Adult‑education coalition reports new trainings, stable class offerings and continued need for county support

The Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy told the Education and Culture Committee on Sept. 18 that it has expanded its network of adult English programs but is still reaching far fewer learners than local need requires.

Coalition director Gerard (representing the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy) said the coalition’s core strategic priorities — culturally responsive, learner‑centered instruction, targeted services in underserved areas and support for equity goals — remain unchanged and are driving a new round of action steps. He credited county funding with allowing the coalition to increase instructor pay and continue childcare and transportation supports that remove barriers to attendance.

“The total number of potential English learners in the county” has risen, Gerard told the committee, citing American Community Survey figures the coalition summarized for council members. He said the estimate rose from roughly 134,000 learners two years earlier to about 143,000 today and warned the coalition and its partners can serve only a small fraction of that population without sustained funding.

Rudy Jung, the coalition’s director of programs, gave a line‑item account of current work: the coalition is supporting 30 programs run by 24 organizations, added six new grantees this year, and launched an online collaboration platform — the Circle — with more than 140 users so volunteers and program managers can share resources. Jung also described a new eight‑hour instructor training focused on conversation facilitation, created in response to partner feedback.

Jung said funding and outreach efforts have not prevented a drop in the number of unique learners reported in fiscal year 2025. “Despite the additional grant funding and the total number of classes increasing, numbers of learners decreased,” he said, adding that the decline appears concentrated in the second half of the fiscal year and that partner organizations reported some learners were afraid to come to class.

Coalition staff and council members discussed recruitment and retention strategies for instructors. Grace Karambiri, the coalition’s grants manager, said Community Learning Groups (nine‑week, locally hosted classes) are intentionally training new instructors from the communities they serve, and that some CLG graduates go on to teach longer programs. Karambiri noted small access grants this year have included mentoring and program support for emerging providers.

Council members asked whether stronger coordination among Montgomery College, MCPS and community providers has reduced duplication. Coalition leaders described a public, frequently updated class list shared with partners and direct referral practices between larger providers and smaller community programs when particular sites are full.

The coalition asked the council to sustain funding as federal and other revenue sources shift. Gerard and coalition staff highlighted two near‑term priorities: developing a messaging campaign and recruitment pipeline to diversify and increase instructors, and continuing supports for childcare and transportation to reduce attendance barriers.

What happens next: coalition leaders said they will kick off a strategic‑plan update Oct. 23 and expect to finish a new three‑year plan by next summer. The coalition also plans to expand instructor training and scale its class‑listing and referral processes.