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Lewiston adult education reports rising multilingual enrollment, faces $34,000 state subsidy drop
Summary
Director Jen Titus told the School Committee that adult education enrollment has grown, particularly multilingual programs, while state subsidy for adult education fell about $34,000 for FY26, prompting use of fund balance and internal reductions.
Director Jen Titus, who oversees Lewiston adult education (a shared directorship with Auburn Adult Education), told the Lewiston School Committee the program's enrollment and program variety have expanded even as state subsidy fell.
"All totaled, our student population represents 60 countries, 38 languages. 55% of our learners are multilingual," Titus said, and she highlighted that the program records 1,478 multilingual learners in 2024–25. The program runs multilingual instruction, HiSET (high school equivalency), workforce pathways, enrichment classes and employer-partner workplace literacy (currently with Central Maine Healthcare).
Titus said workforce programming totals included approximately 240 in adult basic/secondary/college-and-career access, 201 in workforce programming and 392 in enrichment (February counts), and she said enrollment has continued to grow despite a slight slowing in pace since January.
The director outlined new and expanding offerings: workplace literacy with Central Maine Healthcare; an upcoming phlebotomy pathway tied to health-care apprenticeship pathways; a resource center serving 94 internationally trained professionals; and outreach to youth at New Beginnings.
On finances, Titus explained the state adult-education subsidy varies on a multi-year cycle and is not strictly enrollment-driven. "We actually are receiving less subsidy this year," she said; Superintendent Jake Langley put the figure at about $34,000 less state subsidy for FY26. Titus said she has used fund balance and trimmed some costs to respond to the reduction while trying to keep instructional intensity high.
Committee members asked clarifying questions: Member Janet Boden and Member Glenn asked about the age mix of participants; Titus explained state rules permit 17-year-olds to enroll by statute and 16-year-olds can enroll with superintendent approval under special circumstances. Titus also confirmed HiSET has replaced the GED test in Maine and remains a five-part nationally normed assessment.
No formal committee vote was required or taken on the adult education presentation. The committee and staff discussed budget impacts and continuing reliance on fund balance and internal cost savings to maintain services while monitoring state subsidy in future cycles.
