Kodiak College, a University of Alaska Anchorage affiliate, is considering whether or not it can continue its Adult Education Program next school year. It covers Grade Educational Development, or GEDs, as well as the school’s adult English language learner programs.
The U.S. Department of Education usually gives the college about $151,000 for the program by July 1. But that money is frozen while the federal government reviews it.
“It’s not as though the grant has been cancelled, that we have been told we will never get it, it is just that it is under review,” said Jacelyn Keys, the college’s director. “There is no communication about when or if that review may end.”
But four of her employees are unsure what their workload could look like this fall.
“That funded a full time person, three part time employees, their professional development, learning tools for students – and it’s really important – this is completely free,” Keys said.
The program is also the only adult education service available on the island, and graduates up to 20 GED students a year.
Keys said the Alaska Department of Labor told her they will put up half of the money – about $86,000. But she’s not sure what the program will look like this fall, especially if the federal government doesn’t release the rest of the grant.
But the Adult Education Program isn’t the only federal grant that’s frozen. The College Assistance Migrant Program, or CAMP grant, worth $469,000, is also under review.
That grant pays for mentors and scholarships for fishing and cannery families across the island. The college only started receiving that grant last year.
“We just completed our first year with it, and that program is designed to serve 25 students every year, keeping in mind that that program also does so much recruiting,” Keys told KMXT.
But unlike the Adult Education Program, Keys isn’t sure if anybody else will foot the bill for that program.
She isn’t sure why the programs were put in review, especially since the federal government already set the money aside earlier this year.
“The funding for CAMP was a part of the continuing resolution that was passed in March. The funding for adult education – also part of the continuing resolution,” Keys said. “So this is funding that has already been approved and is being held back on review for how long? I do not know.”
She’s planning to fly to Washington D.C. to try and meet with federal officials to talk about the importance of the programs.
“This is about workforce. This is about people staying in Alaska. This is about people having family wage jobs in Alaska. This is about people having upward mobility in Alaska,” Keys said. “These are all things we should all want for our communities.”
Keys said she’s hoping to hear a decision on the review before the federal fiscal year ends on September 30.
Kodiak College staff return to work in August.
