State Leaders Urge Congress to Preserve Adult Education Funding

State and national partners convened earlier this year to press congressional staff and state leaders to protect federal funding for adult education, warning that cuts would deeply affect New Mexico learners and workforce pipelines. The New Mexico Higher Education Department said, "Federal funding cuts threaten to grievously harm New Mexico’s adult education programs, putting the state’s 26 adult education and 18 adult literacy programs at risk," and officials emphasized that the funding supports thousands of residents working to improve their economic prospects.

Meetings and briefings included Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, Higher Education Deputy Secretary Patricia Trujillo, Adult Education Director Amber Gallup, Coalition on Adult Basic Education CEO Sharon Bonney, staffers from congressional offices, and adult education student leaders. Policy discussions focused on literacy, high school equivalency, English language instruction, and career training that feed directly into higher education and local workforce needs.

Student voices underscored the personal stakes. Victoria Montoya described meeting Morales and Sharon Bonney as an opportunity to share her journey and gratitude for adult education programs, saying, "Thank you again for giving me hope to become a senator in the future. You can be who you want to be. Just work hard to get where you want and need to be." Coalition CEO Sharon Bonney framed the issue in economic terms, saying, "Adult education is the gateway to opportunity." She added, "Every dollar invested in these programs empowers learners to improve literacy, earn their high school equivalency, gain English skills, and acquire the training needed to succeed in today’s workforce."

Officials highlighted concrete program models that connect basic education to careers, including Santa Fe Community College’s Integrated Education and Training program in automotive maintenance and light repair, where students earn a high school equivalency, an industry recognized certificate, and 19 college credits toward an automotive technologies associate degree. Higher Education Deputy Secretary Patricia Trujillo noted her own role in state higher education and stressed collaboration, saying, "New Mexico is proving that there is no wrong door to higher education, from cradle to career, we are building pathways that lead to opportunity and success."

For San Juan County residents, the stakes are practical. Reduced federal support would likely shrink course offerings, evening classes, English learner support, and job training that local adults use to qualify for better paying jobs and further education. As lawmakers weigh budget choices, educators and students argue that preserving adult education funding is a direct investment in workforce readiness, family stability, and long term economic growth for communities across the state.