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Worried about impending state and federal budget cuts and inaction on the state budget, IU officials in August canceled 20 fall classes in adult basic education, English as a second language, family literacy and GED preparation at seven sites in Lancaster County.
The agency also shuttered its Adult Enrichment Center, which had operated for 20 years from the parish house of Trinity Lutheran Church on South Duke Street.
The budget cuts — a 16 percent overall drop — have come to fruition, but IU 13 saved enough money from the cutbacks it made in August to restore 16 classes for the winter term, which begins Jan. 4.
"We're thrilled," said Sandy Strunk, IU 13 community education program director. "Our phones are ringing off the hook."
About 1,500 people are on waiting lists to enroll in the free classes, which are expected to serve up to 1,000 individuals and 60 families, Strunk said.
The restored classes will include:
• Eight evening adult basic education, GED and ESL classes at McCaskey High School.
• Four evening adult basic education, GED and ESL classes at Ephrata Middle School
• Four daytime family literacy classes for adults and children at Burrowes and Washington elementary schools, Columbia Head Start and the Carol B. Winters Center in Lancaster.
In addition, IU 13 will continue to offer the following classes, which weren't cut in the fall:
• Eight daytime adult basic education, GED, ESL and health careers classes at Bright Side Opportunities Center.
• Three daytime adult basic education, GED and nursing assistant preparation classes at Lancaster CareerLink.
In restoring the canceled classes, IU 13 plans to bring back 15 adjunct instructors idled by the fall cutbacks and hire three to five new instructors, Strunk said.
It's not likely the agency will be able to offer a full schedule of adult education classes next year, she said, unless funding is restored.
This year, state support for IU adult-education programs declined by 26.7 percent, and federal funding dropped by 4.9 percent.
The budget declined from $2,120,652 in 2008-09 to $1,782,165 this year.
Strunk said it's also not clear whether IU 13 will be able to reopen the Adult Enrichment Center next year.
In addition to adult education classes, the agency provides special-education services, staff training and other services to 22 school districts in Lancaster and Lebanon counties.
More information on IU 13 adult education classes is available by contacting Christa Eckert at christa_eckert@iu13.org or by calling 606-1363.
