Purchase new materials to help keep your course content relevant. Buy kits that utilize different types of media, like audio CDs, computer programs, DVDs and worksheets. Plan the programs budget so that a different department gets to buy new materials each year.
Post ads in community centers to find people who can teach special courses. You need qualified educators for things like GED preparation and alternative high school courses, but tax courses, home planning and music instruction can be taught by professionals if your department of education approves them. Perform a background check on every person who will be teaching alone.
Lobby your state legislators to increase funding to improve adult education. Explain that decreased support has made it harder for adults to gain the skills they need to advance in the work force. Contact your state representatives in Washington and ask them to push for bills that include additional federal money for non-traditional learning.
Provide training sessions for your volunteer ESL teachers. Allow them to share their ideas and issues with teaching English. Give out basic lesson plans and resources to help them improve their instruction techniques and inform them of ESL certification programs in the area.
Raise the community's awareness of locally funded adult education. Encourage people to come out and vote to allocate more funding for these programs. Explain that adult education benefits everyone because it leads to better jobs and more money flowing into the local economy.
Inform local businesses of your course offerings and ask them to help pay for their employees' continuing education. See if you can post a flier asking people with special skills if they'd be interested in teaching adult education classes. Provide some basic training to these volunteers and let them observe a few classes before they start teaching.
Hire bilingual teachers to reach out to the different ethnic groups in your area. Inform community centers of your course offerings to help find more students. See if these centers will help fund the purchase of materials for bilingual education programs.