Monterey Adult School has earned statewide recognition as one of just two 2026 California Adult Education Program (CAEP) Model Programs to receive the Exemplary Tier honor, the highest commendation given by the program. The award recognizes the school’s “Unlocking Doors” initiative, which pairs English language instruction with parent education and hands-on connections to community resources.
For Monterey County families, the news is a nice reminder that support for parents learning English, and for parents learning how to navigate school and community systems, is happening right here in Monterey County.
What “Unlocking Doors” actually does
The full name of the program is “Unlocking Doors: Contextual English and Leveraging Partnerships for Family Success,” and it was built by staff at Monterey Adult School to solve a very specific local problem: many families in the Seaside area are navigating housing instability and language barriers at the same time, often with little coordinated support.
Rather than teaching English in one classroom and parenting skills in another, the program weaves them together. Parents build English skills while also learning parenting strategies, connecting with community services, and finding new ways to support their kids’ education, all in the same class.
That “one-stop” model works because of partnerships with several organizations familiar to many local families, including the MPUSD Family Resource Center, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), and Monterey Community Health.
The numbers behind the recognition
Since the Parent Education Center launched in spring 2024, more than 600 parents have gone through the program. Enrollment has more than doubled since it began, and 93 to 95 percent of participants have passed EL Civics assessments covering everyday, practical topics like using a pharmacy, understanding nutrition information, navigating housing, and knowing their immigration rights.
“When parents feel connected, confident, and supported, the benefits extend well beyond the classroom,” said Beth Wodecki, Principal of Monterey Adult School. “They become stronger advocates for their children, more engaged in their schools, and better equipped to build brighter futures for their families.”
MPUSD Superintendent PK Diffenbaugh echoed that sentiment, noting that the program “removes barriers, builds confidence, and creates opportunities for families to thrive.”
What’s next
Monterey Adult School will be honored at the CAEP Summit in October 2026, where the program will be shared with educators and administrators from across California, and featured on the Advancing California Adult Education website as a model for other adult schools statewide.
Want to learn more?
Families interested in the program, or in Monterey Adult School’s other offerings such as its DART workforce training track, can find more information through the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Full news releases from MPUSD are posted at mpusd.net/news-releases.
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