Proposed cuts to the adult education program and the 21st Century Program will lead to a decrease in community education opportunities in Michigan. Adult education programs may be able to offset budget cuts by charging tuition and after school programs may appeal to community or business partner to secure funding in the absence of federal support. A five-year pause in state funding for adult education in 1959 brought about systemic changes, some of which contributed to instances of abuse in the 1980s and 1990s. While Fiscal Year 2004 reductions will limit the scope of community education programs offered in the state, future prospects for restoring adult education programs, and perhaps also for establishing dedicated state funds for after school programs, will be shaped by how adequately accountability and responsiveness can be combined to meet the needs of learners in Michigan.