TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For tens of thousands of adults in Pima County, a high school diploma never happened. Life got in the way. Pima Community College's Adult Basic Education program was their second chance — combining GED prep with real workforce training. Now, the state has pulled the plug on the funding that made it possible.
State lawmakers eliminated the Community College Adult Education Workforce Program, cutting $1.5 million from PCC's Adult Basic Education for College and Career program. According to PCC, more than 650 adults have earned their GED through the program over the past four years, while more than 1,700 have completed entry-level workforce training.
Glen Frieden has taught adult basic education at PCC for nearly a decade. His students are immigrants learning English, adults chasing a diploma they never got — all of them trying to find their footing.
"It's not easy to come to adult education later in life," Frieden said. "These are people who are working very hard towards a goal, and I hope that we don't lose any of that."
Frieden described his students as people juggling chaotic lives while still showing up to better themselves.
"They're putting in their best effort at something that is challenging not just intellectually, but really just challenging personally," he said. "Finding the time to devote to your continuing education is a really admirable thing."
Frieden also pushed back on the idea that education funding is an easy line item to cut.
"The idea that education funding gets cut before a lot of other things says something very sad about the priorities of our society," he said. "The people making these decisions aren't necessarily in touch with the everyday struggles of people who are taking our classes."
Laurie Kierstead-Joseph, PCC's Assistant Vice Chancellor for Adult Basic Education, said the cut goes beyond the classroom. About 60% of adult learners in the program face basic needs insecurity: struggling with transportation, housing or food assistance. That support was also funded through the eliminated program.
"Without that funding, we are going to have to look at scaling back at some point, and may have to serve fewer learners in the program," Kierstead-Joseph said.
She added that the workforce impact extends beyond individual students.
"Adults who don't yet have a high school diploma or struggling with their English skills aren't going to be able to fill those jobs unless they get on a career pathway here at Pima," Kierstead-Joseph said. "In the long run, if we can't get this funding reinstated, I think it will negatively impact the local employers who are looking for folks to fill those jobs."
Kierstead-Joseph also noted that adults who earn a high school equivalency diploma make on average $9,000 more per year before pursuing any additional training.
An estimated 70,000 adults in Pima County do not have a high school diploma or equivalent credential.
PCC says the impact will not be immediate due to the way funding is structured — the college bills quarterly and receives funding on a delayed cycle. But officials warn that without action from the legislature next session, cuts to classes and services could come as early as next year.
Kierstead-Joseph said she remains hopeful, noting that lawmakers across the board expressed support for the program during budget discussions.
"Everyone we talked to saw the value in the program and said they would like to see it continue," she said. "It was a really incredibly tough budget year, and we just didn't make it across the finish line but that leaves me optimistic that we have a chance next year."
PCC says it will continue seeking alternative funding sources and working with lawmakers and community partners to restore support for adult education and workforce development programs.
——-
Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
