Faculty and community members warn allocation changes could gut parent‑education and rural ESL programs

During the public comment period, several faculty members, instructors and community members urged the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to reconsider how the FY2027 allocation model treats parent‑education and rural ESL programs.

Becky Lyon, a faculty member at Edmonds College, highlighted the motherhood wage penalty and argued that SBCTC’s strategic goal to scale models that support historically underserved learners must include protecting programs that enable parents and caregivers to access education. Jan Gioami (South Seattle) testified that wording in Resolution 26‑0‑6‑26 and its attachment misclassifies some programs (including parent education) into continuing education categories, potentially excluding them from enrollment funding; she urged clearer definitions and transparency before adoption.

Melanie McCahon, coordinator of a parent‑education program at Peninsula College, described how program funding and enrollments are counted under the new allocation methodology and warned that programs historically supported as workforce pathways could be eliminated. An online commenter identified as Tanya asked the board to use emergency or reserve funding to sustain parent‑education services for at least one year while communities explore long‑term solutions.

Sean Gomez, an ESL instructor on the North Olympic Peninsula, said his 17‑year rural program was being reduced from 15 to 10 hours per week because the program’s students do not always transition to degree or certificate pathways at the same rates as urban students; he said the model’s performance‑based measures disproportionately harm rural and non‑traditional learners.

Union leaders reinforced the point: Jackie Kane, president of AFT Washington, called childcare a statewide crisis and said parent‑education cuts are the “tip of the iceberg,” urging the board to consider child care in strategic planning and to work with colleges to ensure students remain eligible for workforce Pell opportunities. Board members acknowledged the concern and asked staff to clarify program classification and to consider short‑term mitigations.