Strategy and specialized support help ETCN sustain programs, remove barriers, and support student success at its member schools
Photo by Charlie Neuman
When adult learners across North San Diego County log into a class, land a job, or overcome a barrier that once held them back, they’re often benefiting from a quiet but powerful collaboration working behind the scenes. By strategically allocating resources, the Education to Career Network of North San Diego County (ETCN) adult education consortium is pooling resources, aligning leadership, and investing where it matters most—student success.
The ETCN Leadership Council is responsible for developing annual plans, approving budgets, and directing resource allocations for the consortium. Made up of representatives from member schools, the panel monitors student performance, facilitates collaboration, and oversees the strategic direction of consortium activities. The Council has boosted resources to support student success in its programs by creating positions focused on technology training, data management, community partnerships, and support for those with disabilities.
These specialists support students throughout the consortium. The individual schools wouldn’t have the money to fund the positions on their own, says Elizabeth O’Shea-West, Vista Adult School Principal and Chair of the Leadership Council.
“We help each other. We don’t work in silos. We work collaboratively.”
Elizabeth O’Shea-West, Vista Adult School Principal and ETCN Leadership Council Chair
“From the beginning, our focus has been on sustainable development—building adult education programs that endure over time while expanding equitable access and opportunity for adult learners across North County,” O’Shea-West explains. “ETCN’s success shows that when regions invest early in strong governance and fiscal frameworks, collaboration can endure and thrive.”
“Strategic Resource Allocation” is one of the “Seven Converging Promising Practices” released in 2024 by the California Community Colleges and California Department of Education. The report was developed by studying 12 California adult schools with exceptional student performance and employment results, especially for students of color.
Specifically, the promising practice of Strategic Resource Allocation “prioritizes the proactive pursuit of additional resources to support programs, as well as the redistribution of funding if necessary.”
Collaboration is key
Leadership Council decisions are made through a consensus-driven process that prioritizes collaboration while ensuring accountability.
“We help each other,” O’Shea-West says. “We don’t work in silos. We work collaboratively.”
That collaboration is largely driven by the people in the four positions the Leadership Council created to support ETCN students.
Technology Trainer and Integration Specialist Matt Rhoads, Ed.D., visits the different sites to help train teachers and other staff members to use technology, including an online platform ETCN recently launched. He continues to train teachers on digital literacy, which is incorporated into student learning.
Data Management Coordinator Tan Stowell facilitates the sharing of best practices, strategic planning and student outcomes for the Leadership Council and the consortium’s member schools through his work with data.
School Student Support Counselor Julia Magallon helps remove barriers for students, connects them with resources and provides training for both teachers and students to support and sustain a successful learning environment.
Partnership Coordinator Sharon Mah works with local businesses and community members to help students get jobs and internships. That includes gathering feedback at an annual Business and Community Forum attended by educators from each member school along with partners from a variety of different industries and institutions. This guidance helps each school improve educational outcomes by aligning programs with the needs of local businesses, helping students find rewarding jobs.
“The population we serve faces different challenges,” Mah said. “They’re not necessarily your typical job-ready people you’d find on LinkedIn.”
Sharing resources has helped the Leadership Council maintain continuity and momentum through personnel changes by establishing clear roles and responsibilities while embracing public transparency. New leaders are set up for success as they step into a well-established structure that includes shared expectations and guiding principles.
The core of Strategic Resource Allocation involves ensuring there is adequate funding to support the programs making a difference in the lives of students.
“By centering decisions on adult learners and regional impact, ETCN continues to serve as a replicable model for adult education consortia across California,” O’Shea-West says.
The Education to Career Network is the largest adult education consortium in San Diego County. Its members include Escondido, Poway, Ramona, San Marcos, and Vista Adult Schools, as well as Palomar College. To learn more about ETCN and its members, visit educationtocareer.net.
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| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| Southern California | Apprenticeships |
