By VICKI URBANIK

The clock is still ticking for the region’s adult education program, as efforts are underway to cobble together the funding needed to keep the program afloat for another school year.

A bill that passed the Indiana General Assembly this session and signed into law this week by Gov. Mitch Daniels creates an interim adult ed study committee to address long-term funding, with an eye toward possible legislation in 2009. In the meantime, though, the program is still effectively set to end this school year.

“We’re heading into the home stretch. Something’s got to pop up very soon,” said Portage Township Schools Superintendent Michael Berta.

The Portage Township Schools serve as the administrative agent for the multi-county adult ed program, which operates more than 20 adult learning centers, including one in Chesterton. But as the fiscal agent, the Portage Schools have had to absorb the program’s annual deficit, which has averaged $110,000 to $120,000. Late last year, the school board agreed that it would no longer serve as the agent unless the state comes up with a funding alternative.

Berta said he has been meeting with various entities in the hopes of piecing together the funding needed to keep the program going another school year.

The only firm commitment so far has come from the Lake County-based Legacy Foundation, which has agreed to fund $10,000 in each of the next three years, contingent upon other parties picking up the remainder. The foundation has also secured one-year matching funds of $10,000 from the Crown Point Community Foundation.

Porter County Commissioner Robert Harper earlier proposed using county income tax funds for adult ed, and the idea appears to have support from the county council. Berta said he has also been in discussions with the Lake County Council and other education and philanthropic foundations, but so far has no firm commitments.

He agreed that the prospects of funding from Porter County look good, but noted that a final decision has not yet been made.

As it stands now, the Portage School Board’s resolution is still in effect. To keep the adult education program going after the end of the current school year will not only take additional dollars, but also an agreement by the school board to alter the resolution ending its participation.

The Portage Schools bills other school systems based on the number of adults from their districts who attend the Portage adult ed program; some Lake County schools haven’t been paying the amounts billed, though there is no requirement that they do so.

The responsibility for trying to come up with the funding to keep the program going another year has fallen on Berta and the Portage schools. Berta said while it’s true that his school system has taken a leadership position on the matter, he also credited State Rep. Greg Simms, D-Valparaiso, for trying to find a solution at the state level. Simms authored the bill that created the interim study committee on adult ed.

Posted 3/6/2008