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Portland Adult Education exceeded enrollment goals; TIF will fund FY2026 programs at $200,000
Summary
City staff updated the Housing and Economic Development Committee on Portland Adult Education’s recent workforce-training results and plans; committee members asked for follow-up data on participant outcomes and funding sources and suggested childcare and hospitality training be considered.
City of Portland housing staff told the Housing and Economic Development Committee on June 11 that Portland Adult Education (PAE) exceeded enrollment goals for the 2025 program year and will receive $200,000 in Downtown TIF funding in fiscal year 2026 to continue workforce training programs.
The update, delivered by Greg Watson, director of Housing and Economic Development, said Portland Adult Education met 145% of its 2025 enrollment target and that 99% of program participants identified as BIPOC, most identifying as Black or African American. Watson said the programs focused on transportation careers, a bank-teller program, medical assistant and supported certified nursing assistant (CNA) training, employment and English-preparation services and ESOL instruction. The city budgeted $200,000 in FY2026 TIF funds to level-fund those efforts.
Committee members pressed staff for follow-up data and for information about funding models. Councilor Sara McNevich asked whether the city could prioritize training for childcare providers in light of a separate agenda item about building childcare capacity at the Baron Center. Watson said staff would consult PAE and return with details about how curriculum choices are made, whether on-shelf curricula exist and whether the city could fund immediate start-up this year or would need to wait until FY2026.
Councilor Regina Phillips asked for participant outcome data, including how many of the roughly 610 students served between FY2021 and FY2025 remained employed in Portland, and whether program graduates were staying in the city. Watson said staff would seek employment-location data for the cohort of about 610 students served over those years.
Councilors also asked staff to explore partnerships between PAE and Visit Portland for hospitality-sector training, and suggested PAE consider English-language and other supports to help non-English-speaking home-based childcare providers move into the regulated workforce.
Staff said program-level budget details — such as which training elements the TIF covers 50% versus 100% — would be provided in follow-up responses. No formal action was required or taken on this communication item.
Looking ahead, committee members asked staff to return with: program-by-program funding sources (what other funders cover the remaining 50% on some programs), outcomes data for the 610-student cohort, and whether PAE could accelerate or stand up childcare-provider training in response to immediate need.
