Gary cuts adult education

Chas Reilly, Times of Northwest Indiana

chas.reilly@nwi.com

GARY | The Gary Community School Corp. has cut its adult basic education program to help the district operate in the black, the school district's spokeswoman said Friday.

The district wants to continue to offer adult education at the Gary Career Center, 1800 E. 35th Ave., because it gives adults a second chance to earn a diploma, but the district faces a $12 million deficit for the upcoming school year even though it already cut $24 million, said Gary school spokeswoman Sarita Stevens.

"It's definitely not something we like to see," Stevens said of cutting the program.

She said the district is considering possibly drastically reducing what the program offers or using a smaller adult education staff as ways to continue the program.

Stevens couldn't provide suggestions about where people seeking adult education classes in Gary could go if the district doesn't bring back the program, noting it would be something students would have to explore.