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Adult-education enrollment rises; food service requests unchanged total despite price pressures
Summary
Adult education director David Durkee reported enrollment exceeding 2,600 (up ~600 from several years ago) and presented a slightly reduced FY27 budget that preserves services; food service director Leah Botko asked for no net change to the food and nutrition budget while flagging higher food and point-of-sale costs.
David Durkee, adult education director for Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford and MSAD 55, told the board that adult-education enrollment will exceed 2,600 this year, about 600 more than several years ago, and that demand for workforce and basic-education programming remains high. He said the FY27 adult-education proposal is slightly reduced from FY26 but preserves core academic and enrichment offerings that generate program revenue and lower local funding burdens.
Durkee described adult education in Maine as part of the public school system rather than the community college system and emphasized the program’s role in providing pathways to credentials, English-language instruction, and workforce connections. He said enrichment offerings (cooking, financial literacy, art, wellness) are important entry points for some learners and help sustain the program financially.
Leah Botko, the district food service director, presented an unchanged food-and-nutrition budget request of $194,814 but highlighted pressures: she projected a $35,000 (about 16%) increase in food costs, a $3,600 increase for contracted meal services to a partner school, a $2,500 increase for maintenance on aging equipment, and higher point-of-sale costs. Botko said staff salaries and retirement obligations are increasing because of negotiated contract changes.
Durkee and Botko answered board questions and said programming and meal service plans will be refined during remaining budget sessions.
Ending: Administrators asked the public to submit questions to budgetcomments@rsu23.org and noted continued budget work through March ahead of the board’s April presentation.
