Message from the Interim Director of Adult Education


Image of John Russell - Interim Director of Adult Education Mr. John Russell, Interim Director of Adult Education for Monrovia Unified School District

Welcome to Monrovia Community Adult School!

I am so very blessed to have the opportunity to serve as the Interim Director for Adult Education and to lead this amazing instituion. I am confident that you have come to the best adult education school in the San Gabriel Valley. Monrovia Community Adult School is a WASC-accredited and NCAA-approved institution offering UC a-g classes in its high school diploma program. I am very proud of the variety of outstanding programs MCAS offers in short-term career technical education (CTE) training, career development education, English as a Second Language (ESL), basic education, and high school diploma and equivalency.

I am excited to report that MCAS enrollment is approaching 2018-19 prepandemic levels. The 2022-23 school year saw unduplicated enrollment exceed 2019-20 levels and approach 2018-19 levels. While enrollment has increased, Participation rates in core MCAS ESL, CTE, and Academic programs increased above 85% this past program year due to the focused efforts to retain students by faculty and staff.

MCAS is a strong hub for regional workforce development. MCAS partners with dozens of regional businesses and employers and offers Job Fairs and hiring events to hundreds of potential employees. MCAS annually works with six Los Angeles County Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) and nearly 20 America’s Job Centers of California (AJCCs) to provide Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services to hundreds of LA County residents. These partnerships ensure that hundreds of students enrolled in CTE programs pay nothing for their classroom training. I can confidently state that no adult school in California is as effective as MCAS in partnering with WIOA Title I workforce agencies.

We are very fortunate that the Monrovia Board of Education and the Monrovia Unified School District have continually provided strong financial support and leadership to Monrovia Community Adult School. The support and assistance of our Board and district office has allowed this school to focus on what it does best: transforming the lives of our students through education.

With dedicated funding from the state through the California Adult Education Program (CAEP), MCAS has been able to maintain the new programs it implemented over the past three years. I urge you to stay informed about CAEP and how it affects your education. The website is: http://ccadulted.org/

Our students continue to embrace a culture of progress and transition. Many MCAS ESL students graduated from the ESL program and also completed the HiSET. We saw increased diplomas earned and HiSET passage rates, continued excellence in our CTE certifications and employment rates, and student transitions to postsecondary schools.

MCAS remains a vital part of the Citrus College Adult Education Consortium (CCAEC), which means that MCAS continues to work together with regional adult schools and Citrus College to better provide you with programs and services. You can learn more about the CCAEC at our consortium website: http://ccadulted.org/

Welcome and please let me know, if there is anything we can do to serve you better.



Monrovia Community Adult School offers numerous short-term vocational programs that help your earn certifications and give you the skills you need to start a new career. MCAS teachers are experienced professionals who share their industry knowledge to give you a solid foundation for success in a new profession. These teachers also have significant industry contacts and resources to ensure that students who successfully complete our vocational programs have a high rate of job attainment.

Mission Statement

The Monrovia Community Adult School empowers its diverse student population to succeed in a changing society through a variety of flexible, accessible and affordable educational programs.

Image of Monrovia Adult School


Student Learning Outcomes


We are commited to helping every MCAS student become a...


Problem Solvers who:

  • Identify a problem, evaluate options, and act appropriately.
  • Use creative and critical thinking skills.
  • Adapt and approach new situations flexibly.

Lifelong Learners who:

  • Set short-term and long-term goals.
  • Take responsibility to acquire new skills and knowledge.
  • Apply new skills and knowledge to a variety of situations.

Effective Communicators who:

  • Acquire reading, writing, listening, speaking, and technological skills.
  • Exchange ideas through oral, written, non-verbal or technological means.
  • Interact with others effectively and responsibly across all forms of communication.

Economic Participants who:

  • Attain skills and knowledge to become employable.
  • Contribute productively to the work world.
  • Manage personal financial resources skillfully.

Career Technical Education Programs


Learn new career skills and start a new career!

Monrovia Community Adult School offers numerous short-term vocational programs that help your earn certifications and give you the skills you need to start a new career. MCAS teachers are experienced professionals who share their industry knowledge to give you a solid foundation for success in a new profession. These teachers also have significant industry contacts and resources to ensure that students who successfully complete our vocational programs have a high rate of job attainment.


Academics & Arts Programs


In addition to our world class vocational programs, MCAS offers excellent Non-Technical Programs. Our English as a Second Language faculty is passionate, caring and committed to helping our students become proficient in English as quickly as possible. The MCAS Academic Lab offers a rigorous high school diploma program that prepares students for postsecondary education. Students seeking assistance with basic skills or test prep for the GED or HiSET can receive assistance from highly qualified instructors. And MCAS arts and crafts classes are taught by talented, successful artists.
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