Regional Educators Sign Declaration to Improve Adult Education in the Inland Empire

SAN BERNARDINO>> On Monday, Feb. 6, two college presidents, five K-12 school district superintendents, the presidents of their respective boards and the county office of education met at San Bernardino Valley College for a momentous occasion: to jointly sign a Declaration of Adult Education Collaboration, commemorating their long-term commitment to improving access to adult education in the Inland Empire. “This partnership is a great opportunity for continuous collaboration between our college and local school districts,” said SBVC President Diana Z. Rodriguez. “I am eager to see how we can continue to improve educational attainment rates for working adults and their families.” The declaration was signed by each voting member of the Inland Adult Education Consortium along with their respective board presidents: Diana Z. Rodriguez, president of San Bernardino Valley College; Dr. Wei Zhou, president of Crafton Hills College; Joseph Williams, board president, San Bernardino Community College District; Dr. Dale Marsden, superintendent, San Bernardino City USD; Dr. Margaret Hill, board president, San Bernardino City USD and Jerry Almendarez, superintendent of Colton Joint USD. It was also signed by Dan Flores, board president of Colton Joint USD; Dr. Cuauhtémoc Avila, superintendent, Rialto USD; Dina Walker, board president, Rialto USD, Lori Rhodes, superintendent of Redlands USD; Donna West, board president of Redlands USD; Cali Binks, superintendent of Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint USD; Patricia Ingram, board president, Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint USD and Kit Alvarez, ROP Administrator of San Bernardino County Office of Education. Created by the State of California’s Adult Education Block Grant (AEBG) in 2015, the Inland Adult Education Consortium is headquartered at San Bernardino Valley College. Its membership is comprised of all K-12 superintendents and college presidents in the cities of San Bernardino, Yucaipa, Colton, Rialto, and Redlands as well as the administrator of the county’s regional occupational program. “I am excited about the signing of this declaration,” said Emma Diaz, San Bernardino Valley College’s AEBG Coordinator. “It reflects the commitment our regional leadership has in working together to empower change in our community.”