Program, said the APSB program has a graduation rate of 73 percent, which he said is a good performance.

   Hollis said education is the key, but had concerns the money sent to Avoyelles Parish could be used elsewhere if the program were transferred to an outside multi-parish entity.

   Former APSD Assistant Superintendent Craig Foster said the School Board needs to retain local control over the program. He said contacts in Evangeline Parish have also expressed concern over the proposed transfer to CLTCC.

    “This program is a community project,” Foster said. “This could have an impact on the voters in December. Bigger or more is not always the best.”