$1M grant will prevent higher ed layoffs

A new $1 million federal grant will prevent layoffs and reduce enrollment wait times in Porterville’s post-secondary schools.

The money awarded to the Tulare County Workforce Investment Board (TCWIB) will be allocated to various adult schools and to Porterville College to train low-income, unemployed residents in health related careers at no cost.Locally, it will keep Psychiatric Technician instructors from receiving pink slips at the college, and reduce enrollment wait times for 100 certified nursing assistants at Porterville Adult School.

“We are very excited about this,” Karen Rappleye, assistant director at Porterville Adult School, said. “We hate to see potential students wait for the classes, but with the economy the way it is right now, and so many wanting to receive training, we really have an overflow of students wanting to go into the nursing field.”

The Schwarzenegger administration announced Wednesday that $999,931 was headed to Tulare County as a part of $10.7 million to be awarded to 13 local agencies statewide.

To administer the services now available with grant funding, TCWIB has partnered with Porterville College and the Porterville Adult School, in addition to adult schools in Tulare, Visalia and Dinuba. The money is not being used to start up any new programs at the schools, but rather to supplement existing ones.

The grant starts Feb. 1 and lasts for 18 months. Countywide, TCWIB estimates that approximately 500 students will benefit from the free tuition and support services.

With a portion of the money, the Porterville Adult School will hire an additional teacher — there are currently three — to teach eligible students.

“We at this time have a great nursing assistant program, but students wait about one to two months get into available classes,” Rappleye said. “Now they will be able to get into classes sooner because of the grant money.”

First, however, the students will have to meet TCWIB requirements to receive the free tuition and support services. Some such criteria include being recently laid off and unemployed.

The allocation will also prevent Porterville College administration from having to hand pink slips to two of its faculty members in the next few months. The college will also be able to refill a position that was empty this semester because of a layoff, according to Valerie Lombardi, Associate Dean of the Health Careers Division.

“As of Thursday, we learned that they will retain their jobs,” she said. “The money will pay for the cost of the program, instructors’ salaries, equipment and support staff.”

The three teachers — who will work part time —will begin by teaching a group of 15 Psychiatric Technician students.

“It’s been difficult, so we are excited,” Lombardi said.

Contact Jenna Chandler at 784-5000, Ext. 1050, or jchandler@portervillerecorder.com.