Lawrence, MA (September 9, 2026) — During Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, September 14–18, Northern Essex Community College is joining programs across the country in celebrating this year’s theme, “Adult Education Works.” For NECC’s Center for Adult Education, the week is an opportunity to celebrate students and the teachers, staff, partners, and funders who help make their success possible.
NECC offers a variety of free personal, professional, and academic developmental programs, such as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses and high school equivalency degrees through the Center for Adult Education. These programs help students prepare for jobs, training opportunities, or college. Approximately 1,800 adults participate in CAE programs at NECC’s Lawrence campus and five Essex County Sheriff’s Office locations each year. They come from across the Merrimack Valley and beyond, bringing different experiences, languages, and responsibilities to the classroom. This past June, CAE celebrated students from 31 countries who speak 13 languages. The Class of 2026 included 33 High School Equivalency credential graduates, 34 workforce program completers, 18 Transition to College completers, and 31 students inducted into the National Adult Education Honor Society. These accomplishments belong to the students, but they also reflect the people who stand beside them along the way.
“Adult education works because it meets people where they are and gives them the support and tools they need to move forward,” said CAE Executive Director Jacqueline Lynch. “I am incredibly proud of our students and grateful for the teachers and staff who believe in them, support them, and celebrate their successes every day.”
Lynch also noted that CAE’s teachers and staff build relationships with students, adapt instruction to meet individual needs, celebrate progress, and encourage students to keep going when the next step feels difficult. Their work often extends far beyond the classroom.
About Adult Education and Family Literacy
Making these opportunities available to students requires a community willing to invest in adult education. CAE is grateful to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Essex County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Transitional Assistance, Cummings Foundation, and Gemline for their support. Their investment makes it possible for CAE to offer free education and training programs and respond to the needs of students and the community. This fall, for example, CAE will expand programming and launch a new Family Literacy program, supported by the Cummings Foundation and offered in partnership with Haverhill Public Schools. The program will bring parents and children together around learning, extending the impact of adult education from the classroom into the family.
Research from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that “Forty-two percent of jobs in 2031 will require at least a bachelor’s degree, while only 28 percent will go to workers with a high school diploma or less.” Adults who participate in adult education programs have the opportunity to explore career pathways and hone their skills so that they can advance their careers through postsecondary education or training. Studies show every $1 invested in adult ed yields up to $60 in increased wages and social savings.
Additionally, family literacy programs serve parents and their young children, teaching basic skills, English as a Second Language, and parenting skills to adults while their children are provided high-quality instruction. These programs are focused on breaking the cycles of low literacy, low education, and poverty.
To learn more about the CAE, please visit the webpage.
