A Brief History of FACE / Overview

History of Fremont Adult & Continuing Education

Fremont Adult and Continuing Education was first established in 1934 as Washington Union High School for Adults. The first education classes were offered at Washington Union School to the residents of Washington Township, in the following five small communities: Centerville, Irvington, Mission San Jose, Niles, and Warm Springs.

These communities later incorporated into the City of Fremont. The area was largely a Portuguese farming community, so the first classes were held in the evenings and served about 200 students. Classes were limited to typing, bookkeeping, auto shop, woodworking, gym, and Portuguese. In the 1940s, welding was introduced to the evening curriculum, which reflected the country’s need for skilled workers during World War II. After the war, high school diploma classes were added to address the needs of service men and women whose education was interrupted by the war.

During the 1950s adult education continued to be an evening only program centered at one high school site. In 1964, the present school district unified and became the Fremont Unified School District. The adult education program continued as part of the unified school district and became Fremont Adult School.

Since 1974, Fremont Adult School has occupied the former Mowry Elementary School site in a residential area of central Fremont. It is the only adult school in Fremont, and it serves a diverse student population. Fremont Adult School applied for and received accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges on March 30, 1981. The philosophy of adult education, as evidenced in the May 1985 Teacher Handbook, was similar to the mission of adult education today:

The philosophy of the Fremont Adult Education Program rests upon the belief that learning is a life-long activity, that society is enhanced by adults who pursue a continuing education, and that adult education must be dynamic in fulfilling its obligation to the community.

Since the 1980s, adult education has undergone numerous changes, including a move from the average daily attendance funding with revenue limits to AEBG and WIOA based revenue sources. In 2009-2010, severe budget cuts dramatically impacted the number and scope of programs that FACE was able to offer. Education courses for Senior Adults are no longer offered as distinct courses; however, older adults often attend and find academic success in a variety of other programs including ESL, ABE, and GED. There continue to be fewer instructional, support, and administrative staff as a result of the reductions in funding.

FACE staff continues to promote advances in adult education. They actively participate in and contribute to educational reform. Through their work in Professional Learning Communities, teachers have unpacked the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) and the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and have designed curriculum and assessments to address the standards. The staff has worked diligently to implement a variety of changes to improve instruction and course content. The emphasis on creating post-secondary education and career pathways requires us to be dynamic in addressing not only the new standards and content, but in developing new courses to prepare students for future careers and academic endeavors.

Heidi McFadden

Principal

Fremont Adult and Continuing Education

4700 Calaveras Ave.

Fremont, CA 94538

Phone: (510) 793-6465, Ext. 29105

Fax: (510) 793-2271